GAZA, (PIC)
Every morning, Raed Ridwan leaves his home early to secure a spot in a long queue of residents in the Sheikh Ridwan neighborhood, all waiting to fill two jerrycans with drinking water.
Ridwan, 35, says the drinking water crisis has persisted since he returned from displacement camps in southern Gaza. However, the situation worsened when Israeli authorities shut down the Kerem Shalom crossing, which had been the main entry point for humanitarian aid, including fuel.
He explains that the fuel shortage has made it difficult for desalination plants to operate efficiently, leading to increased demand from residents while the plants struggle to meet everyone’s needs.
Before the crisis escalated, Ridwan used to fill four jerrycans for drinking and cooking, but now the plant only allows two per person to ensure fair distribution, as municipal wells pump out only salty, undrinkable water.
He also points out that the municipality does not supply water consistently. “Their services don’t reach all neighborhoods in Gaza City due to damaged infrastructure and the urgent need for repairs,” he says.
Water supply deficiency
This situation illustrates the dire living conditions in Gaza, where residents endure the burden of an Israeli blockade and punitive measures designed to push them to the brink, says Wael Al-Sayed.
Al-Sayed, who lives in a relatively low-lying area, says municipal water does not reach his home. Instead, he and his neighbors rely on a nearby well, pooling money to buy fuel to power the pump.
He notes that the price of diesel on the black market has soared to around 50 shekels per liter, up from 25 shekels before the closure of the crossing and the suspension of fuel imports. He now spends 200 shekels weekly to obtain 2,000 liters of water, which he uses for washing and bathing.
Yet his biggest concern is not just the struggle to access clean water, but also the rising level of wastewater in a sewage collection pool east of Sheikh Ridwan. Located just meters from his home, the pool has reached the red warning level on the measurement gauge, raising fears of an imminent overflow. The area is plagued by foul odors and swarms of mosquitoes.
During the ongoing war, Israeli forces have destroyed water sources in conflict zones, including bombing and blowing up key wells that provided thousands of families with daily-use water, rendering them inoperable.
Currently, residents rely on desalination plants established by international relief organizations for drinkable water. However, they must wait in long lines, sometimes receiving no more than 100 liters per household, even in the best-case scenario.
In destroyed areas, water is delivered by specialized trucks that also endure long waits to refill. The water is then distributed in small containers, tanks, and buckets, forcing people to ration their usage strictly.
Rising costs
Not all residents can access these desalination plants due to their distance and the lack of available transportation to carry water. Many are forced to buy water from private companies that operate small-scale desalination facilities.
Abu Jameel Enshasi, a drinking water truck owner, says the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing and the diesel shortage have made water distribution extremely difficult. “Our work depends entirely on diesel—for both running the trucks and obtaining purified water from the plants,” he explains.
He is now forced to buy diesel from the black market at exorbitant prices. Since fuel trucks were barred from entering Gaza on March 2, diesel costs have surged from 20 to 45 shekels per liter. Consequently, the price of a 4,000-liter water truckload has risen from 280 to 400 shekels.
Enshasi predicts that if the blockade continues, the price of a cubic meter (1,000 liters) of drinking water could reach 125 shekels in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Abu Odeh, the financial manager of the Abd Assalam Yassine Water Desalination Company, warns that the continued fuel restrictions could force desalination plants to shut down, deepening the crisis for residents.
He explains that his plant has no choice but to buy diesel on the black market at 45 shekels per liter, significantly increasing operational costs. Additionally, the Israeli blockade has prevented the entry of spare parts needed for desalination equipment and transport trucks since the start of the war, further limiting water supply.
Abu Odeh urges international pressure on Israel to reopen crossings and allow the entry of fuel and spare parts necessary for maintaining water facilities.
Abd Assalam Yassine company is one of the few local firms that has continued to provide water services to displaced people in southern Gaza, thanks to support from international organizations that supplied fuel to keep the plant running during the war.
A deepening crisis
According to Gaza municipality spokesperson Hosni Mehanna, the war has destroyed nearly 70% of Gaza’s infrastructure, particularly in the northern regions, making it nearly impossible to provide basic services.
He highlights the severe impact of fuel shortages, especially with electricity outages. “The municipality had relied on backup generators to power wells, but Israeli forces deliberately targeted them, disrupting operations,” he says.
Currently, about 40% of Gaza City lacks access to municipal water, particularly in the southwestern neighborhoods of Tel al-Hawa and Sheikh Ajleen, as well as the northeastern areas where Israeli forces have prevented municipal crews from repairing water lines.
Mehanna explains that extensive destruction has caused severe shortages of both drinking water and daily-use water. Compounding the crisis, the collapse of sewage systems and accumulating waste pose additional health risks—issues that are exacerbated by the continued closure of crossings and the blockade on fuel imports.
He reveals that Israeli forces have destroyed 110,000 meters of Gaza’s water network, along with 62 wells and six large reservoirs that previously supplied entire neighborhoods. Additionally, 133 municipal vehicles—80% of Gaza’s fleet—have been damaged or destroyed. The few remaining vehicles are barely operational due to a lack of maintenance and spare parts.
“Israel is blocking the entry of heavy machinery and essential repair equipment, causing numerous water facilities to shut down,” Mehanna warns. He stresses the urgent need for international pressure to facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza’s infrastructure and restore basic services in various areas.
