The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israeli authorities of committing acts of genocide and extermination in Gaza by depriving Palestinians of clean water. In a scathing report, HRW claimed that thousands have perished due to this policy, which it describes as a crime against humanity.
“This policy, part of a mass killing of Palestinian civilians, constitutes the ongoing crime of extermination and fulfils the criteria of an ‘act of genocide’ under the 1948 Genocide Convention,” said HRW.
HRW highlighted statements from Israeli officials suggesting intent to harm Palestinians, bolstering their case for genocide claims. Lama Fakih, HRW’s Middle East director, emphasised, “The Israeli government is intentionally killing Palestinians in Gaza by denying them water essential for survival.”
This report follows similar accusations by Amnesty International and comes shortly after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a former defence chief for alleged war crimes.
The 184-page HRW document details how Israel’s blockade halted water supplies, electricity, and fuel, crippling Gaza’s infrastructure. This has left Palestinians with just a few litres of water daily, far below survival thresholds.
The ongoing Israeli campaign in Gaza has claimed over 45,000 Palestinian lives, displaced millions, and devastated the enclave’s infrastructure, prompting global outcry over the humanitarian crisis.
