Gaza: The ongoing Israeli military operation and the blockade have left long-lasting scars on the Palestinians living in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp.

Several people have complained of skin diseases after using the water supplied through pipelines.

And those who fled their homes in the face of the Israeli ground offensive and have been living in UN shelters blame Hamas for the situation.

I asked 29-year-old Ali Al Hour whether he knew the water has affected his children's health. “You know that water is not good for drinking and washing, too. But we are forced to use the water from the pipes for washing and bathing, but it's not healthy.'' he said.

I asked one child, Fatima, “Do you drink from the pipes directly?''

“I don't like it. It's bad and my father always tells us not to use it because it affects our health,'' said Fatima.

Ali said that their skin is showing some signs of disease because of the water. He said that his two-year-old baby girl has been suffering from diarrhoea for a long time.

He blamed it on the pipe water because it is often mixed in the milk which the girl drinks daily. Asked who he thought is responsible for the situation, he retorted: “The collapse of Gaza's sewage and water system caused by the military operation and the blockade.'' I then went to Mohammad Abu Eisa's house. He said his children have large white spots on their faces.

“I didn't know these spots are caused by the water. But I consulted doctors in the UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency] clinics and they told me not to allow children to drink the water from the pipes and not to let them play in the sand which is wet because of sewage,'' said Abu Eisa, adding, “The doctors explained that due to shortage of spare parts the water and sewage system is in danger of collapse.''

This is because of the restrictions placed on the movement of goods into the Gaza Strip. There is a risk of all sorts of water-borne diseases such as dysentery and cholera.

“And as we know, there are severe shortages of spare parts, and other materials necessary for repairs and maintenance. There is also a severe shortage of drinking water because of the ongoing Israeli military operation, they said, adding that the municipality had only enough fuel to enable one day of pumping.

‘Like Al Naqba'

I visited UNRWA schools where Palestinians have taken refuge since the beginning of the Israeli ground offensive. I met some families in the schools and they are coping with the situation.

Ahmad Abu Kmail, a 45-year-old farmer, said: “My father said this was exactly like Al Naqba in 1948 [the Catastrophe Day]''. The Abu Kmail family fled their home in Al Mughraqa in the south of Zahra City.

Abu Kmail said that their house was hit by an Israeli shell. There are many houses that have been destroyed by shells and air strikes, he said.

“We didn't take anything from the house,'' he said.

They have nothing to talk about other than the crisis. Abu Kmail's wife, Ahlam blamed Hamas leaders for the situation. “Hamas is supposed to be the government; they have been provoking the Israelis with rocket attacks and putting our lives at risk. The leaders have vanished, leaving us in the lurch,'' said Ahlam.

“But thanks to UNRWA schools, we at least got a place to live. Others in the shelter expressed similar views. “However, Hamas still has die-hard supporters. The senior commanders of the group have gone underground,'' Ahlam added.