According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the shortage of water in the Gaza Strip, caused by Israel’s decision to cut off their water supplies, has become a critical issue, with the lives of the population at stake.
The agency has warned that over two million people are currently facing a water crisis.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has stated that the delivery of fuel to Gaza is crucial to ensure the availability of clean water for two million people.
The agency has reported that no humanitarian supplies have been allowed into Gaza for a week, causing a shortage of clean water. The water plant and public water networks in the Gaza Strip have stopped working, forcing Palestinians to use dirty water from wells, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. Israel has enforced an electricity blackout on Gaza since Wednesday, which has further impacted the water supply. Meanwhile, thousands of people have been displaced from northern Gaza after Israel ordered them to do so amid its air attacks.
Lazzarini has appealed for the siege on humanitarian assistance to be lifted to prevent severe dehydration and deaths among young children, elderly people, and women.
He emphasized that water is now the last remaining lifeline. Last Friday, the Palestinian armed group Hamas launched a surprise multi-pronged assault on Israel, resulting in the death of at least 1,300 people.