On December 19, 2024, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of committing acts of genocide in its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, citing restrictions on water access for a portion of the population. The organization called for sanctions against Israel, which it described as a "slander."
The report focused on water access, stating that Israeli authorities have deliberately imposed living conditions designed to destroy part of the population by depriving Palestinian civilians in Gaza of sufficient water. The organization claimed these restrictions have likely led to thousands of deaths and may continue to do so.
Since October 2023, Israeli authorities have reportedly obstructed Palestinian access to adequate water supplies necessary for survival in Gaza. In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the report as "slander," asserting that Human Rights Watch was spreading falsehoods to promote anti-Israel propaganda.
Israel contended that it has facilitated the continuous flow of water and maintained water infrastructure, including the operation of four water pipelines and desalination facilities. The ministry claimed that water tanks have repeatedly been delivered by international partners through Israeli crossings.
Human Rights Watch detailed what it termed a "deliberate deprivation of safe drinking water and sanitation necessary for minimum human survival." The report indicated that Israel had halted water pumping to Gaza and restricted most water and sanitation infrastructure by cutting electricity and limiting fuel and treatment materials.
The organization concluded that these actions constitute war crimes, specifically genocide and acts of genocide. However, Human Rights Watch did not definitively confirm that Israel committed genocide, noting that international law requires evidence of specific intent, which is difficult to prove.
During a briefing on the report, Middle East and North Africa director Lama Fakih remarked that, in the absence of a clear plan for genocide, the International Court of Justice may find that the evidence meets the "strict thresholds" for logical inference of genocidal intent.
The report also referenced comments made by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant in October 2023, who announced a "complete siege" on Gaza, stating, "There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel; everything is closed." On December 5, Amnesty International similarly accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, provoking a strong reaction from the Israeli government.
Human Rights Watch’s report, which took a year to compile, was based on interviews with dozens of Gaza residents, water and sanitation facility staff, paramedics, and relief workers, as well as satellite imagery and data analysis. The organization noted that Israeli authorities did not respond to its requests for information.
According to the report, due to the destruction of the healthcare system, confirmed cases of diseases and deaths potentially linked to waterborne illnesses, dehydration, and hunger have not been systematically tracked or reported. The report indicated that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have suffered from illnesses likely caused or exacerbated by the lack of safe and sufficient water, including diarrhea, hepatitis, skin diseases, and upper respiratory infections. The deprivation of water has particularly harmed infants, women, pregnant and nursing mothers, and individuals with disabilities. Medical facilities in Gaza have struggled to maintain minimum hygiene standards.