Water shortages hit Gaza amid limited aid funding

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated that a shortfall in aid funding for Gaza is triggering a decline in services, forcing four OCHA humanitarian partners to begin phasing out water trucking deliveries to Gaza. This is expected to put more than 330,000 people across 250 locations at risk of losing their primary source of drinking water. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that water shortages are forcing families to choose between drinking water or maintaining hygiene to prevent disease. According to OCHA, heading into mid-2026, less than 15 per cent of the total $4.1 billion required for the annual humanitarian appeal for Gaza and the West Bank has been secured.