Gaza is on the brink of a “man-made drought” and children are at risk of dying of thirst, UNICEF said on Friday, warning that only 40 percent of the besieged enclave’s drinking water facilities are still functional.
“We are far below emergency standards for drinking water for the people of Gaza,” UNICEF spokesman James Elder told reporters in Geneva.
He warned that if the current aid blockade is not lifted, “children will start dying of thirst.”
“In a war already known for its brutality, Gaza is now at its deadliest point,” he said.
Of Gaza’s 217 drinking water facilities, only 87 are currently operational, according to the agency.
Elder said: “Gaza is facing what could be considered a man-made drought. The water systems are collapsing.”
“However, since this is man-made, it can be stopped,” he stressed.
He emphasized that none of these problems are logistical or technical.
“They are political. Denial has become politics. If there is political will, the water crisis will be alleviated overnight,” Elder added, AA writes.
