In response to growing pressure from Western allies to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel plans to increase the supply of electricity to a desalination plant in the region. The move will increase water production for the enclave's population, according to an Israeli security official and a Western official. The recent Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, water and sanitation for millions of people.
The plan involves supplying electricity directly from Israel to a large water desalination facility in Khan Younis. This facility, established with funding from the United Nations in 2017, provides drinking water to areas of Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and the Mawasi area. Currently, due to a lack of electricity, the facility is only able to produce about 1,500 cubic meters of water per day, despite having a capacity of about 20,000 cubic meters.
Since the start of the conflict, Gaza's electricity supply, which is heavily dependent on Israel, has been cut. The proposed plan to supply electricity to the water plant could provide water to close to a million people. However, there is no set timetable for when this power supply will be restored. Power is currently obtained from generators and solar power.
The plan has received approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, but still requires the green light from other government ministers. However, there are unnamed parties trying to stop the process.
They are preparing to restore electricity to the plant, a move that was approved during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent visit to Israel. Palestinian engineers are currently assessing the integrity of the line. While restoring electricity to the desalination plant is a crucial step in solving the water crisis in Gaza, it will not completely solve the problem. The ongoing conflict continues to impede efforts to repair the sanitation system.
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