Supply cuts by Israel can leave Gaza without power, drinking water, warns UN

Supply cuts by Israel can leave the Gaza power plant without fuel within days and can cause a severe shortage of drinking water for 610,000 people, the UN humanitarian agency said on Tuesday.

"Israeli authorities have ceased supplying electricity to the Gaza Strip, reducing the hours of electricity to 3-4 hours per day. The Gaza Power Plant is currently the only source of power and could run out of fuel within days," Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a UN press briefing in Geneva.

Regarding the cut of water supply, Laerke said: "This decision affects over 610,000 people in Gaza and will result in a severe shortage of drinking water."

James Elder, the spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund, or UNICEF, also voiced concern about the supply cut decision made by Israel.

"UNICEF is alarmed by suspension of water, and food supplies to Gaza," Elder said, reminding parties of their obligations under international laws.

The Palestinian Hamas group launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets and infiltrating Israel by land, air, and sea. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence against Palestinians.

In retaliation, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza has risen to 704, including 143 children and 105 women, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said early Tuesday. It said the number of wounded has risen to around 4,000.

At least 900 Israelis have been killed and over 2,600 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.