As Gaza endures relentless bombardment and an unyielding blockade, a new crisis is quietly devastating the population — the collapse of access to clean water. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has sounded the alarm over the growing contamination of drinking water, reporting that over 25% of water samples are now unfit for consumption. This dire statistic is already fuelling the spread of disease, especially in overcrowded displacement zones where basic sanitation is a luxury few can afford.

Around 90% of families are suffering from water insecurity, and the scorching summer heat is only compounding the crisis. The limited availability of potable water has turned survival into a daily battle for millions.

The ministry has condemned the use of absorption pits as an unsafe substitute for sewage systems, warning that this practice is accelerating the collapse of Gaza’s already fragile groundwater reserves. With over 90% of desalination plants and 80% of sewage treatment facilities out of service, environmental degradation is spiralling out of control.

Sewage now seeps into the sea, threatening public health and frustrating already overwhelmed humanitarian efforts. In the face of this catastrophe, Palestinian health officials are pleading with the international community to intervene — not just with aid, but with infrastructure repair and long-term solutions to halt a looming environmental and health disaster.