HRW: Israel's water deprivation of Gaza residents amounts to genocide

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that Israel's denial of clean water to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip could amount to genocide and war crimes. According to the report, Palestinians in Gaza are deprived of even 15 liters of water a day, the minimum standard needed to survive.

HRW said the Israeli government is committing crimes against humanity through its policies that have led to the mass killing of civilians in Gaza. The report said the actions could amount to "acts of genocide" under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

According to Lama Fakih, HRW's Middle East director, the Israeli government is deliberately killing Palestinians in Gaza by depriving them of the water they need to survive.

Israel has strongly denied the allegations. The Israeli Foreign Ministry, in a statement to Reuters, called HRW's allegations "false."

Israel says that last week, water tankers and more than 1.2 million tons of humanitarian aid were brought into Gaza with the help of international partners.

According to the HRW report, Israel has cut off water pipelines and restricted electricity and fuel supplies, disrupting water and sewage facilities in the Gaza Strip and leaving residents without clean water.

Human Rights Watch has become the second major international organization to describe Israel's actions as genocide, following Amnesty International's earlier conclusion.

The reports were released after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister on charges of war crimes.

HRW's accusations of genocide against Israel are causing serious debate in the international community. Israel denies it, insisting that it has the right to defend itself.