The ceasefire that began on 10 October let aid agencies move more freely inside Gaza. Water was top of the list. Half of all families in Gaza had less than six litres per person a day for drinking and cooking, below the bare humanitarian minimum.
Two days after the ceasefire, UNICEF began helping to rebuild a desalination plant in Gaza City. Staff had dismantled it to protect it during the fighting, and now they were putting it back together.
they’re bringing it back to reestablish the plant and provide clean, safe drinking water
Tess Ingram, UNICEF spokesperson
Counting the damage
With support from the European Union, UNICEF started a full assessment of Gaza’s water and wastewater facilities. One Gaza City desalination plant once produced 10 million litres of drinking water a day before it was destroyed.
Smaller fixes came quickly. Within days, seven shelters in Deir al Balah were connected to the main water network, and four solar-powered desalination units were installed for displaced families in the south.
What clean water changes in Gaza
- Health: less diarrhoea and disease, especially among children.
- Time: fewer hours queuing at water trucks.
- Hope: working taps are a sign that rebuilding has begun.
How you can help
Share this story so the need for water in Gaza stays visible. Follow organisations rebuilding water and sanitation in Gaza, and tell someone how much a few litres a day can mean.
Source: UNICEF, “With a ceasefire in Gaza, UNICEF begins assessing the damage to water and wastewater infrastructure”, 24 October 2025; OCHA situation report, 21 October 2025; quote: UN Audiovisual Library, 12 October 2025.
