ISTANBUL

Gaza is facing the biggest water crisis in the world due to the effects of climate change and Israeli attacks, according to a Turkish expert.

Professor Vakur Sumer, an international relations expert at Selcuk University in Konya province, told Anadolu that Gaza is located in the Middle East where desertification is rapidly occurring.

“For many years, Yemen was one of the countries experiencing the most severe water crisis in the world, but with the destruction in the last year, Gaza has left Yemen behind and become the region experiencing the most severe water crisis in the world,” Sumer said.

"In order to be considered water-rich, 10,000 cubic meters of water per year is required. Gaza has a water availability far below this and there is a great problem in the quality of this water as well as its quantity,” he added.

He said that the region is geographically located at a place where salt water mixes heavily with fresh water.

Stressing that the inadequate rainfall in the region has decreased further, he said evaporation has increased and rapid population growth has reduced the amount of usable water per person.

He added that water availability has become even more problematic following the Israeli attacks.

Women and children are the most affected by the water crisis in Gaza, he said, adding that 10 times more child deaths have been recorded in Gaza due to epidemics compared to developed countries.

He added that women are dealing with hygiene and sanitation issues.

“Water-related diseases tend to increase in the region. We know that microorganisms spread and cause diseases, such as cholera, in poor-quality water sources. For these reasons, women are the most affected and disadvantaged group in the region,” he added.

Underlining that monetary resources play an important role in solving this problem, he said the population in the region is very high compared to the number of people engaged in income-generating activities.

Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in over 40,500 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,700 injuries, according to local health authorities.

The ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar