Destroyed desalination plant worsens Gaza’s drinking water crisis
After a newly built desalination plant was destroyed, displaced families in northern Gaza struggle to find clean water.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the deteriorating water quality and the risk of disease in Gaza. Addressing reporters from the region, WHO representative Reinhilde Van de Weerdt highlighted the alarming rise in water samples testing positive for microbiological contamination, which nearly tripled between January and August of the current year.
Van de Weerdt noted that cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea also nearly doubled during the same period. The contamination poses a severe threat, as sewage, waste, and contaminated water can easily spread into living spaces, further exacerbating the risk of waterborne diseases. She emphasized the urgent need for permanent shelters, adequate water supply, and effective waste management.
Furthermore, Van de Weerdt brought attention to the plight of amputees in Gaza, noting that 6,600 individuals require long-term care for limb amputations. However, the restrictions on importing prosthetic limbs into Gaza since May 2024 have hindered efforts to provide these crucial aids. As of July 2026, only 12 percent of the 4,600 patients who lost limbs since October 2023 have received prosthetic devices, leaving a significant number without appropriate care.
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