The Gaza Strip, a small coastal enclave home to over 2.3 million Palestinians, has faced severe challenges in accessing basic necessities like water and electricity for decades. These challenges have been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups, particularly since the escalation that began on October 7, 2023. Reports from humanitarian organizations, United Nations agencies, and local authorities indicate that Israel’s policies of restricting access to water and electricity have been used as tools of control, contributing to a dire humanitarian crisis. This article explores the weaponization of water and electricity in Gaza, its historical context, recent developments, humanitarian impacts, and the legal and ethical implications of these actions.



Historical Context of Resource Control in GazaThe Gaza Strip has been under varying degrees of Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel occupied the territory along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since 2007, following Hamas’s takeover of Gaza, Israel has imposed a blockade that tightly regulates the movement of goods, people, and resources in and out of the territory. This blockade, supported by Egypt at the Rafah crossing, has significantly restricted access to essential supplies, including fuel, medical equipment, and infrastructure materials.Water and electricity have long been critical issues in Gaza. The Coastal Aquifer Basin, Gaza’s primary water source, supplies about 90% of the region’s water but has been heavily contaminated by sewage, chemicals, and seawater intrusion due to over-extraction. Even before the 2023 escalation, 97% of Gaza’s groundwater was unfit for human consumption, according to a 2023 study cited by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Electricity, meanwhile, has been limited to a few hours a day for much of the past decade due to disputes between Hamas, the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Israel over funding and fuel supplies. Gaza relies on two main electricity sources: power lines from Israel and the Gaza Power Plant, both of which depend on fuel and infrastructure controlled or restricted by Israel.The blockade has compounded these issues by limiting the import of materials needed to repair or maintain water and electricity infrastructure. For example, Israel has restricted items like pipes and cement, citing their potential “dual use” for military purposes, such as building rockets or tunnels. This has left Gaza’s water and sanitation systems vulnerable, with untreated sewage flowing into the Mediterranean Sea and contaminating groundwater further.Recent Developments: Escalation Since October 2023The situation deteriorated sharply following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,300 Israelis and led to the capture of nearly 200 hostages. In response, Israel imposed a “complete siege” on Gaza, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declaring, “No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel.” This siege included cutting off electricity supplies from Israel and halting fuel deliveries, which are essential for operating Gaza’s power plant and water infrastructure.By October 11, 2023, Gaza’s sole power plant shut down due to fuel shortages, leaving the territory without electricity. This had a cascading effect on water systems, as desalination plants, water pumps, and wastewater treatment facilities rely heavily on electricity. On October 9, Israel’s Energy Minister Yisrael Katz ordered the immediate cutoff of water supplies from Israel’s national water company, Mekorot, which typically provides about 30% of Gaza’s water. Although limited water supplies were later restored to southern Gaza under international pressure, the overall supply remained far below pre-war levels.In March 2025, the crisis worsened further when Israel cut electricity to Gaza’s main desalination plant in Khan Younis, reducing its output by 85%, from 17 million to 2.5 million liters per day. This followed a halt in humanitarian aid deliveries on March 2, 2025, after a ceasefire breakdown. The Deir al-Balah municipality also reported that electricity cuts to two desalination plants in early March 2025 affected 70% of the area’s water supply. These actions left millions of Palestinians with minimal access to clean water, forcing many to rely on contaminated sources like seawater or private wells.Humanitarian ImpactsThe weaponization of water and electricity has created a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, with severe consequences for health, sanitation, and livelihoods.Water CrisisThe reduction in water availability has been staggering. A 2024 Oxfam report, Water War Crimes, found that Israel’s actions reduced Gaza’s water supply by 94%, to just 4.74 liters per person per day—less than a third of the 15 liters recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency situations. Gaza City lost 88% of its water wells and 100% of its desalination plants, while 70% of sewage pumps and all wastewater treatment plants were destroyed.This scarcity has led to widespread reliance on contaminated water sources. The Coastal Aquifer, already polluted before the war, is now further degraded by untreated sewage and seawater intrusion. Families have resorted to drinking salinated or contaminated water, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. The WHO reported a 26% rise in preventable illnesses like diarrhea and jaundice, with children under five accounting for over half of the cases. In November 2023, a doctor at al-Aqsa Hospital noted an “uncountable” number of gastroenteritis cases due to dehydration and contaminated water.Hospitals, critical for treating the wounded, have been particularly hard-hit. Without clean water, maintaining hygiene and infection control is nearly impossible. The WHO reported that damaged water and sanitation systems have made basic infection prevention measures unfeasible in health facilities. For example, dialysis patients and premature infants reliant on life-sustaining equipment face heightened risks due to water and power shortages.Electricity CrisisThe electricity blackout since October 11, 2023, has paralyzed essential services. Hospitals, which rely on generators for critical operations, have faced fuel shortages, with the UN warning in October 2023 