New Delhi: The United Nations warned on Tuesday that fuel shortages and deteriorating sanitation in the Gaza Strip are threatening a health crisis, creating a perfect storm amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, news agency AFP reported. Causing concern of tragedy.
UNICEF said there was a serious risk of a large-scale spread of the disease in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, UNICEF spokesman James Elder said, “Without enough fuel, we will see the collapse of sanitation services. So in addition to mortars and bombs, we have a perfect storm to spread the disease.” ,
“It’s the perfect storm for tragedy,” Elder said, according to an AFP report.
“We have chronic water shortages, scattered sewage in densely populated areas, an unacceptable shortage of toilets, and severe restrictions on hand washing, personal hygiene and sanitation.”
Last month, on October 7, Hamas gunmen crossed the border from Gaza into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostage, according to Israeli officials.
In retaliation, Israel launched a sustained bombing campaign and ground offensive into Gaza, killing more than 13,300 Palestinians, thousands of whom were children, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Following Hamas attacks, supplies of water, electricity, fuel and food were cut off to the poor and densely populated area.
According to AFP, UNICEF is particularly concerned about the threat of cholera spreading in the Gaza Strip, fearing that if an outbreak were to occur there would be a sharp increase in child deaths.
Cholera, which has not yet been found in Gaza, is caused by a bacterium that usually spreads through contaminated food or water.
It causes diarrhea and vomiting and can be especially dangerous for young children.
