Israel cuts power to Gaza, worsening misery for millions as desalination plant stops

Gaza lies largely in ruins with many locals already disconnected from electricity supplies. Reuters

Gazans face an even greater struggle to access clean water after Israel cut its electricity supply to the enclave, forcing the shutdown of a key desalination plant in what authorities describe as a “health and environmental catastrophe".

Phase one of a three-stage ceasefire in Gaza expired on March 2, with Israel and Hamas at loggerheads on how to move forward. The first six weeks of the cessation of hostilities included limited swaps of hostages for hundreds of Palestinians jailed by Israel, Palestinians being allowed to return to the destroyed north of the enclave from displacement in the south, and entry of aid.

But last week Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods to Gaza, pressing Hamas to accept an extension of phase one of the ceasefire, adding electricity on Sunday. Hamas wants to begin talks on the second phase of the agreements, which should include an Israeli withdrawal, the returning of the rest of the Israeli hostages and a permanent ceasefire deal.

The electricity supply ceased hours after Israeli Minister of Energy Eli Cohen announced it would be cut off as a pressure tactic on Hamas to release Israeli hostages held in Gaza. He said on Sunday: “We will avail ourselves of all means at our disposal to free the hostages and to ensure that Hamas will not be in Gaza on the day after.” Israel Electric Corporation has been ordered to stop selling power to the enclave.

Israel cut off all its electricity supplies to Gaza after the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel in which Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped around 250 into the enclave. Power to Southern Desalination Plant was restored last November through a dedicated power line, called the F11 transmission line.

Munther Shoblak, Director General of the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, said after the supply was cut off, the plant's production dropped from 18,000 cubic metres of treated water output per day to just 3,000.

"The plant supplies drinking water to about 1.2 million people daily, and with the return of residents to northern areas, cutting off its supply will impact 500,000 people."

The strip's water supply mainly comes from wells drawing from the Coastal Aquifer Basin, but overuse has impacted availability and quality. Otherwise Gazans rely on a handful of small desalination plants and lorries carrying water from outside the enclave. Since the war began in October 2023, the WHO has estimated each person has just 2-9 litres of water per day to use, compared with average use of 247 litres per person per day in Israel.

That number could drop further as the Southern Desalination Plant joins others in the enclave in going offline due to damage or electricity supply.

Ibraheem Abu Oda, a 40-year-old resident of Khan Younis, said people now rely on extracting water from wells that were dug by residents. However, this process requires fuel to operate small generators that pump the water out and due to the continuing fuel shortage, this method has become costly and impractical.

"The Israeli occupation wants to exert all its pressure on civilians. They do not respect any laws, they just want to show that they control everything," he said.

Ismael Thawabta, the director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, told The National that the suggering of the Palestinian people has been worsened by the decision to cut off power.

“By cutting off electricity to the desalination plant in southern Gaza – the last remaining source of power – Israel has intensified the suffering of the population after depriving the Strip of energy since October 2023. This move represents a blatant violation of international law and worsens the catastrophic humanitarian conditions our people are enduring, especially as essential aid and supplies remain blocked from entering the territory," Mr Thawabta said.

A man walks outside the Southern Gaza Desalination plant, which stopped working earlier after Israel cut off electricity supply to the Gaza Strip. AFP

He further condemned the decision, stating: “This criminal act is not only aimed at disabling the desalination plant but also at depriving more than 2.4 million people in Gaza of their fundamental right to water. Such actions constitute collective punishment and a full-fledged war crime under international law."

Mohammed Thabet, Director of Media at the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company, described the power cuts as a “health and environmental catastrophe," and said the company's ability to restore power is entirely dependent on access to power distributors and necessary equipment, which have not been allowed into the Strip.

“None of the urgent equipment requested by the Electricity Distribution Company has been permitted entry," he said in a statement, emphasising that the blackout is also hindering the reopening of schools and resumption of education. He said small generators are needed to power water wells.

According to Thabet, Israel previously supplied the Gaza Strip with 10 main power lines, all of which were severed after October 7, 2023. Now, he says, 70 per cent of the electricity distribution networks in Gaza have been completely destroyed, 90 per cent of the EDC's warehouses and storage facilities have been demolished and 80 per cent of the company’s vehicles and equipment have been damaged beyond use.

The worsening situation is having a direct and devastating impact on civilians.

Mr Abu Oda warned that the shutdown of the desalination plant will have severe consequences for daily life in Gaza. “With food and water already in short supply, this step will accelerate the deterioration of the humanitarian situation. We were already forced to buy drinking water at high costs, but now we may not find any water to drink or use at all."

Israeli negotiators were in Qatar on Monday for indirect negotiations with Hamas, and US envoy Adam Boehler said on Sunday a deal could be reached "within weeks".