Israel opens dams, floods Gaza

A Palestinian minister lashed out at Israel on Sunday after it opened its dams near the border with the Gaza Strip, flooding the central area of the besieged enclave with huge amounts of water.

Mufid al-Hasaynah, minister of Housing and Public Works in the Palestinian unity government, told Xinhua that Israel deliberately increases the suffering of the Gazans.

"Dozens of houses were filled with water of the Israeli dams, which were largely opened this morning towards the Gaza Strip. These actions double the people's suffering who live under a tight Israeli siege," said the minister.

Early on Sunday, rescue teams and firefighters rushed to the central area of the Gaza Strip to rescue dozens of Palestinians who were stuck in their houses after Israel opened the dams.

Witnesses said that bulldozers were bringing sands to reduce the amounts of water that covered the houses in the area and that several main roads and streets were closed due to the floods.

The Gaza-based Ministry of Interior said in an emailed press statement that the civil defense teams rescued 18 families after their homes were fully covered with water that came from the Israeli side.

Mohamed Abu Shamallah, head of the Gaza civil defense, said that the level of water in the area in central Gaza Strip grew up to three meters and a half. Endit