The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday that a "health tragedy" was unfolding in the Gaza Strip, due to a shortage of fuel and water.

UNICEF spokesman James Elder said, during a press conference held in the Swiss capital, Geneva, “If fuel is not available in sufficient quantities, we will witness the collapse of sanitation facilities. In addition to missiles and bombs, we will have conditions conducive to the spread of diseases. These are ideal conditions for the spread of a diseases Tragedy".

He added, "There is an acute shortage of water. Feces spread in areas with high population density. There is an unacceptable shortage of toilets," stressing that it is very difficult to maintain personal hygiene, or even wash hands, in the Gaza Strip, since October 7. 

Elder added, “If children’s access to water and sanitation remains limited and insufficient, we will see a tragic rise in child deaths,” as they face an acute risk of mass epidemics spreading.”

World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier pointed out that no trace of cholera had been detected in the Gaza Strip, as the bacteria that caused this disease did not exist before the outbreak of the war.

On the other hand, he stressed that watery diarrhea, which thousands of physically tired people suffer from, also poses a great danger.