The Gaza Strip “swings on the brink of the abyss”

The United Nations UNICEF has warned of the exacerbation of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, noting that the sector “swings on the edge of the abyss”, where only 40% of the drinking water production facilities (87 out of 217) are currently operating.

A spokesman for the organization, James Eder, said in a journalist from Geneva “via video” today, that these facilities will stop completely within weeks if the siege continues on the fuel.

Ellir pointed out that the power outage since October 7, 2023 made fuel necessary to operate water production and distribution systems for more than two million Palestinians.

He warned that the continuation of the siege for more than 100 days threatens the lives of children with thirst, amid increasing diseases and the deterioration of health conditions.

He described what is happening as “human dehydration”, stressing that the problem is not logistical or technical, but political, and can be resolved quickly if the political will is available, as the availability of fuel will restart hundreds of wells within one day.

He also stressed that fuel is necessary to operate hospitals, generators and life support devices, noting that preventing it not only stops supplies, but also threatens to survive.

UNICEF indicated that this moment is the “most critical” since the beginning of the war, in light of the almost complete siege, the marginalization of humanitarian aid, and the continued fall of victims from children daily, in addition to a deliberate fuel crisis that threatens the most important elements of life, water.