UN warns Gaza’s Mikkorot supply remains shut; water trucking and medical relief increased amid damaged sewage infrastructure

UN briefing officials said the Mikkorot water supply from Israel, which had been operating at reduced capacity due to identified leaks, has been fully shut down since Feb. 10 while repairs near the reservoir continue. To mitigate the impact, UN partners have increased water trucking to affected neighborhoods.

The briefing warned that most sewage pumping stations across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed over the past two years, and partners are working to rehabilitate critical facilities where they have access; restoring pumping stations is essential to prevent sewage overflows and waterborne disease. UN officials also reported shortages of medicines and supplies for treating chronic conditions, noting recent deliveries of emergency hemodialysis supplies and antidiabetic and antihypertensive medicines and that two new clinics for noncommunicable disease screening have opened in North Gaza.

Why it matters: A prolonged shutdown of a major supply line, extensive damage to sanitation infrastructure and chronic medicine shortages increase the risk of infectious disease and interrupt care for people with chronic conditions. The UN said more life‑saving assistance could reach people across Gaza if impediments to access were lifted.

Questions from reporters at the briefing sought further detail on sources of water and repair progress; the briefing said teams are trying to reach the site and repair it but that access is difficult.