Doctors Without Borders (MSF) issued a Tuesday statement claiming that Israel is using "water as a weapon of collective punishment against Palestinians in Gaza."
Notably, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) rejected the claims and called the statement "factually incorrect."
"The only party weaponizing humanitarian aid is Hamas. It is disappointing, though not surprising, that an organization like MSF, which refuses to even designate Hamas as a terror group, continues to echo its propaganda," the statement read.
The MSF report claimed that "Palestinians have been injured and killed while trying to access water, and the deprivation of water has far-reaching consequences for their health, hygiene, and dignity." The organization then demanded that Israel "immediately restore water for people in Gaza at the required levels."
Notably, COGAT said that it supplies water to Gaza consistently, exceeding humanitarian thresholds, with "well over 70,000 cubic meters of water are facilitated daily."
Additionally, it said that Israel facilitates and provides water from its own sources.
"We’ve activated four water lines, coordinated vital repairs, connected power lines to facilities, and consistently delivered fuel for WASH infrastructure in coordination with the UN, UNICEF, and the ICRC," the statement read.
"MSF’s claims are a desperate attempt to regain legitimacy after losing its professional and moral direction. Their own operational delays are a result of their refusal to follow standard registration protocols and their history of employing individuals linked to terror," COGAT's statement concluded.
MSF's report on water situation in Gaza
The MSF report mentioned that, as part of "using water as a weapon of collective punishment," Israeli authorities have "destroyed or damaged nearly 90 percent of water and sanitation infrastructure in Gaza, including desalination plants, boreholes, pipelines, and sewage systems."
This last claim allegedly used data from the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank, as the report points out in one of its reference sections.
“Palestinians have been injured and killed simply trying to access water,” said Claire San Filippo, MSF emergency manager. “This deprivation, combined with dire living conditions, extreme overcrowding, and a collapsed health system, creates a perfect storm for the spread of diseases.”
When contacted for a comment on the issue, COGAT referred The Jerusalem Post to the IDF for further clarification.