ISTANBUL

Israel is deliberately depriving Palestinians in Gaza of access to clean water by destroying infrastructure and blocking imports of essential treatment equipment, international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said.

After 22 months of bombardments and restrictions, the amount of safe water available in the enclave is “wholly insufficient,” the medical charity known by its French acronym MSF said on Thursday in a statement, accusing Israel of using water as “a weapon of war.”

MSF noted that since June 2024, only one in ten of its requests to import items needed for desalination has been approved by Israeli authorities.

Seven MSF treatment units currently provide water for around 65,000 people, but this amounts to just 7.5 liters per person per day – far below emergency needs.

“Israel must begin allowing the importation of critical equipment for water supply and distribution at scale,” the organization stressed. “The Israeli military must stop its destruction of water infrastructure and allow the immediate repair of damaged systems.”

According to the MSF, Gaza has no naturally drinkable water because of salination and sewage contamination. But two of the three pipelines into Gaza have been repeatedly damaged since October 2023, and over 60% of the territory’s 196 desalination plants are now non-functional due to airstrikes or access restrictions.

The lack of clean water has fueled a surge in disease. The MSF medical teams reported conducting more than 1,000 consultations each week for acute watery diarrhea over the past month.

Poor hygiene has also led to widespread skin conditions such as scabies. Hospitals, too, are struggling without sufficient water to keep patients hydrated or prevent infections.

“There’s too little water for too many people,” said Mohammed Nsier, an MSF water and sanitation officer in Gaza.

“The amount we can provide is very small compared to the need, and conditions are extremely difficult.”

Displacement orders issued by the Israeli army – now covering 86% of Gaza – have made it unsafe for water trucks to reach many communities. Even when deliveries are possible, families must walk long distances with heavy containers, often through bomb-damaged neighborhoods, the statement said..

“You see how people are struggling, everyone is desperate for water,” said a woman waiting at a distribution in Gaza City.

“Honestly, it’s very hard to get water, even walking a little bit is very difficult. I don’t know what to tell you—it’s torture.”

The charity warned that its attempts to repair existing pipelines and plants are hampered by Israeli restrictions on importing spare parts, chemicals, and fuel.

“By refraining from cutting off water entirely, they allow plausible deniability while choking Palestinians of their means of survival,” said Ozan Agbas, MSF’s emergency manager.