Gaza water firm halts operations after employee detained by Hamas
A company operating several desalination plants in the Gaza Strip has halted operations after one of its employees was detained by Hamas.
Eta, the operator, acknowledged its decision would directly affect residents needing drinking water, but said the protest action was necessary to put pressure on the militant group to release the worker.
More than 1 million Palestinians were affected by the shutdown, Eta said.
The company said it had not been told why the employee was "arbtrarily detained" while he was working in Khan Younis.
The Islamist militant group, which has gradually reasserted control over parts of Gaza since a ceasefire with Israel went into effect five weeks ago, has not yet commented.
Public displays of dissent against Hamas are rare in Gaza.
In October, reports of executions sparked outrage. Witnesses said Hamas accused the victims of collaborating with the Israeli military. Analysts described the killings as a public show of force.
In March and April, thousands of people took part in protests against Hamas.