Israel’s war on Gaza forces Palestinians to rely on ‘Stone Age’ toilets

What the report says

Palestinians displaced by Israel’s war in Gaza are coping with a worsening sanitation crisis, Al Jazeera reported from Deir Al-Balah on 23 August 2026. The article focuses on families living in tent camps and unfinished buildings who say they have been forced to rely on improvised or communal toilets with little privacy, limited water and poor sewage disposal.

One resident, Eman Mahmoud Shamia, described sharing a camp toilet with her husband and five young children after repeated displacement. The report says the camp’s facilities were built with the help of a worker who dug soakaway pits, but many residents still lack proper toilet seats, doors, sinks and separate facilities for men and women. Another displaced resident, Mohammad Al-Hanouti, said he has been saving to buy a toilet seat because sanitation items have become unaffordable.

Al Jazeera said the shortage is linked to restrictions on importing toilets, plumbing materials and other sanitation supplies, alongside widespread destruction and displacement. The article cites an economist saying demand has surged while supply has been constrained, making used toilet seats extremely expensive and turning them into scarce goods. A Chamber of Commerce spokesperson urged aid agencies and traders to help import essentials, while noting that commercial requests face delays at crossings.

The report also highlights health concerns. It cites a UN WASH assessment saying many people lack basic sanitation and are exposed to wastewater or human waste near their homes. A doctor in Deir al-Balah said hospitals are treating children, women and older people for diarrhoea, skin conditions and gastrointestinal problems linked to crowded, unsanitary living conditions.