Palestinians in Gaza forced to drink polluted water as Israel war rages on

Palestinians are struggling to provide clean drinking water throughout the war-torn coastal enclave, which is besieged and targeted by Israel.

The need for water is increasing dramatically with the rise in summer temperatures.

Day by day, the water crisis in the Gaza Strip worsens due to the ongoing war waged by the Israeli occupation since October 7, 2023.

Locals in the coastal enclave are facing a health crisis because Israel decided at the beginning of the war to cut off electricity, water, and fuel supplies to the Strip.

Mohammed al-Jamali, a Gaza-based Palestinian, is forced to wake up early every day to wait for hours in a long and crowded line to fill a few gallons with salty water.

The waiting time is often interrupted by verbal altercations among citizens racing to obtain the water.

A 35-year-old father of four told The New Arab, “I stand here to get a little salty water to drink and to use for washing our hands and faces.”

“Currently,” he says, “we have no solution other than to use this water for drinking and human use, especially since most of the groundwater wells and water supplies have been damaged by the war.”

To make the water “somewhat” suitable for drinking, Al-Jamali boils it. The process of boiling water often takes about an hour and requires wood — usually costing more than two dollars.

In the past, Al-Jamali recalls, he could get 1,000 litres of desalinated water for about $15, and most of the water reaching homes was suitable for domestic use.

Now, Al-Jamali complains, “I often spend long hours getting salty water that is not suitable for drinking or human use.”

The same difficult conditions are experienced by Kamal Abdel Hadi, a boy from the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, who is forced to walk five kilometres every day to reach the nearest place where salty water is distributed.

The 14-year-old boy usually leaves his tent on the beach of Nuseirat early in the morning so he can reserve his turn and bring water back to his family before noon.

“When I leave the tent, I feel very afraid because of the presence of Israeli drones everywhere. I am afraid that those drones will bomb the place where I am,” he told The New Arab.

However, the child adds, “If we do not bring water to my mother, my siblings will die of thirst. We do not have many options — everything is difficult here in Gaza because of the ongoing Israeli war.”

Acceleration of hunger and thirst crisis

Since the onset of the conflict, the Israeli military has systematically targeted and destroyed much of the Gaza Strip's infrastructure, particularly water pipes and underground wells.

This strategy, as described by Hosni Mahna, coordinator of the Gaza Strip Towns Union, aims to impose starvation and thirst on the Palestinian population.

“Because of the fuel shortage and Israel’s targeting of water facilities, the municipalities of the Gaza Strip are facing major challenges in pumping water from the groundwater wells to the homes of Palestinians,” Mahna told The New Arab.

Mahna points out that the water share per person in northern Gaza has decreased to two litres per day — down from 90 litres before the Israeli war — which exacerbates the suffering of citizens, especially during the rise in temperatures.

Mahna warns of the accelerating hunger and thirst crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, expressing his fear that the number of Palestinians whose lives will be claimed by this crisis will increase.

What makes matters worse, Mahna adds, is that the majority of the population lives in tents lacking basic housing facilities. The lack of toilets means that residents are forced to relieve themselves in the open — causing the soil to absorb urine and faeces, which leads to the pollution of the remaining groundwater wells.

'Screaming from the pain'

Despite the high cost of mineral water in Gaza markets, Amina al-Abed must purchase it to protect her health. She suffers from a kidney disease in her right kidney, and her left kidney is only functioning at 60 percent capacity.

Therefore, Amina takes precautions to avoid medical complications, especially considering the scarcity of essential medications and medical supplies in hospitals if she needs to see a doctor.

“I need about $15 daily to buy mineral water for drinking and cooking for myself, while my family relies on salty water,” she said. “I often feel embarrassed because I buy mineral water at an exorbitant price while my children are starving, but I do not want to die from kidney disease.”

Despite her rigorous precautions and preventive measures, Amina still experienced symptoms such as high fever, severe cramps, and overall weakness.

“I was screaming from the intensity of the pain and didn’t know what the reason was. I went to the hospital to find out the cause of this unbearable pain,” she added.

After hours of waiting in the hospital, Amina was shocked to discover that the mineral water she had been drinking was contaminated and unfit for human consumption.

According to the doctor, the mineral water was not safe to drink because it had been exposed to the sun for long periods, causing it to interact with the plastic bottle, in addition to the fact that it had expired.

Amina highlighted that the struggle extends beyond just drinking water. Securing water for bathing and washing dishes also demands considerable effort and time. She emphasised that water has become more important than food and that they have been receiving it in very limited quantities for an extended period.

Israel using hunger as a weapon

To help alleviate the daily burdens on her children, who have to walk long distances to fetch water, Safaa al-Halabi from Khan Yunis City in southern Gaza is rationing water by cutting back on activities such as washing clothes, dishes, and bathing.

“We suffer all the time because of the lack of water. We are currently living in the summer and yet we are forced to go without bathing for several days — not to mention reducing the amount of water we drink,” she tells The New Arab.

On March 18, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said that Israel is using hunger as a weapon by preventing the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations has called on Israel to open the land crossings to flood the Strip with humanitarian aid before hunger kills more Palestinians, warning of an “inevitable famine” especially in the north.

Israel, in violation of international laws, restricts the access of humanitarian aid to the targeted Gaza Strip, particularly by land.

This has caused a shortage of food, medicine, and fuel supplies, leading to a famine that has claimed the lives of children and the elderly in the Strip.

Sally Ibrahim is The New Arab's correspondent from Gaza