Author: Fanack Water Editorial Team
Introduction
Gaza is facing an ongoing water crisis that presents severe humanitarian and public health challenges. Widespread damage to water infrastructure, persistent hostilities, and restricted access to fuel and supplies have critically reduced residents’ access to safe water. The following overview is supported by up-to-date reports from humanitarian agencies and reputable news organizations.
Water Infrastructure and Supply
- Operational Capacity:
Only about 40% of Gaza’s drinking water production facilities are currently functional due to sustained conflict and extensive damage to desalination plants, pumping stations, and wells (Fanack Water, ActionAid Palestine). - Water Access:
Emergency standards recommend a minimum of 15 liters of water per person per day. Many in Gaza now receive substantially less—sometimes as little as 0.7 to 3 liters per day—well below emergency and survival levels. Water shortages currently affect nearly all households in the region (ActionAid Palestine, CNN).
Factors Contributing to the Crisis
- Fuel Shortages:
Fuel is critical for running water pumps, desalination plants, and water trucking. Ongoing blockade and import restrictions have left supplies extremely limited, causing frequent system shutdowns. Humanitarian agencies confirm that restoring fuel access could rapidly improve water production, but the blockade continues to be the main obstacle (International Rescue Committee, Los Angeles Times). - Infrastructure Damage:
Since October 2023, repeated airstrikes and military operations have destroyed or disabled a large share of Gaza’s water infrastructure—over 85% of water and sanitation facilities are now completely or partially out of service. More than two-thirds of essential water and sanitation infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged, with up to 75% of Gaza City’s wells reported out of service (Fanack Water, Middle East Monitor). - Heat and Seasonal Demand:
Extreme heat, frequently above 30°C, has greatly increased water demand while supply continues to shrink. Many residents—including children—are forced to walk long distances daily to water distribution points in harsh weather conditions (ActionAid Palestine).
Humanitarian Impact
- Health Risks:
Limited access to safe water is fueling an increase in waterborne illnesses, such as diarrhea and jaundice. Overcrowded shelters, poor sanitation, and limited clean water are heightening the risk of disease outbreaks, particularly among children. There has been a reported 50% increase in acute malnutrition cases in recent months (Anadolu Agency, Fanack Water). - Aid Efforts:
UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs continue to deliver emergency water via trucking and distributions. However, these efforts currently reach only a small fraction of those in need, largely due to insecurity, severe fuel shortages, and widespread infrastructure damage (Fanack Water, Doctors Without Borders).
Recent Incidents
Multiple reports confirm fatalities at water collection sites due to ongoing hostilities. For example, several children were killed in an attack on a water distribution point in central Gaza—stark evidence of the dangers civilians face while seeking water (CNN, Palestine Chronicle).
Current Status and Outlook
Gaza’s water crisis is marked by relentless infrastructure damage, continuing blockades on fuel and supplies, and severely restricted humanitarian access. Clean water remains scarce for most of the population, heightening health risks and acute humanitarian need. International organizations continue to call for urgent improvements in fuel access, infrastructure repair, and protection of water systems to stabilize living conditions in Gaza.
The findings and context above are consistent with detailed assessments from the Fanack Water Palestine report, which documents the chronic nature and causes of water scarcity, reductions in operational infrastructure, and the severe limitations on both Gaza’s and the West Bank’s water resources due to policy, conflict, and environmental constraints.