that generator fuel could run out within 24 hours. This threatens thousands of patients, including those in intensive care and neonatal units. The lack of electricity also hampers water distribution, as pumps and desalination plants cannot operate without power.The broader impact on daily life is profound. Without electricity, communication networks fail, hindering coordination of humanitarian aid and rescue efforts. Businesses, schools, and households struggle to function, exacerbating economic hardship. Solar panels and small generators provide limited relief, but these are insufficient and rely on scarce fuel or restricted spare parts.Public Health and Environmental ConsequencesThe collapse of water and sanitation systems has led to a public health crisis. Untreated sewage flows into streets and the sea, contaminating water sources and spreading diseases. In 2023, the WHO reported over 75,000 cases of diarrhea since mid-October, with children particularly vulnerable. Skin conditions and respiratory infections have also surged due to poor hygiene and overcrowding in shelters.Environmentally, the destruction of water infrastructure risks long-term damage. The potential flooding of Hamas’s tunnel network with seawater, as reported by The Wall Street Journal in December 2023, could render Gaza’s aquifer undrinkable for generations. This would devastate agriculture and further limit Gaza’s ability to sustain its population.Legal and Ethical ImplicationsThe deliberate restriction of water and electricity has raised serious concerns about violations of international law. The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, stated in November 2023 that Israel’s actions constitute a “brazen breach of international law” and could amount to a crime against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, which classifies intentional deprivation of life-sustaining resources as extermination. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January 2024 demanded that Israel improve humanitarian access, citing a plausible risk of genocide.International humanitarian law (IHL) prohibits the targeting of civilian infrastructure indispensable for survival, such as water and sanitation systems. Israel’s destruction of 85% of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure, as reported by the Palestinian Water Authority, violates these protections. The blockade itself, which restricts fuel and spare parts, has been deemed collective punishment—a war crime—by organizations like Human Rights Watch.Ethically, the weaponization of essential resources raises profound questions about the morality of using civilian suffering as a tactic of war. Oxfam and other NGOs argue that Israel’s actions are not only a response to Hamas but a systematic effort to render Gaza uninhabitable. The deliberate targeting of water and electricity infrastructure, coupled with aid obstruction, disproportionately harms vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly, who bear no responsibility for the conflict.Israel’s Justifications and CounterargumentsIsrael defends its actions by citing security concerns, particularly the need to prevent Hamas from accessing resources that could be used for military purposes. For example, Israel claims that Hamas has diverted fuel and materials for tunnels and weapons, pointing to a 2023 UNRWA statement (later retracted) alleging that Hamas stole fuel from its Gaza compound. Israeli officials also argue that Hamas’s attacks, including the October 7 assault, justify a robust response, including the blockade to weaken the group’s capabilities.However, critics argue that these measures are disproportionate and indiscriminate, affecting civilians far more than Hamas. The destruction of water and electricity infrastructure, combined with the blockade’s restrictions on humanitarian aid, has created conditions that threaten the survival of Gaza’s entire population, not just combatants.International Response and Calls for ActionThe international community has repeatedly called for an end to the weaponization of water and electricity. The UN, WHO, and NGOs like Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders have urged Israel to restore electricity and allow unfettered aid access. In November 2024, South Africa’s submission to the ICJ highlighted the denial of water as a genocidal act, comparing it to historical tactics like the Roman salting of Carthage’s fields.Despite these calls, aid delivery remains severely restricted. For example, an MSF desalination unit approved in November 2024 was repeatedly turned away at the border, illustrating the challenges of restoring Gaza’s water systems. The UN has emphasized that fuel is critical not only for electricity but also for powering desalination plants and aid distribution.Oxfam and other organizations have called for an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade, and Israel’s accountability for reconstructing Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights has urged the UN to declare Gaza an environmentally devastated zone due to the collapse of its water systems.ConclusionThe weaponization of water and electricity in Gaza represents a profound humanitarian and ethical crisis. By cutting off these essential resources and destroying critical infrastructure, Israel has created conditions that threaten the survival of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. The resulting public health emergency, environmental degradation, and widespread suffering underscore the urgent need for international intervention to restore access to water and electricity, enforce international law, and address the root causes of the conflict.The people of Gaza, caught in a cycle of blockade, bombardment, and deprivation, deserve more than temporary aid convoys or partial restorations of services. A sustainable solution requires not only an end to the current hostilities but also a reevaluation of policies that have rendered Gaza increasingly uninhabitable. As the world marks days like World Water Day, the contrast between global calls for water as a source of peace and Gaza’s reality of water as a weapon of war could not be starker. The international community must act decisively to ensure that water and electricity—fundamental human rights—are no longer used as tools of conflict in Gaza.