www.solidarites.org

Enduring Unsanitary Conditions in Gaza

Published on Thursday 24 October 2024

This terrible year of bombings and fighting has led to the death of at least 40,861 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and as of September 5, 2024, at least 94,454 people have been injured¹. The complete shutdown of all basic public services has created an unprecedented situation in which the population is entirely dependent on humanitarian aid. SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL was able to begin working on the ground in February 2024. We have been operating from Deir El Balahindependently of developments in the so-called humanitarian zone, in accordance with international humanitarian law – to meet the essential needs of civilians affected by the war. Despite the efforts and successes of the team, the sanitary situation remains a major threat to the people of Gaza. 

«I could never have imagined seeing such things one day, reports Kathleen Hamon, from the Emergency Office of SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL. The situation is catastrophic. The level of destruction is such that, even if the conflict were to stop now, people could not return to their homes.» It is true that the constant danger, lack of prospects, and extremely difficult living conditions are causing great concern, even among the most practiced humanitarians.  

90%

of the population displaced from their home

The number of destroyed buildings in the Palestinian enclave is off the charts, as is the number of forcibly displaced people. In July, the United Nations estimated via satellite imagery that more than 60% of Gaza’s buildings had been destroyed². In the few remaining spaces, more than 2 million people are struggling to survive. The major cities are either under evacuation orders or have been largely razed, so much so that 90% of Gaza’s displaced population is seeking refuge in less urbanized areas, on beaches, along roads, and in any vacant space they can find. Overcrowding and proximity are devastating the makeshift camps. The estimated density in the shelters is 1.5m² per person, while the international minimum emergency standard is 3.5m² per person³ 

Palestine, Gaza Strip

Context and action
  • 2.3 million inhabitants
  • 111st out of 191 on the Human Development Index
  • 18,667 people

Life in these shelters is increasingly precarious as evacuation orders come one after another, making it impossible for families to truly settle in. The survey we conducted on-site reveals that, during this year of war, people have been displaced an average of 4.4 times. When the Israeli army announces an imminent attack on an area, civilian evacuations can happen in as little as one day or even one hour. In the urgency and panic, people move with only the bare minimum—generally, mattresses and empty jerrycans—as these families have had to quickly learn to distinguish the essentials from the superfluous. Each displacement further plunges families into misery, as they must pay to find transportation, and arriving in an already overcrowded area makes the situation even more unbearable. Even tents are in short supply, so shelters are constructed from recovered materials. Last come, last served, and one ends up settling in a space that remains empty because no one wanted it—even smaller and increasingly unlivable. With each displacement, individuals are also separated from their social networks, worsening their isolation and vulnerability.

In Gaza, the inhabitants lack everything: shelter, food, water, healthcare, protection..
Your generosity is the source of our action

A near-total lack of essential services

In this situation of total disaster, the basic services that a state usually provides have come to a complete or near halt. « I have never seen a crisis with such a drop in the level of access to services for the population, notes Kathleen Hamon, despite the restrictions that Palestinians have faced for years. Most were living until now in conditions like those we have in Europe in terms of access to water, food, and education. So this is a real shock.»  Today, there is no electricity in Gaza, except for a few generators whose operation is hindered by the exorbitant price of fuel. This lack of energy directly impacts access to water. Indeed, aside from the water coming from Israel—which has largely turned off the taps—the water available in the Gaza Strip has always been salty due to seawater infiltrating the aquifers. Before the war, this problem was addressed by desalination plants. The complete power cut by Israel has brought these plants to a halt, reducing water production capacity to 25% of pre-war levels. The international minimum standard in emergency situations is 7.5 liters of water per person per day, but UNICEF reports a median water availability of 3 liters per person in Gaza. As a result, some residents are forced to drink unhealthy water, and the inability to maintain a minimal level of hygiene severely impacts their health.   

A health situation beyond control 

The areas now hosting millions of displaced people from the Gaza Strip were previously sparsely urbanized. Their sanitation systems are not equipped to handle such a large population, especially as they have been heavily damaged by the conflict. As a result, everything is overflowing. Half of the roads in Deir El Balah are covered in sewage. Building and maintaining latrines is often impossible. People are doing what they can, digging holes with whatever tools they have, but the impact of these efforts is minimal. Some 395,000 tons of solid waste, impossible to collect under these circumstances, add to the heavy toll.  

Obtaining hygiene products has also become a major challenge. Prices have reached such extremes that people can no longer afford them. Between July 2023 and July 2024, the price of soap increased by 1177%, and the price of shampoo by 490%⁵. While the population of Gaza is fully aware of and accustomed to the hygiene practices necessary for their health, they unfortunately no longer have access to them.  

Unsurprisingly, all these war impacts are creating the conditions for the resurgence of waterborne diseases. Without access to soap, water, or toilets, and in such crowded conditions, the risk of epidemics is skyrocketing. A very large vaccination campaign against polio has just been organized, but the overall health situation remains dire. Since January, more than 100,000 cases of acute jaundice and over 414,000 cases of acute diarrhea⁶ have been recorded in the Gaza Strip. These add to the severe food insecurity affecting the population, and in August, a significant increase in malnutrition was noted.

The teamsingenuity and the relevance of the aid

Present in the region since February 2024, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL has focused its efforts on providing drinking and domestic water. To overcome the difficulties of bringing in supplies, the team took a pragmatic approach: managing to desalinate water using locally available resources. Ingenuity and professionalism have guided their actions. In July, a desalination plant was brought back into operation solely using salvaged equipment found locally. This plant can produce 100,000 liters of water per day. Every morning, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL’s two tankers, along with those of its partners, begin their rounds to distribution points, covering the water needs of 30,000 people relatively satisfactorily. 

The team also found a non-conventional but effective way to access water from wells in the region by creating a mobile energy production unit. Nicknamed the ‘Wattomobile,’ this truck makes daily rounds to the wells, operating the pumps for a few hours before moving on to the next well. 

The population of the Gaza Strip is completely dependent on humanitarian aid..
Your generosity is the source of our action !

Growing needs and the uncertain future for humanitarian aid 

Despite its successes, maintaining daily water distribution remains a significant challenge for the team. Evacuation orders have repeatedly halted operations or prevented distributions. Our teams also endure bombings and evacuations. However, the main limitation to our work is the exorbitant cost of fuel. Providing water daily to 30,000 people is a financial drain that threatens the operation of both the desalination stations, the ‘Wattomobile,’ and the water distribution by truck. Given the current funding situation, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL may be forced to cease its operations as early as December. And yet, we know that the situation for Gazans will only worsen with the arrival of autumn and its heavy rains. Many people have sought refuge in flood-prone areas, where irrigation canals destroyed by the war can no longer channel water. Without other places to shelter families, the issue of managing sludge will soon reach a new level: sewage will contaminate wells and worsen the shortage of clean water.

The dwindling stock of chlorine to treat water, combined with the cold winter ahead, suggests a difficult future for a civilian population already severely affected by the violation of its fundamental rights. Civilians must no longer be entangled in war. It is imperative to increase humanitarian assistance, and for that, a ceasefire is necessary. Additionally, the security, financial, and administrative obstacles to humanitarian aid must be lifted. Beyond any political considerations, International Humanitarian Law is a shared good that protects all civilians worldwide. The people of Gaza must be able to live under conditions that comply with the standards of this law. 

Sources :
¹ Data as at 5 September from the Gaza Ministry of Health
² UNOSAT Gaza Strip 8th Comprehensive Damage Assessment – July 2024
³ OCHA, september 2024
OCHA
Water, Sanitation and Hygien Cluster
Health Cluster

Header picture: © SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL