Energy Minister Israel Katz said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden had come to an agreement on Sunday where Israel would return to supplying water to southern Gaza, Reuters reported that day.
The decision to once again, partially, resume the supply of water to the Palestinian enclave was in line with Israeli policy on Gaza, the energy minister noted.
Israel had previously cut off its water supply following Hamas’s kidnapping of Israeli citizens. According to the latest figures from Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, 126 Israelis have been kidnapped by Hamas.
Palestinians gather to collect water, amid shortages of drinking water, as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip October 15, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
While Israel’s decision to cut water has been slammed by other nations and NGOs, as the Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday, Israel supplies roughly 10% of Gaza’s water supply, according to Eyal Pinko of the Department of Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University.
Interesting video released by al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing) showing how it digs out water pipes meant for Gazans and uses them to make rockets that are fired indiscriminately at Israel. Absolutely evil. #Gaza pic.twitter.com/eV1DwOarVc
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) May 25, 2021
Water pipes to rockets
Additionally, Hamas has been found sabotaging their own water supply. As noted in an article from The Telegraph this past week, footage published in 2021 revealed Hamas terrorists digging up water pipes in Gaza to fashion into rockets which are then fired into Israel.