Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian agency: Russia will conduct a nuclear test if the US does
Al-Nakhalah: We are the rightful owners, and we must fight to retrieve our rights
Al-Nakhalah: The enemy and its allies must know that we can never surrender to their terms and diktats after all the sacrifices made
Al-Nakhalah: The prisoner exchange clause can be completed in the next few days, and thus we will have pulled the [explosion] fuse and removed the enemy's justifications for aggression
Al-Nakhalah: The Resistance has expressed its willingness to negotiate on the basis that there are items that can be dealt with positively, the first of which is the prisoner exchange item
Al-Nakhalah: Trump's plan entails the Palestinian people's declaration of complete surrender to the enemy
PIJ Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, in an address aired on Al Mayadeen: The Resistance is engaging in a fierce negotiating battle under the so-called Trump plan
Russian Federation Council approves joint military cooperation agreement with Cuba
Al-Nunu: Today, the lists of prisoners required to be released, the agreed-upon criteria and numbers, were exchanged
Al-Nunu from Sharm el-Sheikh: Negotiations focused on mechanisms for implementing an end to the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners

Israeli aggression, siege puts Gaza at risk of a water crisis: WSJ

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Wall Street Journal
  • 8 Nov 2023 03:23
4 Min Read

In light of water scarcity, many Gazans resort to consuming water contaminated by saltwater, chemicals, or sewage.

  • x
  • Palestinians resort to the sea water to bathe and clean their tools and clothes due the continuing water shortage in the Gaza Strip, on the beach of Deir al-Balah, Central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 (AP)
    Palestinians resort to the seawater to bathe and clean their tools and clothes due to the continuing water shortage in the Gaza Strip, on the beach of Deir al-Balah, Central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 (AP)

A recent report published by The Wall Street Journal shows that the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has brought the Strip to the brink of a devastating water crisis.

Clean water has become a critically scarce resource, severely affecting the lives of the locals.

According to the United Nations, water production (through desalination) in Gaza has plummeted to just 5% of pre-aggression levels, a shocking statistic that paints a grim picture of the Strip's current state.

The limited water that remains in Gaza is causing severe health issues among its residents, with both the United Nations and healthcare workers sounding the alarm.

The crisis is particularly dire in northern Gaza, which has been the primary focus of the Israeli aggression, The Wall Street Journal highlighted. Safe drinking water is no longer available in this area, as it is encircled by Israeli occupation troops, effectively cutting off the supply.

Desperate for water, many residents are left with no choice but to drink from whatever sources they can find, often turning to wells contaminated by saltwater, chemicals, and various other pollutants. These survival measures, driven by necessity, come with life-threatening consequences, particularly for the vulnerable, such as children. Gaza's healthcare system, already teetering on the edge of collapse, is ill-equipped to deal with the repercussions of this water crisis.

Before the start of the Israeli aggression, Gaza relied on three primary sources of water: desalination plants (which offered 7% of Gaza's water needs), pipelines from "Israel" (which offered 13% of Gaza's water needs), and numerous wells (which offered 80% of Gaza's water needs).

Read more: Israeli aggression killed 13,500, including 4,200 children

As part of its genocidal war on Gaza, "Israel" has disrupted all three of these sources. effectively cutting off water from the people of Gaza. 

The limited humanitarian aid that does enter Gaza from the south, including bottled water, fails to reach the northern part of the Strip due to the siege struck against it by the Israeli occupation.

Related News

Every 2 days, 13 Palestinians amputated, 6 paralyzed or blinded

Lists of prisoners to be released exchanged: Hamas on ceasefire talks

A small amount of drinking water, along with essential chlorine tablets for water purification, has made its way into Gaza through the Egyptian border delivered by trucks carrying humanitarian aid.

Additionally, Gaza's three desalination plants have sharply deteriorated in output due to the lack of fuel (the desalination water production is energy-intensive).

The dire situation has led to a shocking disparity in water availability. Residents of Gaza now have access to a mere three liters of water per person per day for all their daily needs, including drinking, cleaning, and other purposes.

In normal circumstances, daily personal water usage averages around 100 liters. Even in emergencies, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 15 liters per day, underlining the extent of the crisis.

In addition to the shortage of water, the quality of the available water is also a concern. Groundwater extracted from wells is a mixture of freshwater and saltwater and often contains residual chemicals used in agriculture. With most wastewater treatment plants in Gaza no longer functional due to the aggression, sewage has become another potential source of contamination.

The Israeli aggression on Gaza has damaged at least seven water facilities across the Strip, including two large water reservoirs, according to the United Nations. Local authorities have issued warnings of an imminent risk of sewage overflow from non-operational treatment plants.

The consequences of this water crisis are already becoming evident, with people falling ill due to the cramped living conditions in homes, shelters, and hospitals, which facilitate the spread of diseases.

Read more: All bakeries in northern Gaza out of service as threat of famine looms

Yesterday, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there will be no ceasefire, entry of workers from the Gaza Strip, or the passage of fuel into the area unless captives are released.

"I underscore that there will be no import of fuel, there will be no permission for workers to enter [from the Gaza Strip] and there will be no ceasefire without the release of hostages," Netanyahu said in a televised address.

Currently, in Gaza, electricity, clean water, and fuel have all run out, and there are no medical supplies or lifesaving treatments.

Read more: Israeli genocide continues in Gaza: 5 massacres in one day

  • Gaza Strip
  • Palestine
  • Israeli aggression
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
Al-Quds Brigades strike a command and control center north of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, in an undated screengrab from the al-Quds Brigades military media

Gaza resistance announces major operations against Israeli forces

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Retired Israeli General Brik says Israel has reached point of no return.
Politics

Retired Israeli General Brik: 'Israel has reached point of no return'

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation
Politics

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation

Gaza’s newborns gasp for life as hospitals collapse amid Israeli war
Health

Gaza newborns gasp for life, share oxygen masks amid collapsed system

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls
Politics

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS