By Abbas Nazil
Severe water shortages in Gaza have reached an alarming state, with nine out of ten people unable to access safe drinking water, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday.
The crisis has been exacerbated by Israel’s recent decision to cut power to the enclave, significantly disrupting desalination operations that provide clean water to hundreds of thousands of people.
The move, aimed at pressuring Hamas over hostage releases, has left 600,000 people, who had previously regained access to safe water in November 2024, without any supply once again.
UNICEF’s Rosalia Bollen stressed the urgency of restoring water access, emphasizing its vital role for thousands of families and children struggling to survive under dire conditions.
The United Nations estimates that 1.8 million people in Gaza—more than half of them children—are in urgent need of water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance.
The humanitarian situation in the enclave has deteriorated to levels comparable to the crisis in October 2023, according to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
At a press conference in Geneva, Lazzarini outlined the devastating consequences of prolonged water deprivation, warning that ongoing power cuts and restrictions on aid entry are worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
In the occupied West Bank, the situation is also deteriorating, with Israeli military operations leading to the largest displacement of Palestinians since 1967.
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Around 40,000 people, many of them refugees, have been forced from their homes as entire communities are emptied due to intensified military activities.
Lazzarini condemned what he described as systematic efforts to dismantle UNRWA’s operations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, following Israel’s ban on the agency’s activities.
International staff have been denied entry or expelled, while the municipality has pressured UNRWA to vacate its premises, severely disrupting essential services.
As the crisis deepens, UNRWA is facing severe financial challenges, with major donor countries suspending funding.
Lazzarini called on the international community to sustain support for the agency until a clear political solution emerges, warning that prematurely cutting financial aid will only worsen the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
He cautioned that undermining UNRWA through legislative restrictions and disinformation campaigns threatens regional stability and could lead to further displacement.
Meanwhile, UN officials, including Humanitarian Coordinator Muhannad Hadi, urged for the immediate resumption of lifesaving aid to Gaza.
Diplomatic efforts led by Saudi Arabia, the European Union, and the League of Arab States are pushing for a two-State solution, which Lazzarini emphasized as the only viable path to preventing further escalation.
He insisted that when there is political will, humanitarian aid can flow without disruption, highlighting the need for a stable framework to address the crisis effectively.
