Fri Feb 21 07:52:31 UTC 2025: ## Gaza Families Face Dire Water Crisis After Ceasefire
**Beit Lahiya, Gaza, Palestine** – The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has brought little respite for families in northern Gaza, who are grappling with a severe water shortage amidst widespread devastation. Weeks after the fighting ended, residents are struggling to survive in a landscape of rubble and destroyed infrastructure, with access to clean water reduced to a mere 7% of pre-conflict levels, according to Oxfam.
One such family, the Abu Haloubs, are living in tents erected on the ruins of their former home in Beit Lahiya. Mother Faten Abu Haloub, her husband Karam, their five children, and Karam’s elderly parents, are among thousands forced to share scarce water resources. Their daily routine revolves around the arduous task of collecting water from communal pipes or whatever sources they can find. Even the elderly are now participating in this physically demanding work, a stark contrast to pre-war norms.
The family’s struggle highlights the broader crisis facing the region. The destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure during the conflict has left many without access to clean water and sanitation. While water trucks occasionally provide temporary relief, the supply is insufficient and unreliable. The family resorts to strict rationing and creative solutions, such as collecting rainwater during recent storms.
Faten Abu Haloub expressed despair at the lack of assistance, stating that the lack of basic necessities, including water, sewage systems, and electricity, makes life unbearable. She poignantly reflects, “Sometimes, I think we would have been better off dying in the war.” The family’s desperate hope now lies in the intervention of local authorities, international aid organizations, or humanitarian groups to restore water services and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The ongoing challenges underscore that for many in Gaza, the war continues long after the ceasefire.
First Piper 