Israel has left nearly 600,000 people without clean water: NGO

ANKARA

Israel has left around 600,000 people in Gaza without clean water after it cut off supplies on Oct. 11, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said late Thursday

“The blockade of the Gaza Strip is putting Palestinian children and other civilians at grave risk,” HRW said on X.

Under international human rights law, states must respect the right to water, which includes abstaining from limiting access to or destroying water services and infrastructure as a “punitive measure” during armed conflicts, it said.

HRW also warned that the lack of water, contamination of areas by sewage and presence of bodies that cannot be safely stored in morgues could trigger an infectious disease outbreak.

Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on Oct. 10 that he had instructed authorities to cut the water supply to the Gaza Strip.

The conflict in Gaza, which has been under Israeli bombardment and a blockade since Oct. 7, began when the Palestinian group Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea and air.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza is experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis with no electricity, while water, food, fuel and medical supplies are running out.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to ease the “epic human suffering.”

At least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, while more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the conflict.