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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced the suspension of its operations at a critical water site in Gaza following a deadly incident that claimed the lives of two Palestinian water delivery truck drivers. This move comes in response to an attack by Israeli forces on the Mansoura water filling port in northern Gaza. The attack, which occurred during routine water trucking operations, also injured two others, compounding the challenges faced by humanitarian efforts in the region.
The Mansoura site is the sole functional truck filling port for the Mekorot water supply line, serving the densely populated Gaza City. Its operational suspension threatens the provision of clean water to hundreds of thousands of residents. In the aftermath of the attack, UNICEF highlighted that their operations were consistent with regular procedures and called on Israeli authorities to investigate the incident and ensure accountability. The organization’s statement underscored the principles of international humanitarian law, emphasizing that “humanitarian workers, essential service providers, and civilian infrastructure, including critical water facilities, must never be targeted.”
On the same day, reports emerged of another strike targeting a water desalination plant in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood. This attack, executed by an Israeli drone, resulted in further casualties, including the death of a civilian and the injury of two others. Such incidents have drawn sharp criticism and have raised concerns over the continuous targeting of vital civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
UN experts have expressed concerns over the ongoing pattern of attacks on water facilities, describing these actions as attempts to use “thirst as a weapon to kill Palestinians.” The humanitarian situation in Gaza has escalated dramatically; since October 2023, water and sanitation infrastructure have been frequently targeted, culminating in extensive damage. By July 2025, 89% of this infrastructure had reportedly been damaged or destroyed, rendering 90% of households water insecure.
In recent months, violence has intensified, with 18 Palestinians killed since Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, according to reports. Among the recent casualties is Khalil Nasser, who was shot at the Halawa displacement camp. These incidents contribute to the increasing toll, with 775 confirmed deaths of Palestinians since the ceasefire in October 2025. The situation has prompted calls for legal accountability; a September UN legal inquiry concluded that Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory amounted to the international crime of genocide.
For more information on the current situation and UNICEF’s response, the article on JURIST provides further insights.
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