Israel uses water as a weapon of war in Gaza – The Mail & Guardian

Israeli air strikes shatter Gaza. Photo: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Gaza is facing a severe water crisis — but this catastrophe began long before the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.

The region relies on its coastal aquifer basin, which provides 90% of its water supply. But this vital source, along the eastern Mediterranean coast, has long been contaminated by sewage, chemical infiltration, overextraction and seawater intrusion. As a result, many residents depend on unregulated private water tankers and small-scale desalination units. The remaining 10% of Gaza’s water comes from small Israeli-run desalination plants.

Since 7 October, amid the ongoing genocide, access to safe drinking water has plummeted by 95% because Israel controls, and has cut off, the supply. Gazans survive on just nine litres of water a day — far below the UN’s recommended minimum of 15 litres. 

The crisis has been exacerbated by Israel’s blockade of electricity supplies, which are needed to activate the water pumps. This has made it impossible to pump water from Israel to Gaza. As a result, wells, desalination plants and waste management plants stopped functioning. By mid-November 2023, 65 sewage stations had shut down, forcing wastewater treatment plants to close, rendering those in northern Gaza nonfunctional. As a consequence, more than 70% of Gazans are forced to drink contaminated, salty water from wells, putting their health at grave risk.

Beyond the destruction of infrastructure, civilians face immense difficulties in accessing water. The relentless bombardment and military occupation have severely limited the ability to collect water, farm and distribute supplies. Restrictions on water tankers and the systematic killing of technical staff operating water plants, preventing any form of repair, have further crippled essential services.

At the same time, mass displacement has placed unbearable strain on Gaza’s already fragile water grid. Since 7 October, 93% of the population has been forcibly displaced, seeking refuge across the strip. The surge in demand has overwhelmed water systems, making it impossible to meet even the most basic needs.

In southern Gaza, where overcrowding is extreme, the crisis has triggered a public health emergency. The lack of sanitation has led to the spread of waterborne diseases, including polio, as residents struggle to maintain even the most minimal levels of hygiene.

Gaza’s water crisis is not just a consequence of war — it is a weapon of war, systematically used to deprive an entire population of life’s most essential resource. 

Bill van Esveld, acting Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, said: “What we have found is that the Israeli government is intentionally killing Palestinians in Gaza by denying them the water that they need to survive. What this means is that you’re deliberately inflicting conditions on a population that you know are going to kill a large number of those people.”

Water is an artery of life, carrying sustenance and survival to all living beings. Yet, in Gaza, this vital artery has been deliberately severed. Israel’s destruction of water infrastructure, blockade and restrictions on access have turned a basic human necessity into a weapon of war. The ongoing bombardment and mass displacement have deepened this humanitarian catastrophe, leaving millions of Palestinians struggling for survival.

Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, yet in Gaza, it has been systematically denied. The international community must recognise and act against this calculated deprivation because the denial of water is not just a crisis — it is a form of collective punishment, endangering generations of Palestinians and violating their most basic rights. Without urgent intervention, this severed artery of life will lead to further suffering and loss.

Sõzarn Barday is an attorney based in South Africa and has a particular interest in human rights in the Middle East.