UN: Israel Responsible for Deliberate Food and Water Shortages in Gaza

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Water, Dr. Pedro Araujo, confirmed that what is happening in the Gaza Strip is not a war, but rather genocide, and that Israel is legally and morally responsible for the deliberate shortage of food and clean water in Gaza. He said, "Cutting off water and medicine to Palestinians is classified under international law as a crime against humanity and genocide. It is an expanded part of Israel's strategy of genocide and apartheid in Gaza, which has been escalating for half a century in Palestine."

Pedro added, in an interview with Cairo News Channel, that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip need 100 liters of clean water per day, but they only receive 5 liters. According to the World Health Organization, in emergency situations, an individual receives a minimum of 15 liters of water, but this does not occur in Gaza, leading to the spread of infectious diseases and malnutrition among children and infants. He emphasized that the lack of water and food is a silent but deadly bomb, especially for children and infants.

He pointed out that Israel is obstructing the work of the United Nations because it views it as an enemy. More than 300 UN workers have been killed, something completely unprecedented in the history of the United Nations. Furthermore, Israel, with its inhumane, 20-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, prevents relief workers from carrying out their work, imposing a humanitarian crisis of thirst and hunger that has led to the deaths of many civilians.

He continued by saying that Israel is preventing the entry of essential infrastructure materials and energy supplies, which has led to the disruption of desalination plants and the increase in polluted water, leading to catastrophic health conditions and the spread of disease among citizens. He stressed the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities and take the necessary steps to uphold international law, compel Israel to abide by the law, and allow food and clean water to reach the population of the Gaza Strip. He noted that this is the first time we have seen a famine officially declared in the Middle East.