Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of committing acts of genocide and extermination in Gaza by depriving its Palestinian population of access to clean water. In a detailed report released Thursday, the rights group claimed that these policies have led to the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and amount to crimes against humanity.
“This policy, inflicted as part of a mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, means Israeli authorities have committed the crime against humanity of extermination, which is ongoing. This policy also amounts to an ‘act of genocide’ under the Genocide Convention of 1948,” HRW stated.
The HRW report underscores the gravity of its findings, citing the 1948 Genocide Convention’s definition of genocide as acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.” While the group documented severe deprivation of water, proving the crime of genocide would require establishing intent. HRW cited statements from senior Israeli officials that it interpreted as evidence of an intent to harm or destroy Palestinians.
“What we have found is that the Israeli government is intentionally killing Palestinians in Gaza by denying them the water that they need to survive,” said Lama Fakih, HRW’s Middle East director, during a press conference.
The report alleges that Israel halted the flow of piped water, cut electricity, and restricted fuel supplies, which rendered Gaza’s water and sanitation facilities inoperable. Palestinians in some areas of Gaza reportedly have access to only a few liters of water daily—far below the 15 liters needed for survival.
According to Reuters, Israel has categorically rejected the accusations, describing them as baseless and asserting that it complies with international law. The country argues that its military actions in Gaza are a response to Hamas-led attacks, including the deadly cross-border assault on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the capture of over 250 hostages.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed HRW’s claims as “lies,” emphasizing its humanitarian efforts in Gaza despite the ongoing conflict.
Here we go again – Human Rights Watch is once more spreading its blood libels in order to promote its anti-Israel propaganda.
The truth is the complete opposite of HRW’s lies.
Here are the facts:
– Since the beginning of the war, Israel has facilitated the continuous flow of… pic.twitter.com/kbflhIt9QG— Oren Marmorstein (@OrenMarmorstein) December 19, 2024
Over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, most of the 2.3 million population has been displaced, and the coastal enclave has been reduced to rubble. HRW’s report follows a similar conclusion from Amnesty International, which also labeled Israeli actions as genocide.
Despite these allegations, Israel maintains that it has facilitated significant humanitarian aid to Gaza. The government reports that international partners have sent water tankers through Israeli crossings and that over 1.2 million tons of humanitarian supplies have entered the territory.
