Gaza: The Arab Water Council on Sunday made a humanitarian and ethical call on the world to move urgently to provide water to the population of the Gaza Strip. In a press statement issued by the council, its Chairman Mahmoud Abu Zeid emphasized that water is the basis of life, dignity, and peace, and that depriving Gazans of their right to water means denying them the right to life.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Abu Zeid called for translating this commitment into concrete steps through three related phases: promoting sustainable water security, bolstering regional cooperation, and deepening the role of water as a bridge of peace, security, and prosperity. He highlighted the need to unify efforts and expertise to restore clean water and dignity to the people of Gaza.
Abu Zeid also urged all countries, regional and international organizations, and development partners to unite for the common humanitarian goal of rebuilding Gaza's water system in a sustainable manner. Furthermore, the council's Secretary-General Hussein Al-Atfi mentioned that peace begins only when there is joint cooperation and responsibility for water management.
Al-Atfi stressed the importance of taking necessary measures to secure Gaza's water needs, including the sustainable usage of wells, treatment and re-usage of sewage water, establishment of new desalination stations on the coast, and financing for water and sewage services. He elaborated that to alleviate the water crisis, it is crucial to provide mobile desalination plants, secure alternative sources of energy, and set up temporary water corridors.
Additionally, Al-Atfi called for rehabilitating water and sewage networks using low-cost sophisticated technology, supporting unconventional water sources, restoring agriculture and food security, and building peace through water diplomacy, data exchange, and sustainable financing mechanisms.