Gaza Municipalities Union warns of halting services due to sharp drop in revenues

Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-11 19:56:39|Editor: ZX
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GAZA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza Municipalities Union warned on Wednesday of a complete cessation of basic municipal services due to sharp drop in its financial revenues.

Head of Municipalities Union, Nizar Hijazi, told reporters in Gaza City that the municipalities are facing serious difficulties in getting enough revenues to buy fuel to operate water wells, sewage plants and other facilities.

Hijazi called for urgent international intervention to change the situation in Gaza.

Gaza has been placed under a tight Israeli blockade since Islamic Hamas movement seized the territory by force after routing forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.

In the recent six years, Israel and Hamas movement have been engaged in three major wars that claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians and dozens of Israelis.

The blockade has pushed Gaza's 2 million populations deeper into poverty with inflating unprecedented unemployment rates.

In February, the union, which includes 25 municipalities, declared a state of emergency and reduced basic services by 50 percent due to lack of facilities available to its staff.

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