MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Israel opened the gates of several rainwater dams on the border with the Gaza Strip Sunday forcing Palestinian families to flee their homes, local residents said on social media.
"#Israel open water dams at #Gaza borders causing huge floods and making dozens of families homeless #GazaFloods," local journalist Yousef Aljamal said on Twitter Sunday, posting photographs of a flooded village.
French photographer Anne Paq, operating in the area, tweeted "#Gaza today Israel flooded mid Gaza and the sea with wasted water. Sea turned horrible brown."
According to human rights activist from Gaza Bassel Abuwarda's Twitter the water level in the area of Moghraqa, southwest of Gaza, is up to 3.5 meters (11 feet).
The locals' claims were confirmed by Palestinian authorities.
According to the Palestinian media, Israeli authorities open the gates of their dams to Gaza "almost every year" and do so without issuing any warnings.