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At the heart of Gaza, exhausted by war and blockade, the water crisis is worsening day by day as fuel supplies needed to operate desalination and distribution stations come to a halt.

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During the holy month of Ramadan, when the demand for clean water is particularly high, residents face an imminent humanitarian catastrophe. Thousands of families anxiously await a few drops of desalinated water, while available supplies dwindle dangerously. With border crossings closed and threats of a complete shutdown of water supply lines, fears are growing over the spread of diseases due to the consumption of contaminated water. Gaza residents recount harrowing stories of their daily struggle to find water, a scene reminiscent of past crises of famine and thirst that have plagued the territory during previous wars.

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A Worsening Crisis amid Border Closures

Since the beginning of the month, Israel has tightened its blockade on Gaza and shut down all border crossings, preventing the entry of humanitarian aid and the fuel necessary to run desalination plants.

With these plants out of operation, thousands of families that once relied on them for their basic needs are now left without clean water.

According to local sources, some residential areas have not received any water supplies for more than two weeks, forcing families to resort to unsafe, contaminated sources.

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The Search for Water

Khaled Al-Najjar, a father of five from northern Gaza, explains: “We walk long distances every day in search of drinking water.” He adds, “Many times, we find only small amounts, and they are often not clean.”

He states: “We used to get water twice a week, but now, ten days or more can pass without a single drop.”

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Salwa Hamada, a housewife from Nuseirat refugee camp, describes her ordeal: “My children suffer from digestive and skin disorders because we are forced to use contaminated water, and we have no alternative.”

She said: “The water crisis is worse than ever, and each passing day increases our fears for our health and that of our children.”

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Desalination Plants Paralyzed

With fuel supplies cut off, desalination plants have been forced to sharply reduce their output.

Osama Al-Sharif, director of a desalination plant in Gaza, states: “We are currently operating at less than half our capacity and trying to distribute what we have fairly, but the amounts are insufficient to meet the needs of the population.”

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He adds: “Even when we receive fuel from humanitarian organizations, it lasts only a day or two, making sustainable plant operations impossible.”

Hassan Badr, a water delivery truck driver, explains the magnitude of the challenge: “Even when small amounts of desalinated water are available, we struggle to deliver them to residents due to the fuel shortage for our trucks. The situation is spiraling out of control.”

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Warnings of a Health and Environmental Catastrophe

Experts warn that the continuation of this crisis could lead to a severe outbreak of diseases, particularly among children and the elderly.

UN reports indicate that consuming unclean water increases cases of poisoning and skin diseases, while lack of hygiene could accelerate the spread of epidemics.

They stress that “what is happening in Gaza is a health disaster on all levels, and without urgent intervention, the healthcare system could completely collapse.”

Despite repeated pleas from humanitarian organizations to reopen border crossings and allow fuel deliveries, the international response remains slow.

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