Concerns are rising that people in Gaze are beginning to dehydrate to death due to limited clean water supply.
According to NBC Newswire, residents are scrambling to save every last drop of water after Israel announced a full blockade of Gaza, preventing food, water and fuel from entering the area.
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After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, at least 1,400 people died, and about 200 people were taken hostage.
Dunia Aburahma told NBC Newswire, “I haven’t taken a shower for four days now.” The 22-year-old architecture student fled northern Gaza with her family last week and lives with relatives in Zawaida in central Gaza.
According to the World Health Organisation, access to at least 50 litres of water per person per day is the minimum level set by the World Health Organization.
On Tuesday, the United Nations of Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) warned in a situation report that “concerns over dehydration and waterborne diseases are high given the collapse of water and sanitation services.”
The organisation said water would remain a key issue, and “people will start dying without water.”
A report conducted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2021 points out that before the current conflict, 97 per cent of the population of Gaza had to “rely on informal desalination plants for drinking water”.
Private water tankers typically fill up at the closest water station before making rounds in residential areas.
Individuals in need of water can then access the service to refill the tanks, often situated on the rooftops of their homes.
However, the operation of these tankers heavily relies on fuel, which is currently experiencing shortages.
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