Israel's national water carrier Mekorot recently began upgrading its pipeline from Israel to Gaza to increase the flow of drinkable water to faucets in Gaza homes.
"Water is a basic thing. There's an entire population in Gaza that doesn't want war with Israel," an employee from the construction crew said.
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"It's a shame that's the situation. Most of the people in Gaza are thirsty for water, but also hungry for a normal life and a better future for their children. Despite everything, they're our neighbors and we can't ignore what's happening there," he said.
The water situation in Gaza is dire, and a recent report published in March found that 97% of the water pumped from local aquifers is unfit for human consumption.
Further exacerbating the situation, Gaza's desalination plants are already too small to accommodate the territory's needs and are frequently disrupted by power cuts.
Israel and Hamas are reportedly engaged in informal talks with Egypt, the UN, and Qatar among others to formulate a plan to rehabilitate the Strip's water and sewage infrastructure.
