DaysofPal- The Gaza Strip continues to suffer from an acute water shortage, as the Israeli destruction of vital infrastructure and restrictions on fuel supplies obstruct efforts to restore the enclave’s water system.
Local authorities say Gaza currently receives only around 15 percent of its water needs.
Hosni Muhanna, spokesperson for the Gaza City Municipality, stated that the population of over two million receives approximately 100,000 cubic meters of water per day, which is barely enough to meet basic requirements.
The damage inflicted during the two-year Israeli genocidal war, which ended with a fragile ceasefire on 11 October, left most of Gaza’s wells and desalination plants out of operation. Only 17 of the 88 wells remain functional.
The territory now depends largely on the unstable supply from the Israeli national water company, Mekorot, which provides about 15,000 cubic metres daily. Even before the war began in October 2023, the majority of Gaza’s water was undrinkable due to prolonged blockade measures.
According to UNICEF, as early as 2020, only 10 percent of Gaza’s residents had direct access to clean water, while roughly half the population lacked adequate sanitation services. High salinity in many areas forces countless families to buy water for drinking and bathing.
At the start of the war, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, announced a total blockade, cutting off electricity, food, fuel, and water to Gaza.
Israeli forces also targeted water facilities, desalination plants, and pipelines, causing widespread dehydration across the population.
Muhanna explained that repairing the damaged water infrastructure remains nearly impossible due to the ongoing fuel shortages and restrictions on importing equipment, both in violation of ceasefire agreements.
The situation is compounded by the accumulation of approximately 260,000 tonnes of waste, which poses a major environmental hazard.
The municipality has managed to clear about 50,000 tonnes of debris, but more than 20 million tonnes remain, requiring heavy machinery and international assistance. The city also lost 134 vehicles and essential equipment used for sanitation and reconstruction.
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) estimated that the Israeli bombardment destroyed or damaged around 250,000 buildings, generating roughly 61 million tons of debris.
The agency warned that up to 15 percent of this material could be contaminated with asbestos or toxic substances, posing long-term health and environmental risks.
UNEP’s executive director, Inger Andersen, cautioned that continued neglect could leave Gaza with a “legacy of environmental destruction” that would endanger generations to come.
Adding to the crisis, reports from Haaretz revealed that Israeli trucks have been dumping construction waste inside Gaza, further worsening the environmental damage and obstructing recovery efforts.
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