ISRAEL RESTARTS WATER SUPPLY TO GAZA'S SOUTHERN REGION - MINISTER

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One million Palestinians have fled the northern part of the Strip in order to avoid a fierce airstrike, while Israel has restored the water supply to the southern part of Gaza, according to Energy Minister Israel Katz on Sunday.

“This will push the civilian population to the southern (part of the) Strip,” Katz said in a statement, a week after Israel had stopped supplying water to the entire territory as part of a “complete siege” on the Palestinian enclave.

He stated that following discussions between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the decision to restore supplies was made.

Prior to this, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that Israel had informed him that it had restored the water supply in the southern part of Gaza.

“I have been in touch with my Israeli counterparts just within the last hour who reported to me that they have, in fact, turned the water pipe back on in southern Gaza,” Sullivan told CNN.

Subsequently, the hamlet of Beni Suheila in southern Gaza received confirmation that the water supply had been restored.

With Hamas militants in Gaza carrying out a vicious attack on Israel on October 7 that resulted in over 1,400 Israeli deaths, Israel launched a withering air campaign against them.

At least 2,450 individuals have died in the Palestinian area as a result of the massive airstrike.

The United Nations organization assisting Palestinian refugees reported on Sunday that in the first seven days of the conflict in Gaza, an estimated one million people had been displaced.

“The number is likely to be higher as people continue to leave their homes,” UNRWA director of communications Juliette Touma told AFP.

AFP