The WHO states that individuals require between 50 and 100 liters of water per day to meet their basic needs. In emergencies, this can drop to 15 to 20 liters per day. However, for the over 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza, even this minimal amount is out of reach. Most of the water available is unsafe to drink, further exacerbating the health crisis. HRW's report claims that this situation meets the criteria for genocide under the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
HRW highlights the severe impact on vulnerable populations, particularly newborns and infants who suffer from malnutrition and dehydration, often consuming formula mixed with contaminated water. The report stresses that the deliberate obstruction of water is leading to the slow deaths of many Palestinians.
Israel has consistently denied accusations of genocide and the use of hunger as a weapon of war. In response to the HRW report, a spokesperson for the Israeli foreign ministry described the document as “full of lies.” Israel claims that it has facilitated the flow of water and humanitarian aid into Gaza, maintaining that it has ensured water infrastructure, including pipelines and desalination facilities, remain operational.
The report notes that Israeli military actions have significantly damaged Gaza’s water infrastructure. Hostilities have led to the destruction of critical water and sanitation facilities. The World Bank and Ipsos estimated in January that nearly 60% of Gaza’s water infrastructure had been damaged, a figure that rose to 84% by August. A notable incident occurred in July when Israeli soldiers destroyed a vital water reservoir in Rafah, an action captured in a now-deleted video shared on social media.
HRW accuses Israel of deliberately obstructing humanitarian aid, including supplies needed for water treatment and production, and imposing restrictions on the flow of clean water from Israel into Gaza. These actions have exacerbated the water crisis, leading to widespread health issues.
The scarcity of clean water has fueled the spread of diseases in Gaza, resulting in thousands of deaths. HRW warns that the full scale of the devastation may never be known due to the decimation of Gaza’s healthcare system, which has crippled disease tracking capabilities. The outbreak of polio, a highly contagious viral disease, is one example of the health crisis. WHO detected the polio virus in sewage samples in July, and by August, the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed a case in a 10-month-old child, the first in Gaza in 25 years.
Additionally, bacterial infections such as diarrhea have become commonplace due to the consumption of contaminated water. One resident described the impact of drinking dirty water, saying, “I was getting sick, my kids were vomiting and had diarrhea… This was from the moment we started drinking the [dirty] water.”
The HRW report comes amidst ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Both parties are currently engaged in indirect talks in Qatar, with recent discussions reportedly taking a more positive turn. However, despite these negotiations, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire.
The accusation of genocide adds a new layer of complexity to the already strained relations between Israel and the international community. The allegations call for urgent international intervention to address the humanitarian crisis and ensure the provision of basic necessities such as clean water to the people of Gaza.
Human Rights Watch’s report is a call to action for the international community to hold Israeli authorities accountable for the alleged human rights violations. The organization urges global leaders to push for immediate measures to restore water supplies and support the rebuilding of Gaza’s water infrastructure. Ensuring the safety and well-being of Gaza’s residents is paramount, and international pressure may be necessary to bring about meaningful change.
The HRW report underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive and sustainable solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As negotiations continue, the focus must remain on alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people and ensuring their access to basic human rights, including clean water and adequate healthcare.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has made a grave accusation against Israel, alleging acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. They give reason for the accusation saying that Israel is depriving the people in Gaza of adequate water supplies. In a comprehensive report released on Thursday, HRW detailed how Israeli authorities, between October 2023 and September 2024, restricted Palestinians’ access to water, falling below the minimum standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for survival in prolonged emergencies. This deprivation, according to HRW, has led to thousands of deaths and the spread of numerous diseases, contributing to a humanitarian crisis.
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