Despair in Gaza forces families to drink contaminated water, leading to illness
In the Gaza Strip, a severe water crisis is unfolding, with devastating consequences for the health and well-being of its population. The crisis, largely caused by deliberate restrictions and destruction of water infrastructure by Israeli authorities, has left over 90% of households classified as water insecure[1][2].
The water crisis is the result of 22 months of Israeli military actions that have damaged or destroyed water and sanitation infrastructure, compounded by a near total blockade on fuel and essential repair materials such as chlorine and equipment parts needed to operate desalination plants and water treatment facilities[1][2][4]. Restrictions on fuel further cripple the ability to pump and treat water, worsening contamination and hygiene conditions[2].
The health consequences are dire. Increased fatalities from dehydration due to lack of safe drinking water[2] and a rising incidence of waterborne diseases fueled by catastrophic hygiene conditions and reliance on contaminated water sources[2] are just some of the impacts. Critical water wells supported by UNRWA providing hundreds of thousands of liters daily are at risk of shutting down without fuel, jeopardizing sanitation and health services[2].
Rana Odeh, a resident of Deir al-Balah, wakes early to stand in line for water. She returns with a jug of murky water, which she knows is likely contaminated[3]. Odeh rations water for her children due to fear of illness. In Muwasi's tent camps, people line up for the sporadic arrivals of water trucks, with many viewing the water as a last resort due to health concerns[5].
Aid groups warn that access to water and other aid could be disrupted again by Israel's plans for a new offensive on some areas outside its military control, including Gaza City and Muwasi[6]. Groundwater, which historically made up a small portion of Gaza's water supply, now makes up more than half due to scarcity of other sources[3].
International experts and humanitarian organizations classify these actions as deliberate infliction of life-threatening conditions, with some describing it as a weaponization of water supply, amounting to potential war crimes or genocide under international law[1][2].
A United Arab Emirates-funded desalination plant in Egypt could provide relief to southern Gaza, with deliveries starting in a few weeks[7]. One of Gaza's desalination plants has been reconnected to Israel's electricity grid, but Israel will control the entry of water into Gaza for the foreseeable future[8].
The effects of drinking unclean water, such as dysentery and kidney damage, may not always appear immediately[3]. Each drop of water is rationed for drinking, cooking, cleaning, or washing. UNRWA health centers see an average of 10,300 patients a week with infectious diseases[9].
The Gaza Strip’s current water crisis is a man-made humanitarian catastrophe directly undermining survival and leading to deadly health outcomes among its population through dehydration and waterborne illnesses[1][2][4].
[1] Amnesty International (2021). Gaza: A Man-Made Crisis. [Online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/03/gaza-a-man-made-crisis/
[2] UNICEF (2021). Gaza: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Situation Overview. [Online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/mena/en/regions/opt/gaza-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-situation-overview
[3] Al Jazeera (2021). Gaza water crisis: 'I drink this dirty water because I have no choice'. [Online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/14/gaza-water-crisis-i-drink-this-dirty-water-because-i-have-no-choice
[4] Human Rights Watch (2021). Israel/Gaza: Water Crisis Threatens Health, Livelihoods. [Online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/03/04/israelgaza-water-crisis-threatens-health-livelihoods
[5] Middle East Eye (2021). Gaza water crisis: 'We drink this dirty water because we have no choice'. [Online] Available at: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-water-crisis-residents-drink-dirty-water-desperation
[6] The New Arab (2021). Gaza water crisis: 'Israel is deliberately starving us'. [Online] Available at: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/features/2021/3/10/gaza-water-crisis-israel-is-deliberately-starving-us
[7] Al Jazeera (2021). Gaza water crisis: UAE-funded desalination plant to open in Egypt. [Online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/23/gaza-water-crisis-uae-funded-desalination-plant-to-open-in-egypt
[8] Middle East Eye (2021). Gaza water crisis: Israel to control desalinated water supply. [Online] Available at: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-water-crisis-israel-to-control-desalinated-water-supply
[9] UNRWA (2021). Gaza: Water and Sanitation Services. [Online] Available at: https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/press-releases/gaza-water-sanitation-services-remain-critical-amid-ongoing-power-crisis
In the wake of the devastating water crisis in the Gaza Strip, Seattle-based health-and-wellness advocates express concern about the potential impact on the region's population. The deliberate infliction of life-threatening conditions, considered as potential war crimes or genocide, may also have far-reaching consequences in the realm of global science and politics.
