Israel’s Use of Water as a Weapon Against Palestinians: A Longstanding Tactic
Gaza’s Struggle for Survival Amid Deliberate Water Shortages
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Since the establishment of Israel on Palestinian land in 1948, controlling water resources has been a central strategy in the conflict. This began with early acts such as the Haganah militia contaminating Palestinian wells, and continues today with the Israeli military targeting Gaza’s water infrastructure.
After two years of relentless bombing, Gaza’s water systems and distribution networks have been devastated. The situation has reached a critical point, with the Gaza municipality recently warning of a “full-blown crisis” after Israel cut off 70% of the territory’s water supply by halting the flow from the Israeli company Mekorot.
The crisis is compounded by a severe fuel shortage, which worsened after Israeli strikes destroyed solar panels needed to power water pumps. According to a local water works employee, before the ground invasion, half of Gaza’s water infrastructure was disabled; now, that figure has risen to 90%. Residents can only access water every three days, and the situation is described as dire.
The blockade of Gaza, now in its 61st day, has prevented the entry of fuel necessary for water sanitation and pumping systems. This, combined with the deliberate destruction of water wells and distribution lines—especially in areas where Israeli ground operations are ongoing—has made the crisis even more acute.
A recent Israeli airstrike destroyed a water desalination plant in Gaza, further depriving over two million people of access to clean water, food, and medicine. Hamas has called this a deliberate campaign of starvation targeting civilians. One young resident described walking long distances and waiting in long lines for clean water, sometimes falling ill from contaminated sources and being unable to find medicine.
The Israeli military has also targeted humanitarian infrastructure, bombing 26 soup kitchens and over 37 aid distribution centers since the start of the conflict. With more than 80% of Gaza’s water and sanitation facilities now out of service, many people must travel far just to collect a small amount of water from the few remaining operational pumps.
Despite the worsening crisis, the international community has so far failed to intervene effectively, leaving 2.2 million Gazans in desperate need. Gaza’s Government Media Office has accused Israel of turning water into a “tool of genocide,” as the blockade and attacks continue to deprive civilians of their most basic needs. (PW)
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Reference: PressTv