Detroit Free Press: Humanitarian crisis is looming in Gaza

Fighting threatens water supply, power
June 30, 2006
FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES

The 1.4 million residents of the Gaza Strip will face a humanitarian crisis within days unless fighting between Israelis and Palestinians stops, United Nations officials said Thursday.

"We are heading into the abyss," Under-Secretary-General Jan Egeland said in New York.

Israel destroyed Gaza's only power station on Wednesday, leaving 40% of the population without electricity and the other 60% dependent on power from Israel. Fuel for generators that power 130 water wells will run out in three days, leaving thousands without access to water, Egeland said.

"With no water and also considering the weather, it will be a life-threatening situation rather quickly," said Christer Nordahl, deputy director of the UN refugee office in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli jets hit the power plant, along with key bridges, as the precursor to a slowly building invasion of the Gaza Strip intended to secure the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, a French-Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants Sunday in a cross-border raid.

Sami Abadiah, a power plant engineer, said it could take at least six months and $11 million to rebuild the plant. And that's if Israel allows replacement equipment into Gaza.

Maged Abu Ramadan, Gaza City's mayor, said he's relying on generators to keep some power flowing. But when fuel runs out, he said, the streets could begin filling with raw sewage, and residents may have only dangerously dirty water to drink.

A short-term solution would be for Israel to allow more fuel into Gaza and increase the amount of electricity flowing to Gaza. But Israeli officials said they're more concerned with getting their soldier back.

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