Israel using water as ‘weapon of war’ in Gaza, with supply plummeting by 94 percent

Israel is weaponising water against Palestinians in Gaza by deliberately cutting of supplies and systematically destructing water facilities which has reduced the water available in the enclave by 94 percent, Oxfam reported on Thursday.

The report, titled Water War Crimes, details how Israel has obstructed aid and "weaponised water against Palestinians in Gaza".

According to the findings, the water available in Gaza now stands at around a third of the recommended minimum for survival in emergencies, or less than single toilet flush.

The charity states that they have witnessed the intentional disruption of humanitarian efforts, which is further causing the deaths of Palestinians.

"Tragically, this is yet more proof of the horrors being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the Israeli government, which is using starvation and, as this report shows, the systematic deprivation of water as a weapon of war," Halima Begum, Oxfam’s GB chief executive said in a statement, calling it a clear indication of violating international law.

"The impact on families in Gaza is unimaginable, from people being forced to drink polluted water to facing rivers of sewage in the streets. These appalling conditions are causing significant risk of dehydration and creating a breeding ground for the spread of disease…" she added.

Research by Oxfam has found that Israeli military attacks have destroyed or damaged at least five important water and sanitation infrastructure sites every three days since the start of the war in October.

Israel has also destroyed 100 percent of all wastewater treatment plants and 70 percent of all sewage pumps in Gaza and water quality testing labs in the enclave.

Oxfam has since called on the UK government to take action to further peace efforts and also release captives held in Gaza.

Begum said the time has come for a new UK policy concerning Gaza, urging the government to assess the evidence from the besieged enclave and question their arms sales to Israel.

The Oxfam report comes after the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced this week that cases of polio have been detected in sewage samples in Gaza.

The ministry said tested were carried out with UNICEF and found that it "exposes thousands of residents to the risk of contracting poliomyelitis", warning of a potential "new health disaster" if immediate action is not taken.

Polio affects mainly children and can quickly spread through contact with faeces, or if people don’t wash their hands properly, as well as from contaminated food or water.

Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has levelled entire neighbourhoods, causing a deep humanitarian crisis and decimating infrastructure.

Polio can cause serious long-term symptoms affecting the brain and nerves. In some cases it can be life-threatening, with some people experiencing paralysis.

Israel has killed at least 38,800 Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October, and wounded at least 89,166 others in the same time frame.