Intense water scarcity deepens hunger and displacement crises in Gaza
Gaza is currently grappling with a catastrophic water crisis, with nearly 80% of its water infrastructure destroyed or damaged during the nearly 22 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas. This has left residents relying on unsafe water from brackish, sewage-contaminated aquifers, leading to widespread outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
The infrastructure collapse means that opportunities to obtain clean water are rare and dangerous. Mahmoud Deeb, a resident of Gaza City, acknowledges that the water he finds in the city is often undrinkable, but his family has no alternative. At home, everyone is thirsty, a sensation he associates with "fear and helplessness."
Local authorities attribute the non-functioning of the part of the water distribution network supplied by the Israeli company Mekorot to war damage. Sewage floods the areas where people live due to the destruction of infrastructure. More than 75% of wells in Gaza are out of service, 85% of public works equipment is destroyed, 100,000 metres of water mains are damaged, and 200,000 metres of sewers are unusable.
Energy has been scarce since Israel turned off Gaza's power as part of its war effort, making it difficult to power well pumps. Hospitals are prioritized for the limited fuel deliveries, leaving generators to power well pumps unused. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that there is a severe lack of drinking water in Gaza, with nearly 100% of Gaza's groundwater unfit for consumption in 2021.
In an effort to alleviate the crisis, a United Arab Emirates-led project is expected to bring a 6.7-kilometre pipeline from an Egyptian desalination plant to the coastal area of Al-Mawasi, in Gaza's south. However, this project is controversial within the humanitarian community, as some see it as a way of justifying the concentration of displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza.
The water crisis in Gaza is just as deadly as the ongoing hunger crisis. Some Gazans falsely believe brackish water to be free of bacteria, but this is not the case. Gaza aid workers stressed that there was no survival without drinking water, and no disease prevention without sanitation. Tragically, at least eight people were killed by an Israeli strike at a water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp on July 13.
The United Nations and human rights experts have condemned the deliberate destruction and withholding of water access as a violation of international law, calling for immediate humanitarian aid including fuel, water, and repair supplies. The ongoing conflict hampers the implementation of programs such as the Gaza Central Desalination Programme, now restructured to address urgent short-term needs.
In a plea for help, a committee representing Gaza's prominent families called for the immediate provision of water and humanitarian aid, the rapid repair of infrastructure, and a guarantee for the entry of fuel. Despite international diplomatic efforts, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with limited clean water available and the population's needs far from being met.
- The ongoing conflict in Gaza has caused a severe crisis in mental health, as residents cope with the fear and helplessness brought about by the scarcity of clean water and the rise of waterborne diseases.
- The environmental situation in Gaza is deeply intertwined with health-and-wellness issues, as climate change exacerbates the water crisis, forcing residents to rely on toxic water sources, and leading to widespread waterborne diseases.
- In the face of this environmental catastrophe, scientific research and environmental-science are critical in developing sustainable solutions, such as the desalination project from an Egyptian plant, which may alleviate the crisis but faces controversy within the humanitarian community.
