Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza attack attacks on water sources, calls for heavy sanctions
More than two-thirds of water and sanitation facilities and infrastructure in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged due to the conflict. As infectious diseases continue to spread and temperatures rise, lack of hygiene and dehydration threaten the health of people across Gaza. Photo: OCHA
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of committing “acts of genocide” in the Gaza Strip by targeting and damaging critical water infrastructure and cutting off essential supplies to civilians.
In its report released on Thursday, the organization urged the international community to impose targeted sanctions in response.
The report alleges that Israeli authorities deliberately imposed “conditions of life calculated to bring about [the Palestinian population’s] physical destruction in whole or in part,” actions HRW claims meet the criteria for genocide under international law.
HRW raised concerns over the severe humanitarian consequences of the actions, including the collapse of water services and the inability of civilians in Gaza to access clean drinking water, exacerbating already dire living conditions.
The organization called on global leaders to take immediate action, including imposing sanctions and referring the situation to relevant international legal bodies, to ensure accountability and prevent further suffering.
