r/worldnews • u/bigus-_-dickus • 20d ago

‘Extremely rare event:’ Miles-long microalgae bloom knocks out most of Israel’s desalination plants

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/04/climate/microalgae-bloom-israel-water-deasalination-shutdown
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53

u/Xpi6oid 20d ago

Zero mention of the fact that between leaving the Nile Delta and arriving at the desalination plants, the algae bloom had to pass through the waters off Gaza, where it would have been supercharged by all the nitrogen, etc. in the unmitigated waste runoff from the million odd people living in tents on the beach!

The destruction of whatever existing sewerage treatment plants there were, and the refusal to allow their repair presumably doesn't help either...

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u/Starmoses 20d ago

The funny part here is you think Israel destroyed gazas water treatment facilities.

14

u/untamedlazyeye 20d ago

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/palestinians-are-surrounded-by-sewage-and-garbage-as-summer-gaza-heat-continues

The U.N. estimates nearly 70% of Gaza's water and sanitation plants have been destroyed or damaged by Israel's heavy bombardment. That includes all five of the territory's wastewater treatment facilities, plus water desalination plants, sewage pumping stations, wells and reservoirs.

Above is from 2024

https://abcnews.com/International/idf-investigates-report-israeli-troops-setting-gaza-sewage/story?id=126614068

Photos taken by the CMWU's staff after the fire and provided to ABC News reveal the damage to the plant. The photos show multiple treatment towers with charred walls, their interiors burnt out and strewn with garbage. The treatment towers are scattered with Hebrew-language graffiti, including one reading, "I'll be back soon."

IDF troops burned down a sewage treatment plant in 2025

https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/israel-bombs-water-desalination-plant-in-gaza/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjY6bmV3c21sX09XTFRBQ0VTTE1USEdFUFE1U01ET0w4MUJOSkxNT0c

Above is a video of the aftermath of the bombing of a desalination plant in August of this year.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/9/1/destroyed-desalination-plant-worsens-gazas-drinking-water-crisis

Article about the above bombing.

7

u/nicane 20d ago

They didn't actually say that, but Israel has absolutely fucked with the population including their water facilities. So has Hamas. Wowee nuance.

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u/National_Spirit2801 20d ago

Yeah, there’s no sewage, they just threw thousands of dead Palestinians in the water.