Khan Younis, Gaza Strip: Displaced families in al-Mawasi face an acute water crisis, forcing daily journeys under harsh conditions to secure basic drinking water. Residents describe long hours in crowded queues, with many returning home with only limited supplies.
Nawaf al-Akhras, a father of seven displaced from Rafah, spends up to five hours each day walking to a water station with his son. He often manages to fill only two small containers, which barely meet his family’s daily needs. He says the suspension of water deliveries by a key provider due to lack of funding has doubled the burden on already struggling families.
Hundreds of displaced residents staged protests on April 5, demanding urgent action. Protesters called on international bodies to intervene and stressed that access to clean water is a basic human right. Many families now rely on saline or contaminated water for drinking and cooking, raising fears of illness among children.
Al-Mawasi has seen a massive population surge during the war, transforming into a densely crowded area with limited infrastructure. The strain has worsened an already fragile water system. Reports indicate that water availability has dropped by 97 percent, with overall supply reduced to a fraction of pre-war levels.
Damage to water infrastructure, fuel shortages, and restrictions on essential supplies have further disrupted access. Health risks are rising as sanitation conditions decline and waterborne diseases spread.
Human rights experts warn that the crisis has moved beyond a humanitarian emergency. They describe restricted access to water as a form of pressure on civilians, with severe consequences for vulnerable populations, especially children and the elderly.
