The taps are running dry for 1.4 million Palestinians in Gaza after an international boycott left the Hamas government unable to provide basic services, and Israeli air strikes destroyed the only power station, preventing rooftop tanks from being refilled.

The European Commission is delivering fuel for emergency generators at 109 water supply stations and 27 waste water plants. The Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: “Gaza is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. I hope that our actions can prevent a crisis becoming a public health calamity.”

Meanwhile some people find individual solutions. Retired civil servant Nabhan Habboush paid $3,000 (EUR 3,795) for a crane to drill through the pavement outside his house. After nine hours it hit the water table.

"I just decided enough was enough. I had to do something," said Habboush, a 60-year-old grandfather. "Water is a human right, it's life. But we don't have any, so what can we do? We have to have water. I'm doing it for the whole family."

Related news: Israel / Palestine: West Bank barrier cuts off water sources, say Palestinians, Source Weekly, 7 April 2006.

Sources: Luke Baker, Reuters, AlertNet 18 July 2006; European Commission, Europa 17 July 2006

Tags: emergencies