Israel’s destruction of water resources leaves Khan Younis in crisis

GAZA CITY, Palestine

The clean water issue in the Gaza Strip has worsened with the rise in temperatures, further increasing the people's difficulties as Israel intensifies its offensive on the Palestinian enclave.

Gaza is experiencing a severe drinking water shortage due to Israel's deliberate destruction of water resources such as wells, reservoirs and water purification facilities since Oct. 7 last year, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

In Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza, people’s struggle to access drinking water at the limited purification facilities has worsened after Israel destroyed more than 70% of the city's wells, highlighting the extent of the crisis.

Speaking to Anadolu, Leen Ashur, a 14-year-old resident of Khan Younis, shared her daily struggles.

“We used to wake up every morning at 6 a.m. with our backpacks to go to school. Today, we go with a jug to get water,” she said.

Ashur’s father, injured in Israeli attacks, is unable to work, leaving the family without an income. She expressed concern that if they cannot obtain free water, they will have to buy it, which would create further financial difficulties for her family.

Asma Abu Hamid, a Gazan resident, described the dire situation.

"We are experiencing a real water crisis. For freshwater, we have to spend long hours every day in front of the purification facility we reach by walking out of our tent."

Abu Hamid emphasized the scale of the crisis.

“We are tired, fed up, and don’t know what to do anymore. We no longer have the strength to cope with this life.”

Nasim Sammur, a displaced Palestinian child, described the lengths he goes to for water, saying he travels long distances and visits the purification station three times a day.

70% of Khan Younis’s water resources are now unusable

Saib Lakkan, media officer for the Khan Younis municipality, reported that over 70% of the city’s water resources are now unusable due to Israeli attacks.

“The occupier (Israel) has destroyed the water purification station, 26 of the 37 wells, and a 220-kilometer water line.”

Ibrahim Abu Dalal, who oversees water distribution at a local purification station, noted the serious shortage.

“The needs of the displaced and the population in Khan Younis are very large. The infrastructure has been destroyed due to Israel’s ground attacks,” he said.

Abu Dalal also warned that many people are forced to drink unhealthy or salty water.

He further highlighted that the spread of epidemics and diseases among Palestinians due to the lack of access to clean drinking water has further exacerbated the humanitarian disaster in the enclave.