Water scarcity in Palestine is acute, with water resources consisting mainly of groundwater and limited surface water, and availability per person is among the lowest in the region. In the Gaza Strip, over-abstraction of the coastal aquifer - the territory's main freshwater source - has caused seawater intrusion and severely degraded water quality. Agriculture is an important source of food security and rural employment, with women supplying much of the labour, and relies on both rainfed production and groundwater irrigation. Long-standing challenges include ageing conveyance systems and high-water losses, limited storage, small landholdings, and the near-absence of systematic monitoring of water quantities and productivity. Reuse of treated wastewater remains small but is an increasingly important option, particularly in Gaza and in some parts of the West Bank.

Under the Regional Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI) programme, FAO works with the Palestinian Authority and national partners across the Programme's three strategic outcomes: strengthening agricultural water governance, building the resilience of food systems and water services, and advancing knowledge, innovation and regional cooperation.