GAZA, (PIC)-- A report issued by the world health organization (WHO) warned that the increasing flow of untreated sewage from the Gaza Strip to the Mediterranean Sea would spread deadly diseases and epidemics among the Palestinian citizens who visit beaches especially for recreation in the summer.

The sewage treatment plant in Gaza is not working properly due to the lack of steady electricity supply, Israel's restrictions on fuel imports and the ban on the import of materials and necessary spare parts.

According to the report, the laboratory testing of seawater samples which were taken from 13 different coastal areas in Gaza revealed a noticeable increase in the numbers of some types of bacteria that definitely spread diseases transmitted through contaminated water such as cholera and typhoid fever.

The report also warned that flow of this sewage which contains organic pollutants such as pesticides, cleaning materials and other toxic chemicals may contribute to increase the numbers of bacteria that cause severe eye and ear infections.

The report warned that the drinking water in Gaza would also be contaminated due to the lack of chlorine injection pumps and its spare parts necessary for cleansing and disinfecting water.

For its part, the health ministry in Gaza warned that decreasing the number of patients leaving for medical treatment abroad resulted in the death of many patients in Gaza.

The ministry underlined that this Israeli brutal policy has claimed the lives of 178 victims so far, warning that it would result in more deaths among patients if it continues.

The ministry said that after the number of patients allowed to leave for medical treatment outside Gaza was estimated at about 200 cases, Israel gradually decreased the number until it reached 5-10 patients a day.

The ministry appealed to the international community and human rights organizations to urgently intervene to end this arbitrary policy pursued by Israel and to pressure it to open the crossings and lift its siege on the Gaza people.