Oxfam has said less than 7 per cent of pre-conflict water levels is available to Palestinians in north and south Gaza, heightening the spread of waterborne diseases and worsening a health catastrophe in the enclave, according to Al Jazeera.

In the North Gaza governorate, which includes Jabalia, Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya, the Israeli military has destroyed almost all water wells, while in the southern Rafah governorate, more than 90pc of water wells and reservoirs have been partially or completely damaged, and water production is less than five per cent of its capacity before the conflict, Oxfam said.

And despite efforts to resume water production following the ceasefire, the destruction of Gaza’s water pipelines means that 60pc of water is leaking into the ground rather than reaching people, it added.

Editorial

Updated 05 Aug, 2026

State of confusion

FROM the looks of it, America has no exit strategy to extricate itself from the disastrous war with Iran. US...
05 Aug, 2026

Pension decision

THE government’s decision to formally operationalise the new Defined Contribution Pension Fund Scheme is a step...
05 Aug, 2026

Preventable deaths

THE deaths of 144 children from measles and diphtheria in Karachi during the first seven months of the year expose a...
Updated 04 Aug, 2026

Swat bombing

IT is a bitter irony that terrorists struck a protest against violence in Swat on Sunday, causing at least 17...
04 Aug, 2026

Tariff blow

FOR an export sector already squeezed by high production costs, the additional 10pc tariff on top of the existing...
04 Aug, 2026

Perilous peaks

THE deaths of 10 climbers in an avalanche on Broad Peak is a sad reminder of the perils that many mountaineers face...