“Human Rights Watch reports that Israeli authorities have deliberately obstructed Palestinians’ access to water and as a result, civilians in the Gaza Strip, including children, do not have enough water to survive. They have found that Israel’s intentional deprivation of access to water in Gaza amounts to an act of genocide and the crime against humanity of extermination.
“Water is a basic human right – no one can live without it. But in Gaza, most water is unfit for human consumption. People have been drinking seawater out of sheer desperation and there have been 670,000 cases of acute watery diarrhoea reported since the escalation of conflict last year. The situation is grave and there are inadequate health facilities to support those who require urgent medical attention, with only 17 out of 36 hospitals partially functioning.
“The UN has reported that 64% of people inside Gaza are receiving less than the recommended six litres per person per day. 1 million people are at risk of sanitation-related threats, and we have already witnessed the return of the polio virus earlier this year.
“This Human Rights Watch report is yet more credible evidence that horrific atrocities are taking
place inside Gaza. It comes after Amnesty International, and the UN Special Committee have concluded that the policies and practices of Israel, against Palestinians in Gaza are consistent with the characteristics of genocide.
“For 14 months, children in Gaza have suffered the unimaginable, with over 45,000 people, including 14,500 children now killed. Thousands more are believed to be buried under rubble. A looming famine and restricted water supply are a deadly combination. People in Gaza desperately need a ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access for aid workers and basic supplies, like water, food and medicine. We implore all States to use their influence – including stopping arms transfers and pushing for an immediate and permanent ceasefire – to bring this horror to an end.”
