The World Health Organization (WHO) on November 12 warned that the approaching winter and cold rains will exacerbate the already severe public health crisis in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territory that is under Israeli blockade and attack.
According to the WHO, recent water tests show that water quality in the territory has sharply declined, accompanied by a sharp rise in diarrhea cases. The UN health agency stressed that the upcoming rainy season could make the situation even worse.
Much of Gaza has been destroyed during Israel's war, and the area remains under blockade, leaving most people without adequate shelter and lacking functioning infrastructure.
Reinhilde Van de Weerdt, WHO's representative in the Palestinian territories, warned: “While we are not able to provide people with the minimal amounts of water, water quality and water contamination remains a major concern.” She also stressed that the risk of flooding from winter rains would “bring sewage, garbage, and contaminated water into places where people sleep, cook, and care for their loved ones.”
Test results from approximately 6,700 water samples in the first eight months of 2026 showed that “microbial contamination almost tripled.” The contamination rate rose from just under 6% in January to over 18% in August.
Acute diarrhea cases have also nearly doubled since March, from about 27,000 to over 48,000 cases. However, the WHO official stressed that there is still time to prevent a public health catastrophe if humanitarian goods can be “delivered unimpeded and quickly.”
Materials needed for long-term shelter and sustainable water supply, as well as waste management, are critical. Laboratory supplies are also urgently needed to help identify the causes of diseases and better respond to disease outbreaks.
Earlier, in April, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Israel was using access to water as a “weapon” in Gaza. The organization cited data from the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank showing that Israel had destroyed or damaged nearly 90% of water and sanitation infrastructure in the territory.
