A press release condemning the targeting of the Utility's vehicle and the serious injury of employee Ziad Al-Shawi, demanding protection for workers supplying residents with water.
Press Release
CMWU Condemns the Targeting of Its Crews and Demands Protection for Workers Supplying Residents with Water
A vehicle belonging to CMWU was struck by Israeli shelling at about 11:05 PM on Saturday night, 12/7/2014, near the Hijazi petroleum station west of Rafah, near the Utility's water well, while the driver was on his way back to the Utility's headquarters, after having driven the employees working the evening shift and those in charge of operating the water wells and supplying residents with water.
The shelling caused injury to Ziad Suleiman Al-Shawi, (42 years old), who is married and has 5 children, with wounds described by medical sources as serious, and destroyed the vehicle belonging to the Utility.
It is noted that the Utility coordinates opening water taps and supplying residents with water with the availability of electrical current, so residents can benefit from water and fill their tanks, and therefore the Utility is forced to work at late hours, and despite the great danger surrounding work at these times due to the continuation of Israeli attacks, the Utility's keenness to supply residents with water stems from easing the severity of their suffering.
As CMWU condemns, in the strongest terms, the targeting of its work crews, it affirms that its crews' work is limited to preserving the continued provision of water and sanitation services to residents. The Utility also stresses that its crews' tasks fall within the framework of humanitarian work, just like medical crews and electricity company crews, who are forced to move at various times regardless of the danger of the circumstances.
Accordingly, and amid this assault, CMWU calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross and the international community to work to protect the Utility's work crews, because they are among the groups working in the humanitarian field amid the continuation of the Israeli attacks, so they can fulfill their duties towards residents and supply them with drinking water.
