Necva Tastan Sevinc
March 26, 2025•Update: March 27, 2025
ISTANBUL
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deepening as Israeli authorities restrict access to water by cutting electricity and blocking fuel supplies, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
"In Gaza, Palestine, in the midst of a shattered ceasefire and more deaths, another tactic of war is playing out as Israeli authorities essentially block access to water by cutting electricity and fuel from entering Gaza," warns MSF in a statement on Tuesday.
It calls for an immediate restoration of the ceasefire and the unimpeded entry of essential aid to prevent further civilian suffering.
"With a new onslaught of bombings that have killed hundreds of people in just a few short days, Israeli forces continue to deprive people in Gaza of water by shutting off electricity and blocking fuel from entering—resources that are necessary for water infrastructure, including the running of water pumps," said Paula Navarro, MSF water and sanitation coordinator in Gaza.
"For those who have endured relentless bombings, the suffering is made worse by a water crisis—many are forced to drink unsafe water, while others don’t have enough," the statement added.
MSF warns that the complete collapse of Gaza’s water system is imminent if fuel supplies are not restored. Millions of residents already face dire conditions, with doctors reporting a surge in preventable illnesses linked to water shortages.
Diseases rising sharply due to lack of clean water
At MSF-run healthcare centers in Al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, cases of jaundice, diarrhea, and scabies are rising sharply due to the lack of clean water.
"The sheer number of children with skin conditions is a direct result of Gaza’s destruction and blockade," said Chiara Lodi, MSF medical team coordinator in Gaza.
"In addition to treating adults and children who have severe war injuries, our staff are treating an increasing number of children with entirely preventable skin diseases like scabies, which is not only uncomfortable but, in severe cases, sees them scratch their skin until it bleeds, which can lead to infection.”
"This is a result of children being unable to bathe, spreading scabies and other infections, and leaving lasting scars," Lodi added.
The situation has been exacerbated by Israeli-imposed restrictions on humanitarian aid. Even before the latest surge in violence, Israeli authorities had barred the entry of essential water and sanitation supplies under its stringent “dual-use” pre-clearance system, the statement said.
Items such as chlorine, desalination unit spare parts, borehole pumps, and water tanks require Israeli approval, creating delays that have left Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins, it added.
"Restrictions by Israeli authorities have made it near impossible to restore a functioning water system," Navarro stated.
"Water production relies on energy, yet new generators over 30 kilowatts are not permitted to enter. We’re forced to ‘Frankenstein’ generators—salvaging parts from one to fix another," she said.
The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing nearly 800 people and injuring over 1,600 others despite a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.
More than 50,100 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 113,700 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
