Cogat, the Israeli military agency in charge of civil affairs in the occupied territories, announced this Sunday the arrival of equipment in Egypt that, in the coming days, will be used to build a pipeline to carry water from that country to Mawasi, in southern Gaza.
“Today, representatives from the UAE began transferring project equipment from Egypt under supervision and after a thorough security inspection through the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Construction of the pipeline will begin in the coming days and is expected to continue for several weeks,” the agency announced in a statement.
This announcement marks the start of a large-scale logistical and humanitarian operation aimed at bringing drinking water from Egypt to Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip, one of the areas most affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave.
The decision to allow the construction of this pipeline, which will start at an Egyptian desalination plant—the location of which has not been specified by Israeli authorities—and run along the coast to reach Mawasi, was made"weeks ago" by the Israeli Army, following government directives, according to COGAT in its statement.
The operation has the active participation of the United Arab Emirates, which has begun to mobilize the necessary equipment from Egyptian territory, under strict supervision and after passing security controls at the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
The Mawasi enclave has become an epicenter of displacement within the Gaza Strip.
According to estimates by the United Nations (UN), around 90% of the Gazan population is displaced, and hundreds of thousands of people are surviving in extremely precarious conditions, crammed into tents along the area's beaches.
The shortage of drinking water and the lack of basic hygiene resources have been identified by international organizations as one of the most pressing problems in the area.
The Israeli military estimates that the new pipeline will be able to supply water to some 600,000 people in the Mawasi area, a figure that reflects the scale of the crisis and the urgency of the intervention.
According to UN data collected at the end of June, some 425,000 people were sheltering in Mawasi, although the number has been rising due to new waves of displacement. During June, the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of the beaches of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, causing thousands of people to seek refuge in Mawasi, increasing the pressure on the already limited resources in the area.
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has deteriorated alarmingly in recent months.
In the last week, deaths from malnutrition have been recorded daily, a direct consequence of food and water shortages.
International organizations operating on the ground have repeatedly warned of the risk of famine and the spread of diseases associated with the lack of clean water and adequate sanitation.
In this context, the announcement of the pipeline's construction represents an attempt to alleviate, at least partially, the water crisis in the region.
COGAT emphasized that the decision to approve the Emirati proposal for the construction of the infrastructure was made after a process of evaluation and coordination between the involved parties."The construction of the pipeline will begin in the coming days and is expected to continue for several weeks," the Israeli military agency reiterated, emphasizing the logistical complexity and the need to maintain strict security controls throughout the process.
The collaboration between Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Israel on this project highlights the international dimension of the crisis in Gaza and the need for coordinated responses to address the most urgent needs of the civilian population.
The Kerem Shalom border crossing has been the entry point for the necessary equipment and materials, following a thorough inspection to ensure that the operation runs smoothly and within the security parameters established by the Israeli authorities.
