UNICEF has issued a desperate plea regarding the Sheikh Radwan stormwater basin in Gaza City, which is currently on the brink of overflowing due to contamination and recent heavy rainfall. Despite spending a year coordinating a $3 million restoration project with Israeli officials, the agency reports that COGAT—the Israeli military body managing humanitarian access—recently rejected the plan. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder expressed frustration over the decision, noting that the agency is effectively being blocked from performing life-saving repairs, which could lead to toxic sewage flooding nearby streets and tent encampments, further endangering the lives of displaced children and families.

The situation is becoming increasingly dire as the rainy season intensifies across the Gaza Strip. With much of the local infrastructure and pumping equipment destroyed during the ongoing conflict, nearly a million people are now living in precarious, makeshift housing that offers little protection against flooding. Health officials from the World Health Organization have also raised alarms about the looming threat of communicable diseases spreading through the contaminated water. As officials continue to cite security concerns for blocking the necessary equipment, humanitarian groups argue that the failure to act is turning a manageable infrastructure issue into a preventable tragedy for the territory’s most vulnerable residents.