UNRWA holds Israel responsible for Gaza living conditions

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) held the Israeli government fully responsible for the difficult human living conditions in the Gaza Strip, in a press release released by the agency on Monday. UNRWA held a conference titled "Will the Gaza Strip be Viable in 2020," with the presence of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Maxwell Gaylard, Director of UNRWA operations in Gaza Robert Turner, and UNICEF Special Representative in the Palestinian Territory, Jean Gough. The press conference warned that the Gaza Strip will face a real disaster on all levels in 2020 if the Israeli siege on the Strip and the Israeli occupation were not immediately ended. In addition to immediately intervene to save the various service sectors from the impending collapse. An increase in Gaza population is expected, reaching 2.1 million in 2020, said Gaylard, adding that the population growth will be accompanied by a slow economic growth resulting in difficult living conditions in the Strip. UNRWA reported that the population average in Gaza will reach 5800 person per kilometer, a precedent world-wide record. Gaylard stressed that the Gaza Strip can’t develop without connecting to the outside world and establishing trade and communication connections beyond the Israeli siege. Gough said the water demand will increase by 60%in the upcoming years; while 75% of waste water is being pumped into sea and underground water, thus leading the way to a disaster that would leave no drinking water in Gaza by 2016.