The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that the Gaza Strip is facing a severe water crisis, with 90% of the population unable to access clean drinking water.
UNICEF’s Rosalia Bollen emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that 600,000 people who regained access to water in November 2024 have once again been cut off.
The agency has warned that 1.8 million people, including over a million children, are in desperate need of water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance.
The situation has worsened following Israel’s decision on Sunday to cut electricity to Gaza, disrupting essential desalination operations.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, condemned Israel’s actions, calling it a “warning of genocide.”
She highlighted the critical impact of halting electricity, which has led to the shutdown of desalination stations and, consequently, the lack of clean water for Gaza’s residents.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen ordered the immediate cessation of electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip, a move that Hamas described as part of an ongoing campaign of extermination against Gaza.
