Daijiworld Media Network – Gaza

Gaza, Aug 4: Even as Gaza reels under relentless airstrikes, displacement, and hunger, an unprecedented water crisis has emerged, pushing residents into deeper despair.

Nearly 22 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas have destroyed over 80 percent of Gaza’s water infrastructure, leaving millions with minimal or no access to safe drinking water.

"Sometimes, I feel like my body is drying from the inside," said Um Nidal Abu Nahl, a mother of four from Gaza City, as she described the thirst tormenting her family.

Though water trucks and NGO-installed taps occasionally reach some camps, they fall woefully short of meeting the basic needs. Israel had reconnected some water mains in northern Gaza to its water company, Mekorot, but residents report that no water is flowing due to damaged pipelines and destroyed infrastructure.

Gaza City municipal spokesperson Assem al-Nabih revealed that over 75 percent of wells are out of service, with 85 percent of public works equipment destroyed. Nearly 200,000 metres of sewer lines lie unusable, and 250,000 tons of garbage clog the streets, further worsening public health risks.

Compounding the crisis, most of Gaza’s wells are either contaminated or lie within active combat zones, making them inaccessible. Lack of electricity and scarce fuel for generators has also paralyzed desalination and pumping stations. Only one desalination plant has resumed operations following a limited restoration of power.

Sewage flooding in densely populated areas has added another layer of danger. "Sewage floods the areas where people live due to the destruction of infrastructure," said Mohammed Abu Sukhayla from Jabalia.

Residents now resort to extracting brackish groundwater despite warnings from health workers. According to UNICEF, nearly all of Gaza’s groundwater is unfit for human consumption, and prolonged use can lead to severe kidney damage.

UNICEF spokesperson Rosalia Bollen warned, “It’s extremely hot, diseases are spreading, and water is truly the issue we're not talking about enough.”

The crisis turned deadly on July 13, when an Israeli strike killed at least eight people gathered at a water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp.

Efforts are underway to address the crisis. A UAE-led initiative backed by Israel plans to install a 6.7-km pipeline from an Egyptian desalination plant to southern Gaza. However, the project has drawn criticism, with some aid groups warning it may be aimed at justifying the mass displacement of Gazans.

On July 24, Gaza's family committee issued an urgent plea for humanitarian aid, fuel, and immediate repair of infrastructure. “There is no survival without drinking water and no disease prevention without sanitation,” aid workers stressed.

For residents like Mahmoud Deeb, 35, the thirst is constant and unbearable. “We know it’s polluted, but what can we do? Even the water points are bombed. At home, everyone is thirsty — it feels like fear and helplessness,” he said.