“Water is essential for human life, yet for over a year the Israeli government has deliberately denied Palestinians in Gaza the bare minimum they need to survive,” said Tirana Hassan, executive director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) as the organisation described this as "nothing short of crime against humanity of extermination, and an act of genocide. "
Israel has however denounced the Human Rights Watch report.
In the 179-page report, “Extermination and Acts of Genocide: Israel Deliberately Depriving Palestinians in Gaza of Water,” Human Rights Watch found that Israeli authorities have intentionally deprived Palestinians in Gaza of access to safe water for drinking and sanitation needed for basic human survival. Israeli authorities and forces cut off and later restricted piped water to Gaza; rendered most of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure useless by cutting electricity and restricting fuel; deliberately destroyed and damaged water and sanitation infrastructure and water repair materials; and blocked the entry of critical water supplies.
The Israeli government’s continuing blockade of Gaza, as well as its more than 17-year closure of the strip, also amounts to collective punishment of the civilian population, a war crime. The closure also constitutes part of the continuing crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution that Israeli authorities have been committing against Palestinians, HRW noted.
The decimation of Gaza’s healthcare system, including healthcare tracking, has meant that confirmed cases of disease, illnesses, and deaths possibly linked to water-borne disease, dehydration, and starvation are not being systematically tracked or reported. However, based on interviews with healthcare professionals and epidemiologists, it is likely that thousands of people have died as a result of the Israeli authorities’ actions. The deaths are in addition to the more than 44,000 people directly killed in the hostilities, as recorded by Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Hundreds of thousands of people have also contracted diseases and health conditions to which the lack of access to safe and sufficient water has likely caused or contributed, including diarrhea, hepatitis A, skin diseases, and upper respiratory infections. Water deprivation is particularly harmful to infants, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with disabilities, HRW added.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oren Marmorstein responded to the HRW report. In a report published in Israel National News, he was quoted as claiming: "This report is full of lies that are appalling even when compared to HRW’s already low standards. Israel will continue to ensure humanitarian aid enters Gaza, in full compliance with international law."