Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated on Thursday that Israel’s denial of clean water to Palestinians in Gaza has led to thousands of deaths and constitutes acts of genocide. According to HRW’s report, this policy, which is part of a broader pattern of violence against Palestinian civilians, amounts to “extermination” and violates the 1948 Genocide Convention.
HRW asserted that the deprivation of water, coupled with other ongoing actions, means Israel has committed the crime against humanity of extermination, and this situation could be classified as genocide. “This policy is intentionally killing Palestinians in Gaza by denying them the water they need to survive,” said Lama Fakih, HRW’s Middle East director.
Israel has consistently rejected accusations of genocide, maintaining that its actions are a response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the ongoing conflict. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Israel’s foreign ministry accused HRW of spreading “lies” and insisted that the country has ensured the continuous flow of water and humanitarian aid into Gaza despite ongoing attacks from Hamas.
While HRW’s report condemns Israel’s actions, it notes that proving genocide would require establishing intent. The group pointed to comments from Israeli officials that could suggest a goal to “destroy Palestinians,” which could strengthen the case for genocide.
Israel, for its part, claims that it has maintained essential water infrastructure and facilitated the entry of humanitarian supplies, including more than 1.2 million tons of aid into Gaza.
This report follows a similar accusation by Amnesty International, which also described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. Both reports emerged after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity—a charge they deny.
The Human Rights Watch report details how Israel’s blockade on Gaza has stopped water from being piped into the region, cut electricity, and restricted fuel, which in turn has left Gaza’s water and sanitation systems inoperable. The report states that many Palestinians in Gaza are surviving on just a few liters of water a day—far below the 15 liters needed for basic survival.
The conflict escalated after Hamas militants launched a cross-border attack, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages back to Gaza. Since then, Israeli military operations have killed over 45,000 Palestinians and displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, leaving much of the region in ruins.
ChatGPT can
