Smoke rising after an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 19, 2025. (Credit: AFP.)
Gaza is facing a man-made drought as its water systems collapse, the United Nations children's agency said Friday. In the Palestinian enclave, "children will start dying of thirst [...]
Only 40% of drinking water production facilities remain operational," said James Elder, UNICEF spokesperson, at a press conference in Geneva.
"We are far below emergency standards for drinking water for the people of Gaza," Elder added. UNICEF also reported a 50% increase in the number of children aged six months to five years admitted for malnutrition treatment between April and May in Gaza, as well as half a million people going hungry. According to the UN agency, the aid distribution system supported by the United States and managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) "worsens an already desperate situation."
26 killed during aid distribution
Gaza's Civil Defense announced that 43 people were killed by the Israeli army Friday in the war-ravaged and starving Palestinian territory. Twenty-six people were killed while waiting for aid near the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, a Civil Defense official, Mohammad al-Moughayyer, told AFP.
Thousands of people come daily to various sectors of the territory, including this one, hoping to receive food. According to Mr. Moughayyer, 17 other people were killed in five different places by Israeli bombings or gunfire.
On Thursday, at least 51 people were killed by Israeli gunfire and military strikes, including 12 who had attempted to approach a site managed by the GHF in the center of the enclave.
Elder, who recently visited Gaza, said he gathered numerous testimonies from injured women and children while attempting to receive food aid, including a young boy hit by a tank shell and later died from his injuries. He explained that the lack of public clarity regarding the opening times of sites, some of which are in combat zones, led to incidents causing many casualties.
"There have been cases where information indicated a site was open, but then it was announced on social media that it was closed. However, this information was broadcasted when the Internet was down in Gaza and the population had no access to it," he clarified. On Wednesday, GHF announced in a statement that it had distributed three million meals at three of its aid sites without incident.
A rocket fired from the north of the Gaza Strip also landed near Kibbutz Be'eri in southern Israel, the army said, cited by the daily Haaretz, adding that the shot caused no injuries.
As the war between Israel and Iran enters its eighth day, Israel continues its strikes on the enclave. Asked if the war in Iran had reduced pressure on the Hamas movement, Israeli army spokesman Effie Defrin said that four divisions are currently fighting in Gaza, reports Haaretz. "Hamas is under pressure," he said. "We will continue to keep it under pressure and will do everything to bring back the hostages and topple its regime."