A Catastrophic Assault on Water and Sanitation Infrastructure
Israel’s systematic use of water as a weapon of war against Palestinians in Gaza has reached alarming levels, according to a recent report by the global charity Oxfam. The report reveals that the Israeli government’s actions have deprived the entire population of Gaza of life-saving water and sanitation services, creating immediate and long-term threats to people’s health and survival.
The water supply in Gaza has been reduced by a staggering 94%, leaving residents with less than 5 litres of water per person per day – less than a single toilet flush. This is just under a third of the recommended minimum in emergency situations. The near-total destruction of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure by the Israeli military has contributed significantly to the catastrophic deterioration of living conditions in the region.
“Israel’s actions have deprived the entire population of Gaza of lifesaving water and sanitation services, creating unavoidable immediate and long-term threats to people’s health and survival,” Oxfam warned.
Deliberate Deprivation of Basic Necessities
The evidence indicates that the Israeli government is deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel to the civilian population in Gaza, while also willfully impeding humanitarian assistance. This amounts to using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, which is a war crime under international humanitarian law.
High-ranking Israeli officials, including the Defense Minister, National Security Minister, and Energy Minister, have made public statements expressing their aim to deprive civilians in Gaza of food, water, and fuel. These statements reflect a policy being carried out by the Israeli forces on the ground.
“For over two months, Israel has been depriving Gaza’s population of food and water, a policy spurred on or endorsed by high-ranking Israeli officials and reflecting an intent to starve civilians as a method of warfare,” said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch.
Devastating Impacts on Public Health and Livelihoods
The impact of the water crisis on public health in Gaza has been catastrophic, with reported cases of waterborne diseases skyrocketing. The lack of clean water and sanitation has led to a quarter of Gaza’s population falling ill to easily preventable diseases.
Beyond the immediate health risks, the destruction of Gaza’s agricultural sector has had devastating long-term consequences. Satellite imagery reviewed by Human Rights Watch indicates that since the start of the Israeli military’s ground offensive, orchards, greenhouses, and farmland in northern Gaza have been systematically razed, apparently by Israeli forces.
“Bakeries and grain mills have been destroyed, agriculture, water and sanitation facilities,” said Scott Paul, a senior humanitarian policy adviser for Oxfam America.
This has compounded the already dire food insecurity in the region, with the UN World Food Programme warning of the “immediate possibility” of starvation and a “high risk of famine” as Gaza’s food system teeters on the brink of collapse.
A Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolding
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached apocalyptic proportions, according to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Over 1.9 million people, more than 85% of Gaza’s population, are now internally displaced, with conditions in the ever-shrinking southern area becoming increasingly dire.
Hospitals have been particularly hard hit, with only 1 out of 24 hospitals in northern Gaza functional and able to admit new patients. Across the region, the persistent electricity blackouts, communications shutdowns, and repeated attacks on medical facilities have crippled the healthcare system, leaving many without access to life-saving treatment.
“We will see more people dying from disease than from bombardment if we are not able to put back together this health system,” warned the World Health Organization’s Margaret Harris.
Calling for Urgent International Action
Oxfam and other human rights organizations are urging the international community to take decisive action to uphold justice, prevent further suffering, and protect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza. This includes:
- Demanding that Israel immediately cease using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and abide by the prohibition on attacks on objects necessary for the survival of the civilian population.
- Calling on Israel to restore water and electricity access, and allow desperately needed food, medical aid, and fuel into Gaza without obstruction.
- Suspending military assistance and arms sales to Israel as long as its forces continue to commit widespread and serious abuses amounting to war crimes against civilians.
“The Israeli government is compounding its collective punishment of Palestinian civilians and the blocking of humanitarian aid by its cruel use of starvation as a weapon of war,” said Shakir. “The deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza calls for an urgent and effective response from the international community.”
Upholding International Law and Human Rights
The systematic deprivation of water, food, and other essential services in Gaza by the Israeli government constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law. As the occupying power, Israel has a duty to ensure the civilian population’s access to the basic necessities for survival.
The targeting of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, the willful impeding of humanitarian aid, and the use of starvation as a method of warfare are all prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Human rights organizations are calling for the International Criminal Court to investigate these actions as potential war crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable. The international community must also exert pressure on Israel to uphold its obligations under international law and immediately cease its attacks on Gaza’s civilian population.
A Dire Situation Demanding Global Attention
The unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, driven by Israel’s weaponization of water and other essential resources, is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of using basic necessities as tools of war. The international community can no longer turn a blind eye to these atrocities.
“The Israeli government’s cruel use of starvation as a weapon of war against the people of Gaza is a moral outrage that demands an urgent and effective global response,” said the director of the Joint Action for Water initiative. “We call on all concerned citizens and organizations to amplify this issue and demand accountability from the Israeli government and the international community.”
It is time for the world to stand up for the fundamental human rights of the people of Gaza and ensure they have access to the clean water, food, and medical care that are essential for their survival. The future of an entire population hangs in the balance.
