Gaza Desalinated Drinking water leading to cancer, Osteoporosis and other fatal illnesses
Iyad Salman was terribly shocked to find out that his son, Mohammad (9), has Osteoporosis, an illness that became hugely spread between the children of Gaza. Iyad assured that he was always keen that his children have a healthy lifestyle.
However, his son became ill after buying and drinking desalinated water from carts that sell it in Tal-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah where he lives.
Mohammed's doctor immediately diagnosed the causative of the illness to be the sold desalinated water, which was reiterated by the head of water monitoring department in the Ministry of health, saying that the lack of Chloride in the water causes Osteoporosis, especially for children.
Despite knowing the causes for the illness, there is no substitute for the desalinated water, since the water provided by the Municipality is salted and unfit for drinking, and Israeli occupation control over more than 82% of Palestinian water.
The prices of the desalinated water reach 30 NIS for 1000 Liters.
A German specialized study analyzed drinking water samples, which showed a high percentage of Nitrate Oxidizing Substance that leads to deterioration of children's health.
The normal percentage of nitrate in drinking water should range around 50 mg per liter. The percentage in that of Gaza drinking water, reached double to eight times as much.
Laboratory tests showed severe lack of red blood cells for almost half the children in Gaza.
The desalinated water sold in Gaza was assured to cause Cancer as well.
Dr. Anhar Dahdouh told PNN that the water is desalinated using the method of Reverse Osmosis, in which Filters used must be changed at least yearly. However, the filters used for desalinating the water were found to be changed once every two years.
Drinking this desalinated water, that contains an excessive amount of dangerous nitrates, can cause cancer for the victims within 6-8 years.
Chair of the Environment and Geology department in the Islamic University of Gaza, Ziyad Abu Hayyen, said that the water condition in Gaza is deteriorating, especially after the retreat of raining amounts.
Abu-Hayyen added that 95% of the water in the Gaza strip does not match the international qualifications of drinking water according to the UN reports, that showed it caused new illnesses.
Report by Al-Mizan Human Rights Center in September 2012 showed that the number of cancer patients in Gaza hit (10,780)people between the years of 1995-2010.
Head of the Water Laboratory in Khan Younis, Mohammed Abu Shammaleh, said that the overwhelming increase in nitrates amounts in the drinking water caused the deaths of infants, since it burns the Oxygen in the infant blood, while in adults it can form cancerous substance.
Israeli control of Palestinian water
Palestinian water since 1967 has been under Israeli control, and Palestinians are deprived from water and given limited amounts of it are barely be enough for them.
Mizan center said that Israeli forces constructed dams to stop water from naturally flowing to the valleys of Gaza. In addition, Israeli has been targeting water resources, including wells, water tanks and pools and main watering pipes during invasions and continuous military aggression on Palestinian lands.
Gaza strip yearly needs the amount of 130 million cube meters of water, while it only gets 80. The international average of an individual's need of water is 150 liters, while each Gaza individual gets only 80.
Israeli construction of water traps and theft of Palestinian water caused the contamination of 95% of the water wells in Gaza, while Ministry of health warns of contaminating 100% of the water in Gaza, in which case no water can be fit for drinking any more.
The Palestinian share of water reached about 18%, while Israeli share of water hit 82%.
The water crisis was anticipated 20 years ago, and is currently about to reach its peak, where almost 95% of the water in Gaza is unfit to the international qualifications and for human use.
Al Mizan center demanded international interference about the issue, to solve the crisis and save the lives of Palestinians, especially children.
Uprooted Palestinian 
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