‘Dying of Thirst’: The Escalating Water Crisis in Gaza’s al-Mawasi Camp
As clean water supplies vanish in Gaza's al-Mawasi, displaced families face a 'catastrophic' health crisis and the looming threat of summer heat.
The Thirst Crisis: A "Silent Bomb" in Gaza's al-Mawasi
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — For Nawaf al-Akhras, the sunrise no longer signals a new day, but the beginning of a grueling trek for survival. Displaced from Rafah two years ago, the father of seven now lives in a tent in al-Mawasi, an area once known for its agricultural quiet, now transformed into a teeming, parched camp for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Every morning, al-Akhras and his eldest son carry empty jerrycans 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) to a water filling station. They are rarely alone. Thousands of others wait under a relentless sun for a resource that is rapidly vanishing.
“My entire day is spent waiting in line,” al-Akhras told Al Jazeera. “It’s daily suffering just so we can drink. We died from hunger, and now they are testing death by thirst on us.”
A Systemic Collapse
The water crisis in al-Mawasi reached a breaking point recently after Eta, a major provider of potable water across the Strip, suspended operations due to a lack of funding. For weeks, the water trucks that once navigated the crowded tent cities have vanished, doubling the burden on families already pushed to the brink.
On Saturday, April 5, 2026, hundreds of residents took to the streets of al-Mawasi to protest the worsening conditions. Holding posters denouncing the shortage, they called for international intervention, asserting that access to clean water is a fundamental human right.
The humanitarian stakes are soaring as summer approaches. Residents described the tents as "frying pans," where rising temperatures exacerbate the risk of dehydration and the spread of waterborne diseases.
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — For Nawaf al-Akhras, the sunrise no longer signals a new day, but the beginning of a grueling trek for survival.
Infrastructure in Ruins
The transformation of al-Mawasi into a "safe zone" by Israeli forces led to a population surge that the area’s primitive infrastructure was never meant to handle. UN human rights experts have described the resulting water shortage as "catastrophic" and "predicted."
Data from the Palestinian Water Authority underscores the scale of the devastation:
- 65% of water wells in some areas have been destroyed.
- Per capita water availability has plummeted by 97%.
- Total available water in the Strip is estimated at only 10% to 20% of pre-war levels.
The collapse is attributed to the direct destruction of infrastructure, critical fuel shortages required to run pumps, and Israeli restrictions on repair equipment.
"Thirst as a Weapon"
Human rights organizations and UN experts argue that the shortage is not merely a byproduct of conflict but a systematic tool of pressure. In a statement, UN experts warned that the "use of thirst as a weapon" has become a reality in Gaza.
"Cutting water and food is a silent but deadly bomb," experts noted, highlighting that the blockade and infrastructure destruction have left two million residents without even the minimum vital amount of water.
For residents like Salah al-Koush, a protestor supporting a family of 13, the lack of clean water has forced a dangerous pivot to "utility water"—high-salinity water typically unfit for human consumption.
“I fear for my four children,” al-Koush said. “Every day, there are cases in the camp of children getting sick due to water contamination.”
As the diplomatic stalemate continues, for the hundreds of thousands trapped in al-Mawasi, the search for a single gallon of clean water remains a daily gamble with death.
