LONDON: Palestinian water sources have been attacked more than 250 times in the past five years by Israeli military personnel and settlers.
New research published by the California-based Pacific Institute found that water infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank had been targeted with bombs and machinery on 90 occasions since January 2024, and also identified cases of poisoning.
Israeli forces were recorded attacking Palestinians trying to collect water on numerous occasions, including eight people killed by sniper fire in February 2024 and a series of airstrikes in Gaza in April this year that hit two schools, leaving at least 100 injured and destroying latrines and a desalination plant.
Around 90 percent of all water infrastructure in Gaza has been damaged or destroyed by Israel over the last two years, with the Israeli military also blocking civilian access to many areas still with safe water.
In July, 10 Palestinians were killed at Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, including six children, and another 16 were injured while waiting for water at a distribution point.
