The deuterium and oxygen-18 isotopic composition of the groundwater in Khan Younis City, southern Gaza Strip (Palestine)

The environmental isotopes such as deuterium and oxygen-18 and the deuterium excess values have been used to assess groundwater recharge sources and their dynamics in Khan Younis City in the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Three isotopic lines for the relationship between delta H-2 and delta O-18 were used in the assessment. These lines are the global meteoric water line, the local meteoric water line and the groundwater evaporation line. The delta H-2, delta O-18 and D-excess values indicate that deuterium and oxygen-18 isotopes originated in the groundwater from groundwater mixing with rainfall and other water sources; the groundwater in the area recharged from rainfall from a distant source that came from the Mediterranean Sea and from other sources such as wastewater, irrigation return flow and saline water.