Water Crisis in Gaza: Families Risk Illness Amid Scarcity, Heat

Amid the scorching heat during August, families in Gaza are struggling with pure water and consuming murky, contaminated water despite the risks to their health. At a displacement camp in Muwasi, hundreds of thousands line up daily for scarce supplies from a water truck. 

Rana Odeh, displaced from her home in Khan Younis, described the impossible choices she faces. After standing in line for over an hour, she returned to her tent with a jug of visibly polluted water. She said, “We are forced to give it to our children because we have no alternative,” adding, “It causes diseases for us and our children.”

Odeh further said she portions the cloudy water carefully, filling bottles for her children, sipping sparingly herself, and saving what remains in a jerrycan for later. 

Gaza Water Crisis Worsens Over 22 Months

Gaza’s water crisis has worsened over the 22 months since Israel’s military offensive took place. Fuel and electricity shortages have crippled desalination plants, while damage to pipelines and wells has further reduced access. Sewage contamination and debris from bombed buildings have polluted aquifers, leaving most natural water sources undrinkable, according to aid groups and Gaza’s local utility.

Health Emergency Worsens

The lack of clean water has driven a surge in infectious diseases. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported on Thursday that its health centres are now treating an average of 10,300 patients each week, many suffering from diarrhoea caused by contaminated water. (Inputs from AP)

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