Gaza Municipality Mayor Yahya Sarraj on Wednesday together with al-Khalil and Salfit municipalities from Palestine’s occupied West Bank, highlighted the importance of solidarity between local governments during the dire situation their region faces, calling on the world to take action.
His speech was made through a video message to the United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA) Extraordinary General Assembly held in southeastern Türkiye.
The general assembly is being held between Nov. 22-23 under the auspices of Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality with attendance from UCLG-MEWA-member municipalities including Konya Metropolitan Municipality in Türkiye, al-Khalil, Gaza Strip and Salfit municipalities from Palestine and Greater Irbid Municipality from Jordan.
Sarraj briefed the audience on the pressing issues faced by besieged Gaza through video message whose online speech was not held due to the limited internet connectivity in the region.
In his speech, the Gazan mayor – whose son, Roshdi Sarraj, a journalist that was killed in an Israeli airstrike along with 24 Palestinian journalists and other civilian casualties – drew attention to the critical shortage of water supply, stating that water services had been lost, leaving the remaining population in a dire situation. He lamented the United Nations' recent announcement of days without water, underlining the urgent need for international assistance to address this crisis.
Sarraj also addressed the accumulating waste on the streets, amounting to thousands of tons, and the logistical challenges in transferring it to landfills outside the region.
Israel has launched a major bombing campaign and ground offensive in Gaza – a city that has been under siege for some 16 years – which has so far killed at least 14,100 people, mostly women and children. The latest offensive by Israel followed Hamas’ carrying out an Oct. 7 cross-border incursion, which left reportedly around 1,200 people dead, according to the Israeli government.
Large parts of Gaza have been flattened by thousands of airstrikes, and the territory is under siege, with minimal food, water and fuel allowed in.
Six weeks into the war, Israel has come under intense international pressure to implement a humanitarian cease-fire.
Israel and Hamas announced a truce-for-hostage deal early Wednesday.
Under the agreement, 50 Israelis held by Hamas will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, Israeli media reported.
The deal also includes a four-day pause in Israeli attacks and the entry of 300 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, including fuel, into the Gaza Strip.
The agreement also allows an extension of the pause and the potential release of more children and women held by the two sides.
Meanwhile, the mayor of al-Khalil and UCLG-MEWA Co-President Tayseer Abu Sneineh, also conveyed his speech through a video message to the general assembly.
In a poignant address, Abu Sneineh called upon the international community to act to halt the devastating attacks by Israel, which also destroyed the underground infrastructure that has left the region in ruins, apart from the civilian deaths and costs they caused.
Expressing gratitude to the dedicated members of the UCLG-MEWA, the mayor emphasized their continuous support amid challenging circumstances, highlighting the vital role local governments play in gaining international recognition for their initiatives.
The mayor highlighted that he, himself has not been able to physically attend the meeting from Palestine, due to the restrictions on their movement, however said that the UCLG-MEWA and local governments working together provide “their voices to be heard.” Noting the gravity of the situation in Palestine, the mayor offered hope for peace and called for collective prayers for the region.
Touching upon the tragic plight of the children in the region, Abu Sneineh also drew attention to the dire need for accessible water sources, saying that “the children in Gaza are now waiting for rains to drop for their critical water supply.”
Mehmet Duman, secretary-general of the UCLG-MEWA, in his speech at the opening of the event, also touched upon the situation in Gaza, saying they “call out to the world once again – how many more killing of children must we turn a blind eye to for Israel to stop?”
He said that civilians expect solutions from world leaders, not just words.
He also said on the agenda of the event that “with our deep-rooted legacy and being the nearest governance body to the society we should strive to take our cities to robust tomorrows by taking into account the present realities.”
Uğur Ibrahim Altay, Konya Metropolitan Municipality mayor, said they condemn acts of genocide and that “as Türkiye, we have always maintained a strong stance, and today we are preserving our commitment to stand by Palestine. Our state, organizations will take every step to rebuild peace.”
“I hope the inexplicable genocide in Palestine will come to an end.”
“Currently, the world is in a bad place overall. We will work with a greater character to ensure peace in the world. We wish for better tomorrows for all of us.”
At the event, attendees, including representatives from Turkish municipalities and local governmental bodies in Palestine's Gaza and West Bank – who are represented by different political entities – engaged in discussions about a notice to be published on behalf of UCLG-MEWA addressing the extraordinarily inhumane situation in the Gaza Strip.
