Before the October 7 escalation of violence, the blockade imposed by Israel on the enclave since 2007 accelerated the environmental degradation of Gaza and exacerbated the inequality of access to natural resources, the NGO stated in a press release issued in this capital.

“Particularly, the shortage of drinking water, now a critical problem for the 2.3 million Gazans, was already a major concern,” it noted.

Save the Children condemned the punitive measures imposed on that territory during 16 years, which have restricted the entry of goods and materials needed to maintain water and sanitation infrastructure.

“The current crisis in Gaza is both a violent conflict and a slow erosion of children’s rights, fueled by international neglect, lack of leadership, and the climate crisis,” said Mohamad Al Asmar, director of Advancement and Mobilization Resources for Save the Children in the Middle East.

“Again and again, the activist added, more than a million Palestinian children have been deprived of their basic rights. We need an immediate ceasefire and an end to the blockade as the only way to protect children and secure their future,” the activist said.

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