News - Middle East: The international humanitarian organization Oxfam has taken a swipe at Israel over systematically using water as a weapon of war against civilian population in the Gaza Strip, arguing this tactic is strongly indicative of the regime’s disregard for human life and is in violation of international law.

Oxfam said in a new report published on Thursday that Israel “has used water deprivation to dehumanize and ultimately threaten Palestinian lives since the 1993 Oslo Accords.”

Near total destruction of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure by the Israeli military “has contributed significantly to the catastrophic deterioration of conditions of life in Gaza”, it added.

The report further revealed that the water supply has been reduced by 94 percent, which is less than five liters a day per person, and that the amount is just under a third of the recommended minimum in emergencies.

“Israel’s actions have deprived the entire population of Gaza of life-saving water and sanitation services, creating unavoidable immediate and long-term threats to people’s health and survival,” Oxfam warned.

A lack of clean water and sanitation led to a quarter of Gaza’s population falling ill to easily preventable diseases, the charity group said.

Oxfam also noted that the Israeli regime instigated the water shortage by cutting off the external water supply, destroying water facilities and deliberately obstructing aid from getting to Palestinians in Gaza.