Survival in Gaza: The Daily Struggle for Water Amid Crisis
Gazans, weakened by hunger, face daily hardships fetching water amid a severe water crisis exacerbated by a prolonged Israeli military campaign. Despite aid efforts, water availability remains dangerously below health standards, impacting hygiene and increasing preventable diseases. Aid agencies stress the urgent need for ceasefire and improved access.
In the besieged Gaza Strip, citizens endure gruelling daily journeys across devastated landscapes to secure vital drinking and washing water. This enduring struggle has unfolded alongside an ongoing military conflict, as the international community focuses on the starvation crisis, with aid groups warning of an equally dire water shortage.
While some aid-supported desalination plants provide limited relief, most water in Gaza comes from brackish aquifers further contaminated by industrial waste and sewage, leading to widespread illness. Israeli military agency COGAT claims to run water pipelines, but local Palestinian authorities report irregular supplies amidst extensive infrastructure damage.
The acute water scarcity leaves many, including children, to spend long hours fetching water, often sparking tensions. Aid organizations have flagged surging rates of water-borne diseases, urging immediate humanitarian interventions. Without a ceasefire and open access for aid, the crisis poses severe risks of mortality due to preventable diseases.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News