By Sama Marwan ,
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Gaza is facing a man-made drought as water infrastructure collapses, especially the systems for drinking water. The organization cautioned that children will die of thirst unless fuel is allowed to enter to pump, treat, and distribute water.
UNICEF spokesperson James Elder confirmed that no fuel has entered Gaza for over 100 days due to Israel’s strict blockade on the already limited humanitarian aid allowed into the Strip.
Elder stated that Gaza is now in severe distress, with only 40% of drinking water facilities still operational. He warned that without fuel, “each of these will shut down within weeks,” adding that diseases are already spreading, and chaos is worsening.
He also emphasized that, “Just as the water crisis is man-made, so is the malnutrition — created by the occupying forces,” explaining that the two crises feed into each other, creating a deadly vicious cycle.
Since the beginning of the year, over 110 malnourished children have been admitted daily to treatment centers, he said.
