DaysofPal- The Palestinian Water Authority and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an urgent international appeal to United Nations special rapporteurs on human rights and women’s rights, warning of an unprecedented escalation in the water and sanitation crisis across the Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
The appeal stressed that the situation has gone beyond a service disruption and has become a systematic pattern of water deprivation, described as “water starvation.” It attributed the crisis to Israeli policies and the repeated targeting of water infrastructure, calling it a serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law.
Systematic Deprivation and “Water Starvation”
According to the statement, ongoing attacks on water and sanitation systems and the destruction of essential facilities in Gaza have created a severe humanitarian emergency. This reality threatens civilian lives, undermines access to safe water, and also violates rights related to natural resources and basic human needs.
The data presented in the appeal shows that about 2.7 million women and girls in Palestine face water insecurity. Well over one million women and girls in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, do not receive the minimum daily water requirement. Conditions in Gaza are even more critical, falling below internationally recognized survival thresholds.
The crisis has compounded humanitarian consequences. Around 80 percent of Gaza’s population depends on water delivered by trucks due to severe shortages, increasing the physical and time burden on residents, especially women and girls.
The appeal also highlighted that approximately 700,000 women and girls face serious challenges in managing personal hygiene due to a lack of privacy and safe facilities. Most households are dealing with deteriorating sanitation systems and overcrowded living conditions, which heighten feelings of insecurity.
Female-headed households, which constitute about 18 percent of all families, face heightened economic vulnerability that worsens water insecurity. Increased health risks, such as dehydration and serious medical complications, expose pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Consequences for Children and Education
In Gaza, where children under the age of 15 represent about 39 percent of the population, declining water supplies have led to rising rates of water-related diseases. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that 77.5 percent of households rely on children to collect water, exposing them to health risks and disrupting their education.
The appeal emphasized that these practices violate international conventions, including the Geneva Conventions and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, along with fundamental rights to water, sanitation, and self-determination.
It called for urgent international action to halt the humanitarian deterioration by stopping attacks on water and sanitation infrastructure, preventing the use of water as a tool of collective punishment or political pressure, and ensuring the protection of these facilities under international law.
The Palestinian Water Authority also urged support for emergency interventions, recovery, and reconstruction efforts, with a focus on integrating gender considerations into international responses. It stressed the need to prioritize women and girls, who are the most affected, and to strengthen accountability mechanisms.
The appeal concluded with a warning that continued international silence will deepen the humanitarian crisis, widen inequality, and undermine efforts to achieve justice and sustainable development.
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