War For Water — Gaza’s Deepening Thirst After 23 Months Of Conflict

For Abdullah Eid, each day begins and ends with the same grim search: water.

The 45-year-old father of five now lives in a tent in the al-Nasr neighborhood of northwestern Gaza City, after his home in Jabalia refugee camp was destroyed several months ago. Under the scorching sun, amid dust and rubble, securing even salty water has become what he calls "a journey of suffering and a second war."

His children have developed skin conditions from infrequent bathing. Like thousands of others, the Eid family carefully rations every bottle, dividing it for drinking, washing, and cleaning.

The water crisis has reached catastrophic levels since Israeli forces pushed deeper into Gaza City in recent weeks, destroying wells, pipelines, and pumping stations.

Asem al-Nabih, spokesman for the Gaza Municipality, said more than 75 percent of central wells and over 120,000 meters of water networks have been destroyed. "What remains of Gaza City's infrastructure is only a shadow of its past," he said. Daily supply now meets less than a quarter of the city's needs. With winter approaching, he warned, the situation could worsen further.

Hamas has accused Israel of deliberately targeting water facilities, calling it "thirst as a weapon against civilians," a move that has intensified the humanitarian crisis. The total death toll in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023 has reached 65,382, with 166,985 injuries, according to local health authorities.

Even when water trucks attempt to reach crowded neighborhoods, residents said they often face heavy bombardment. "Several vehicles carrying water to families in Gaza City were attacked in recent days, killing some drivers and forcing others to flee southward," said Mohammed Shabat. Fuel shortages have made small desalination plants and private wells unreliable.

For Thuraya Huso, 39, displaced to the al-Rimal neighborhood, fetching water means walking long distances twice a day. "Water is essential in every home," she said. "I now have to use each drop meticulously for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, while dreaming of returning to my destroyed home in Al-Tuffah."

In Sheikh Radwan, 52-year-old Khalil Abu Jame lives with his wife and five children in a crowded school-turned-shelter. "We queue for hours in front of small tanks provided by charities, but the amount is too little for the hundreds of families here," he said. His family now collects rainwater and reuses every bit they can.

The health impact is severe: skin diseases, stomach infections, and dehydration are spreading, especially among children. Life in Gaza had never been easy, but the destruction of water infrastructure has pushed conditions to unprecedented levels.

Abu Jame paused, then added: "We are living in a catastrophe where thirst is no longer just discomfort -- it is threatening our survival."
-XINHUA