HRW accuses Israel of acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza by depriving them of adequate water supplies

GAZA, Dec 20 (SABAH): Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza by depriving them of adequate water supplies.

The group, in an extensive report, found that between October 2023 and September 2024, Israeli authorities deprived Palestinians of what the World Health Organization (WHO) says is the minimum quantity of water required for survival in prolonged emergency situations. This has contributed to thousands of deaths and the spread of numerous diseases, the report found.

Israel, which has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide and of using hunger as a weapon of war, denied HRW’s latest accusations, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying the report was full of lies.

The Biden administration said it disagreed with the report’s findings but is “continuing to press” Israel on the issue, according to a State Department spokesperson.

“Specifically when it comes to a determination of something like genocide, the legal standard is just incredibly high, and so the finding in this scenario we just disagree with,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing.

Patel added that the US has brought up water access as part of conversations with Israel. “We need to be doing everything we can to ensure that water access is strong, and that everybody who needs water in Gaza is able to get it,” he said.

According to WHO, a person needs between 50 and 100 liters (13 and 26 gallons) of water per day to ensure their “basic needs are met.” In protracted emergency situations, the minimum amount of water can drop to 15 to 20 liters per day for drinking and washing.