After pushing Palestinians to the brink of famine, Israel is now using Gaza's water supply as a weapon of war, deliberately restricting access to force nearly 1.2 million people out of Gaza City.
The enclave's water network has been left in ruins. Dozens of wells have been destroyed, its only desalination plant has been silent since the beginning of the war, and families are now surviving primarily on the limited trickle from the Israeli-controlled Mekorot pipeline.
Israel's public broadcaster said the government is considering reducing the amount of water that still flows into northern Gaza while preparing to restore pipelines in the south, a move widely seen as an attempt to drive desperate families to relocate in search of water.
The development comes as Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that he has signed off on a new military operation, dubbed "Gideon's Chariots 2," to storm Gaza City and displace its residents.
Hosni Mhanna, spokesperson for Gaza's municipality, said the city's water infrastructure is on the edge of total collapse.
"Fifty-six wells were completely destroyed, and many others have stopped operating due to lack of fuel and maintenance," he told Anadolu.
Mhanna said more than 75% of Gaza's wells, pumping stations, and desalination units have been knocked out. As a result, 70% of the water reaching residents comes from the Mekorot pipeline, while the few remaining wells cover only 30% of demand.
He warned that the current per capita share has fallen to just five liters a day, compared to the global minimum standard of 100 liters, leaving over 1.2 million residents and displaced people at risk of thirst-driven epidemics.
On Friday, Katz vowed that "the gates of hell" would open on Gaza unless Hamas released captives and surrendered its weapons, promising massive firepower against the city.
Earlier, Gaza's Interior Ministry described Israel's plan to retake the city as a "death sentence and mass eviction order" for nearly 1.2 million people, urging urgent international action.
Municipal officials say the Mekorot pipeline itself suffers repeated disruptions during Israeli strikes, making supply unstable.
"Any further cuts will cause a complete collapse of what remains of Gaza's water system, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without the bare minimum for survival," Mhanna warned, calling on the UN and Red Cross to intervene and stop Israel from weaponizing water.
Israel's Security Cabinet, earlier this month, approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's phased reoccupation plan for Gaza, beginning with the forced evacuation of Gaza City's population to the south. More than 800,000 Palestinians are expected to be transferred to so-called "humanitarian zones," alongside the establishment of temporary shelters, field hospitals, and water facilities.
Israel has killed over 62,100 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
