DaysofPal- A severe shortage of industrial oils has forced dozens of small desalination plants in the Gaza Strip to shut down, deepening an already critical drinking water crisis and placing additional strain on hundreds of thousands of displaced residents due to the suffocating Israeli siege and Israeli restrictions on equipment and oil needed in Gaza.
With ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of essential operational materials, including generator oils, access to clean drinking water has become a daily struggle for many families, particularly as summer temperatures rise and demand increases.
In displacement camps west of Gaza City, residents now travel long distances on foot carrying empty containers in search of water sources, after nearby community-run desalination stations ceased operations.
“Getting drinking water is no longer a simple task; it has become a daily, exhausting journey,” said Abdul Rahim Noor, a displaced resident.
“We walk long distances to reach filling points that rely on water trucks from central stations,” Noor added.
He explained that the closure of a nearby desalination unit, previously established through local volunteer efforts, has forced dozens of families to depend on limited and unreliable alternatives.
The crisis has intensified across displacement camps as more desalination facilities go offline due to the lack of industrial oils needed to run generators.
The shortage has significantly reduced the water supply while demand continues to grow during the summer season.
In the “Al-Samidoon” camp, Umm Mahmoud Mahdawi, a widowed mother of six, described the daily hardship of securing water for her family.
“Just weeks ago, we relied on a nearby desalination station,” she said.
“Now, after it stopped working, we spend hours walking and waiting under the sun, often returning with barely enough water or sometimes none at all.” She added.
She added that her children now help carry heavy containers despite their young age, while she carefully rations water inside the tent for drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene.
Operators of local desalination plants say the crisis extends beyond oil shortages to include a lack of filtration materials and spare parts, making continued operation impossible.
Khamis Al-Shawa, who manages a community-funded desalination station in western Gaza, said the facility, previously producing around 600 liters of potable water per hour, has completely shut down.
“The price of industrial oil has skyrocketed to nearly 2,000 shekels per liter, far beyond what community initiatives can afford,” he said.
“Without oil and essential supplies, we simply cannot operate.” He added.
Local officials warn that the continued shutdown of desalination plants could further escalate the humanitarian situation.
Alaa Al-Batta, deputy head of the Gaza Municipalities Union, said the water sector is facing rapid collapse due to the ongoing Israeli genocidal war, infrastructure damage, and shortages of fuel, oil, and spare parts.
He noted that one recently halted facility had been producing about 1,600 cubic meters of desalinated water daily, enough to serve approximately 100,000 people.
However, Gaza now requires at least 40,000 cubic meters per day to meet basic needs, far exceeding current capacity.
According to officials, the water supply has dropped to just 20% of pre-war levels. In addition, more than 725 water wells have been destroyed during the Israeli genocide, with only about 40% partially rehabilitated, often operating at reduced efficiency.
The crisis is compounded by failing sewage systems, which rely on the same fuel and generators.
Municipalities have been forced to operate pumping stations intermittently, raising concerns over environmental and public health risks.
Officials and local operators have called for urgent international intervention to allow the entry of industrial oils and essential equipment, warning that without immediate action, access to safe drinking water will continue to deteriorate across the Gaza Strip.
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