Israeli attacks force 60 desalination plants to shut down in Gaza, as clean water becomes scarce
Israel has prevented the repair of damaged water systems, worsening the conditions for civilians and causing the spread of disease.
Sustained Israeli bombardment across the besieged Gaza Strip has destroyed at least 60 desalination plants in the enclave, making clean water hard to come by for civilians, amid already dire humanitarian conditions and a famine.
International aid group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) issued a statement confirming the damage to the desalination plants, adding that "Israel is deliberately depriving Palestinians of necessities to life, including food, water and healthcare".
Much of Gaza’s essential infrastructure has been partially damaged or destroyed after 22 months of war.
According to MSF, the amount of clean water levels available in Gaza is now completely insufficient.
The organisation said that the issue has been compounded by the fact that "Israel is preventing the import of materials necessary for water treatment. Since June 2024, MSF has received only one approval for every ten requests to import materials for desalination".
A statement from them added that "Israel repeatedly damaged two out of three water pipelines that reach Gaza since October 2023. An estimated 70 percent of the water flowing through these pipelines has been lost due to leaks in the wider pipeline network, due to damage caused by the bombing".
Without clean water, the population has been further exposed to the spread of disease, while the healthcare infrastructure has also taken a huge hit.
Israel has also prevented the repair of damaged water systems, worsening the conditions for civilians.
Currently, around 86 percent of the Gaza Strip has been subjected to forced displacement orders issued by the Israeli army, which has further prevented safe access for water trucks.
According to MSF, their medical teams have carried out over 1,000 consultations per week over the last month for patients and found that they are suffering from acute diarrhoea.
"In the absence of sufficient water for hygiene, people have also developed skin diseases such as scabies," the organisation said.
"There’s too little water for too many people," Mohammed Nsier, a water and sanitation officer for MSF in Gaza, said.
"The amount we can provide is very small compared to the need, and conditions are extremely difficult."
Currently, civilians are forced to walk miles, amid heavy bombardment, with heavy jerry cans to find water.
Often times, MSF said, children get lost when looking for water after a distribution site has been forced to move due to a forced displacement order or an airstrike.
Most of the civilians in Gaza have lost access to clean water since the start of the war. Prior to the war, clean drinking water was not naturally available in the Strip due to the salinity and contamination levels, forcing residents to rely on pipelines coming from Israel.
Israel has long controlled the access to water in Gaza, with access lessened for Palestinians over the years due to Israel’s construction of damns along the border, which block aquifers from replenishing.
Last year, Oxfam said Israel was weaponizing water against Palestinians by cutting off supplies.
The charity states that they have witnessed the intentional disruption of humanitarian efforts, which is further causing the deaths of Palestinians.