Disruption of Gaza’s Water Supply System Creates Serious Problems for Children

The disruption of the water supply system in Gaza is causing illness among children. After eight months of war, children's skin and bones have been severely affected. Their hands and feet resemble matchsticks, their knee joints are dislocated, the chest is elevated, and the skin is tightly pressed against their ribcage.

“The temperature in our tent is very high, and the water we drink is definitely contaminated, as both young and old are falling ill,” reported a resident of Gaza. With their homes destroyed, hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents are currently internally displaced, living in makeshift camps under tarps that offer little protection from the scorching sun. Getting water, whether clean or not, is a daily struggle, with long lines forming at distribution centers.

Due to extensive damage to the sewage system and the number of toilets, the water available is easily contaminated. “It is no secret that the main cause of gastrointestinal infections currently occurring in the Gaza Strip is the contamination of water supplied to these children,” says Dr. Ahmed Al-Farien, head of the pediatric department at Naser Hospital. “The first problem is gastrointestinal infections accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, which lead to dehydration,” he explains. “The second problem is Hepatitis C or A, which are not any less dangerous than gastrointestinal infections, if not more so.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 67% of Gaza's water supply and sanitation systems, which were already in poor condition, are now destroyed.