UN Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Araujo Agudo, announced that approximately 2.1 million people in the Gaza Strip are suffering from a severe water crisis, noting that nearly 70% of the Strip's water infrastructure has been destroyed as a result of Israeli military operations.In a statement on Wednesday, Agudo explained that the Israeli occupying power has systematically destroyed water infrastructure and prevented access to clean water sources in Gaza, describing it as a ‘silent bomb.’He added that the vast majority of Gaza's population has access to only very limited quantities of water, or receive contaminated water that poses a serious threat to their health.The UN Special Rapporteur noted that the Israeli blockade imposed since Oct. 2023 has affected food, water, electricity, and other essential goods, noting that the crisis has spiraled out of control after Israel cut off access to fuel needed to operate water purification plants and wells.He emphasized that the deliberate destruction of water systems represents the use of water as a weapon in the war on Gaza.Israeli attacks on Gaza's water infrastructure have reduced the daily per capita water supply to just 5 liters, which is insufficient for normal life, Agudo added.
