Gaza City remains gripped by severe water shortages despite the recent reopening of a critical supply line from Israel, according to a United Nations humanitarian update issued Monday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that only 6,000 cubic meters of water reach residents daily through the reopened Mekorot pipeline – far below pre-crisis levels.
‘Significant water losses in hard-to-reach areas continue to strain resources,’ OCHA stated, noting that partners have ramped up groundwater extraction and desalination efforts to compensate. Since late January 2026, relief teams have distributed over 100,000 water containers and 25,000 hygiene kits across the territory.
While 700,000 soap bars and 400 emergency latrines have been deployed to curb disease risks, OCHA emphasized that current water production meets less than 15% of estimated needs. The agency called for sustained international support to address what it describes as ‘a compounding humanitarian emergency affecting 2.3 million people.’
