Desk Study of the Economic and Geo-political Feasibility of a Large-Scale Desalination Plant in the Gaza Strip and Its Incorporation into the Regional Water Supply System
Publisher: EcoPeace Middle East
Author(s): David Katz and Fredi Lokiec
Date: 2025
Topics: Economic Recovery, Renewable Resources
Countries: Gaza, Israel, Palestine
The population of the Gaza Strip suffers from extreme water scarcity. With limited natural water resources, desalination will have to play a central role in providing a path for political stability and potential prosperity in any post-war development scenario for the territory. EcoPeace has proposed an initiative that envisions a large-scale desalination facility in Gaza that would produce water not only for the population of Gaza, but also for that of the West Bank and Jordan as well. This would entail integration of water (and likely energy) at a regional level, including with Israel, and serve as a cornerstone of broader regional cooperation initiatives, promoting both stability and economic development. This study presents a preliminary assessment of the technical, economic and geopolitical feasibility of such a project, and outlines potential broader regional and international partnerships that could advance such an initiative.