“Sanitation facilities & infrastructure are severely compromised, forcing thousands of families to rely on seawater to wash, clean & even drink,” UNRWA announced on its social media platform X.

The agency highlighted the dire conditions faced by children in Gaza, noting that they often spend 6-8 hours a day collecting water and food, carrying heavy loads, and walking long distances.

This report comes amid an ongoing Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7. The offensive continues despite a legally binding decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to halt its actions in Rafah, citing potential violations of the Genocide Convention.

Israeli aggression has resulted in significant casualties and destruction. To date, at least 38,098 Palestinians have been killed and over 87,705 injured. Additionally, more than 10,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.

Both Palestinian and international organizations report that the majority of the casualties are women and children.

The Israeli aggression has also led to the displacement of nearly two million people from across the Gaza Strip. Most of these displaced individuals have been forced into the densely populated southern city of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, marking the largest mass exodus in Palestine since the 1948 Nakba.

UNRWA's report underscores the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and an end to the ongoing genocidal aggression to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (ILKHA)