Gaza: Nearly half of all houses destroyed or damaged, severe water and food shortage

Israel's attacks in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza destroyed or damaged at least 45% of all housing units, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cited the Palestinian public works and housing department on Sunday.

An Israeli reporter who was taken to see the Gazan town of Beit Hanoun by the Israeli military also said today that "barely a single inhabitable building remains standing" in the town where more than 52,000 people lived before the Israeli attacks started.

OCHA earlier on Friday said 279 educational facilities have reportedly been damaged, more than 51% of the total, with none of Gaza's 625,000 students able to access education now.

It also said more than half of Gaza's hospitals and nearly two-thirds of primary health care facilities were out of service. All 13 hospitals in Gaza City and northern Gaza have received evacuation orders from the Israeli military.

Water consumption has fallen by 90% since the Israeli air strikes were launched on 7 October. Two of the three water pipelines from Israel are functioning, however there is 50% leakage from the main pipeline between Rafah, on the Egyptian border, and the southern city of Khan Younis, where many refugees from the north have fled. Most of Gaza's 65 sewage pumps are out of service, OCHA added.

Gaza has wheat supplies that should be sufficient for 12 days, according to OCHA, but the only operative mill in the enclave cannot transform the wheat into flour due to electricity outages. There are no stocks left of vegetable oil, pulses, sugar or rice.

People are on average queuing for 4-6 hours to receive half the normal bread ration.

Photo: Reuters