Israel weaponizing 'water' in Gaza, warns UN rapporteur

ISTANBUL: Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s water infrastructure and the ongoing denial of access to clean water for Palestinians amid the ongoing war are creating a growing humanitarian catastrophe, warned a UN expert, calling the situation a “silent but lethal bomb.”

“Cutting off drinking water to the population is like dropping a terrible silent bomb on them … silent but lethal,” Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, said in an interview with Turk news agency Anadolu.

Arrojo-Agudo described the critical water crisis facing the 2.1 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, noting that nearly 70% of the enclave’s water infrastructure has been destroyed by Israeli forces. This destruction has left almost the entire population with either minimal access to water or water that is dangerously contaminated.

Since October 2023, Israel has enforced a near-total blockade on essential supplies, including food, water, electricity, and fuel for desalination plants and wells.

Arrojo-Agudo warned that the crisis is spiraling out of control and could have catastrophic consequences.

He emphasized that Israel’s deliberate destruction of water systems amounts to the weaponization of water.

“Water is being used as a weapon, but not against another army or militia, but against the population,” he said. “This is not just in Gaza; water is a key element of Israel’s war and occupation strategy across Palestinian territories.”

Arrojo-Agudo highlighted that Israel’s attacks on Gaza’s water infrastructure have reduced per capita water access to just five liters a day, far below the minimum required for a dignified life. But even that limited supply, he warned, is mostly undrinkable.

“A person needs no less than 100 liters per day for a normal dignified life,” he said. “The most serious problem is that much of this scarce water is not drinkable due to salinity and fecal contamination”.

The lack of potable water has led to a sharp rise in illnesses, particularly among children. Open defecation is widespread, and women face dire conditions during menstruation. “There is no possibility of basic hygiene for a dignified life,” he said.

‘A Disaster Without Precedent’

The UN rapporteur made it clear that the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure in Gaza is not accidental.

Shortly after the conflict began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli officials publicly declared that they would cut off access to water, food, and medicine for Gaza’s population. “They have fulfilled what they announced,” Arrojo-Agudo stated.

To alleviate the suffering of Palestinians, Arrojo-Agudo emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access.

“It is necessary not just to end the war in Gaza – this aggression, this genocide – but also to stop the illegal occupation,” he said. Humanitarian corridors must be opened to allow the entry of fuel, water, and medical supplies, he added.