Water shortages in Gaza threaten public health

A UN humanitarian agency has stated that most of Gaza’s residents suffer from a lack of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.

In this context, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that more than 1.3 million people, or over half the population, have access to less than 6 liters of water per person per day for drinking and cooking.

OCHA explained that, according to humanitarian standards, the minimum amount of water needed in emergencies is 15 liters per day, including water for drinking, washing, and cooking.

It noted that another 700,000 people have access to less than 9 liters of water per person per day for domestic use, leaving them unable to maintain personal hygiene, clean their homes, or meet the needs of their children.

Three out of every four people rely on water delivered by trucks. Humanitarian partners distributed water to more than 2,500 water collection points daily and to more than 100 displacement sites in Gaza during the past month, according to OCHA. He added, “There is overcrowding at water collection points, there are not enough containers to transport water to homes, a task often left to children,” adding, “Only half of the households have access to basic sanitation facilities, or private facilities that prevent human waste. The other half rely on inadequate or unsafe shared options, increasing health risks.”