The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a stark warning about the critical water shortage in the Gaza Strip, where 90% of the population now lacks access to safe drinking water. The crisis has deepened after Israeli authorities cut off the only power line supplying electricity to Gaza on Sunday, exacerbating the already dire conditions in the enclave, which has endured 15 months of relentless conflict.  

Rosalia Polin, a UNICEF official in Gaza, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “Only one in ten people in the Strip currently has access to safe drinking water, meaning 90% of the population is deprived of it.” While 600,000 people briefly regained access to drinking water in November 2024, this lifeline was abruptly cut off again, leaving millions in peril.  

UN agencies estimate that 1.8 million people in Gaza—more than half of them children—are in urgent need of water, sanitation, and healthcare assistance. The recent power cut has further disrupted vital water desalination operations, worsening an already catastrophic situation.  

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also sounded the alarm on Monday, warning of a “severe humanitarian crisis” following Israel’s suspension of aid entry and its decision to halt electricity supplies to Gaza’s only water desalination plant. According to Deir al-Balah Mayor Nizar Ayash, the power cutoff has deprived the population of 70% of their fresh water sources.  

The escalating humanitarian disaster in Gaza is a direct result of 15 months of Israeli aggression, which has decimated infrastructure, particularly in the water sector. With no end in sight to the blockade and ongoing violence, the international community faces mounting pressure to intervene and prevent further suffering in the besieged enclave.