UN Experts Accuse Israel of Using Thirst as a Weapon Amid Gaza Humanitarian Collapse

“Israel is using thirst as a weapon to kill Palestinians,” the experts stated. “Cutting off water and food is a silent but lethal bomb that kills mostly children and babies.

 

In a powerful joint statement, United Nations experts have condemned Israel’s ongoing denial of access to clean drinking water in Gaza, calling it a grave breach of international law and describing it as a crime against humanity. The experts warned that the deliberate targeting and destruction of water infrastructure, along with the blockade of essential supplies, is creating conditions tantamount to genocide.

“Israel is using thirst as a weapon to kill Palestinians,” the experts stated. “Cutting off water and food is a silent but lethal bomb that kills mostly children and babies. The sight of infants dying in their mothers’ arms is unbearable.”

The experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, emphasized the scale and deliberate nature of the humanitarian catastrophe, pointing to mounting evidence that Israel’s actions violate the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, particularly in regard to extermination and deliberate infliction of conditions designed to destroy a population.

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Gaza’s Water Infrastructure in Ruins: Over 90% of Residents Water Insecure

Since the outbreak of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023, the destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure—especially water facilities—has reached catastrophic levels. According to the UN, 89% of Gaza’s water and sanitation systems have been destroyed or rendered nonfunctional. This includes:

• Water pipelines

• Desalination plants

• Wells and pumping stations

• Sewage and sanitation systems

As a result, more than 90% of Gaza’s households are now considered water insecure, with many residents forced to drink contaminated water or go without entirely.

The destruction of infrastructure has been compounded by restrictions on the entry of emergency water deliveries, including bottled water and purification equipment. Israel has also significantly reduced water allocations via pipelines into Gaza, further exacerbating the crisis.

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Children and Infants Suffering the Most

The consequences of this deliberate deprivation are being borne disproportionately by Gaza’s most vulnerable. UN experts highlighted that children and infants are dying daily from dehydration, diarrheal diseases, and the total collapse of sanitation services.

“This catastrophe was not only predictable—it was predicted,” the UN experts stated. “Gaza’s children are dying not just from bombs, but from thirst, from diseases caused by dirty water, and from a world that has failed to protect them.”

They further warned that the collapse of water infrastructure and public hygiene systems is fueling a surge in waterborne diseases, especially among children, with cases of hepatitis, cholera, dysentery, and severe diarrhea rapidly increasing.

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ICJ Advisory Opinion Reinforces Israel’s Legal Obligations

In a landmark Advisory Opinion issued on 9 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law. As an occupying power, Israel is legally required to ensure the adequate provision of food and water to Gaza’s population.

Yet, the experts argue, Israel is doing the opposite—not only failing to meet this obligation but actively obstructing the delivery of life-saving supplies. These include fuel, which is essential for water desalination and pumping operations.

Humanitarian agencies such as UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) have warned that without urgent fuel deliveries, key water wells and desalination units that serve hundreds of thousands of people will be forced to shut down entirely. This would be a death sentence for thousands, particularly as summer temperatures soar.

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Call for Urgent Humanitarian Intervention by Sea

To address the dire situation, the UN experts issued an urgent appeal for international action, including the deployment of humanitarian naval aid from Mediterranean ports. They called for coordinated deliveries of:

• Fuel

• Drinking water

• Sanitation supplies

• Emergency personnel and equipment

This maritime humanitarian effort, they say, must circumvent political blockades and ensure direct delivery of essential goods to Gaza. "The international community must act now to end this inhumane and unlawful deprivation and to guarantee the urgent restoration of water and sanitation in Gaza,” they stressed.

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A Grave Warning and a Call to Conscience

The UN experts concluded by warning that the deliberate withholding of water, fuel, and sanitation by Israel amounts to more than just a violation of humanitarian norms—it is part of a systematic assault on the civilian population that could constitute genocide under international law.

“These intentional, widespread and systematic attacks against Palestinians are a deliberate infliction of conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of a population,” the experts said.

With global awareness growing and legal bodies such as the ICJ weighing in, the world faces a pivotal moment: either act to halt this unfolding tragedy or risk complicity through silence.