UN says 60% of Gaza families lack daily access to clean water amid ongoing strikes

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday that a majority of families in the Gaza Strip are struggling to access clean water, as continued strikes and damage to infrastructure deepen an already severe humanitarian crisis.

"Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, our humanitarian colleagues say strikes across the Gaza Strip continue to hit residential areas and disrupt basic services," Dujarric told reporters.

He highlighted a recent airstrike in Gaza City that reportedly struck NGO workers at a water well, killing one person and injuring four, adding that the facility sustained heavy damage, forcing a suspension of operations.

"Despite this, partners working on water say overall water production has not immediately fallen and that they are filling gaps by sourcing more clean water to deliver by truck.

"They stress that people's water needs are far from being met. Some 60% of families in Gaza cannot access the clean water that they need for use on a daily basis," he added.

Dujarric said groups warn that current stopgap measures are costly and unsustainable.

The UN is continuing to engage with authorities to facilitate the entry of essential materials needed to maintain water production and other vital services, he said.

"Without them, water production and other services are at serious risk of collapse," Dujarric added.

A ceasefire was reached after two years of an Israeli genocidal war on Gaza that began Oct. 8, 2023, leaving more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 172,000 injured.

Gaza continues to face an unprecedented humanitarian and health crisis, with widespread destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals and health care facilities.

The enclave also suffers from strict Israeli restrictions on the entry of fuel and medical supplies, alongside severe shortages of medicine and equipment.