Israel stands accused of waging a systematic campaign of thirst warfare against Palestinians in Gaza, with 112 massacres reportedly committed at water distribution points, most of the victims being children. The accusations, issued by Gaza’s authorities, paint a harrowing picture of a deliberate strategy to deprive civilians of life’s most basic necessity: water.

In its latest statement, Gaza’s media office revealed that Israeli forces have targeted queues of desperate civilians collecting drinking water, culminating in tragedies like the recent attack on the “New Camp” in Al-Nuseirat, where 12 people, eight of them children, were killed. The authorities accuse Israel of intentionally destroying 720 water wells, leaving over 1.25 million people without access to clean water.

The situation has only worsened with Israel’s ongoing blockade of fuel, 12 million litres per month are needed to power water systems, sewage plants, and vital services. On top of that, Mekorot, the last Israeli water line supplying Gaza, was cut in January. In March, power to a key desalination plant in Deir al-Balah was severed, further intensifying the crisis.

Gaza officials have labelled this policy a “thirst crime” and a form of genocide, accusing Western states, including the US, UK, France, and Germany, of complicity through their silence or support. They have called for urgent international intervention to restore access to water and fuel, open investigations, and hold Israel accountable for war crimes.

While the world watches, Palestinians continue to suffer in silence, punished not for actions, but for existing.