‘Close to collapse’ water system having inhumane consequences for people in Gaza, ActionAid warns
Huge hikes in the price of drinking water and blocks to fuel entering Gaza could lead to the water system completely collapsing at a time when temperatures are rising, ActionAid is warning.
The price of water currently stands at $30-$38 USD for 1,000 litres of drinking water, which is 400 per cent more than pre-war levels. Along with these hikes, the Israeli military continues to target water facilities and key infrastructure has been damaged or completely destroyed. The Israeli authorities have cut off electricity in Gaza and are still enforcing a de facto aid blockade, denying fuel, needed to pump water and power desalinisation plants, means that water in Gaza is critically low.
The water shortage is having inhumane consequences for people living in Gaza with many families resorting to drinking unsafe water from agricultural wells or contaminated groundwater.
ActionAid's emergency response manager in Gaza, Alaa, said: “As temperatures rise, so does the risk of dehydration, disease outbreaks, and child malnutrition. Contaminated water sources and failing sewage systems further increase the danger. Unless access improves and fuel is restored, the water system is close to collapse.”
Families, especially children, are also being forced to walk two to three kilometres in temperatures ranging from 32 – 38 degrees Celsius to collect water. Collecting water for their families is now the responsibility of many children in Gaza and so their childhoods have been stolen. The walks are long, exhausting, and dangerous, with risks including heatstroke, unsafe roads, and exposure to conflict zones. Even after hours of waiting, families often return with only one or two jerry cans.
A mother forcibly displaced in Gaza said: “Water here is not just a necessity; it has become a daily battle. We walk long distances and wait for hours. Every drop we get is like treasure.
“Our children are already being deprived of their right to education [and also] they remain waiting in water queues, perhaps filling up or not, and returning with empty gallons.” She added, “This is the most difficult of our rights.”
ActionAid is planning with its local partners to provide drinking water trucks to shelters and displacement sites with little or no access. It is also exploring the distribution of water containers and basic purification supplies.
The Israeli authorities continue to deliberately impede, control and limit the delivery of food, medical supplies and vital aid to the people of Gaza. This is leading to the starvation of many Palestinian people.
Riham Jafari, ActionAid Palestine’s Communications and Advocacy Officer, said: ““We are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of people killed by Israeli forces while waiting for receiving food from U.S.-backed aid plan. In Rafah and Wadi Gaza, 300 people have been killed and more than 2,600 people injured. It is unacceptable to see civilians suffering from starvation have been killed while seeking food. This mechanism is supposed to save lives but instead of being a safe humanitarian space it is a death site.”
"We call for all border crossings to be fully reopened and the continuous free flow of aid – including fuel, medical supplies and heavy machinery – into Gaza must be guaranteed, to reach those who need it urgently.”