Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #15

On 19 October, UNRWA established the first IDP tent camp in Khan Younis, consisting of 60 tents, hosting hundreds of IDPs. Anecdotal evidence indicates that some IDPs are returning to the north, due to continuous bombardments in the south, as well as the inability to find reasonable accommodation. One Palestinian from Gaza told OCHA:

"When we got to Khan Younis, we found no shelter, electricity, food, water or medical care. Hygiene is non-existent. The south is being bombarded too [...] We realised there that there really is no safe place to go in Gaza [...] Many people that I personally know have taken the difficult decision to return with their children back to Gaza city [….] With death looming everywhere, it may be better to die in our own home, together with those we love."

Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #15

Humanitarian aid transferred from Egypt into Gaza on 21 October, for the first time since 8 October. Photo by © UNICEF/UNI456243/El Baba

Fears grow people are dehydrating to death in Gaza as clean water runs out

The UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said on Tuesday that Gaza’s last seawater desalination plant had shut down, bringing the risk of further deaths and waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Six water wells, three water pumping stations and one water reservoir – which collectively served more than 1.1million people – are also out of action, it said.

Israel cut off its sole water pipeline to Gaza, along with the fuel and electricity that power water and sewage plants, in the wake of the Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people. UN experts have condemned the Israeli bombardment and blockade as “collective punishment”, which is a war crime.

Fears grow people are dehydrating to death in Gaza as clean water runs out