While targeted eliminations in Gaza have dropped from the headlines, the UN found another reason to criticize Israel over the Strip. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) claimed Tuesday that Israel is responsible for a dangerous situation threatening Gaza following recent floods—despite clear explanations from the Israeli side.
UNICEF claimed Israel rejected entry of essential equipment needed to repair a major water drainage basin in Gaza. The claim comes after floods hit the Strip over the weekend—a result of Hamas’s failure to build proper infrastructure during its rule over the territory.
Still, the UN (and not for the first time) is trying to shift responsibility to Israel, claiming it’s responsible for Gaza’s infrastructure problems. The agency’s report stated that COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories) blocked the equipment because it falls under the definition of dual-use items—which could be turned against Israel in the wrong hands.
Channel 14’s Ahikam Himmelfarb obtained exclusive testimony from Gaza that exposed the truth behind the flooding footage. In one video, Zafer Zanoun, a Gaza resident, attacks those who he claims are holding equipment and not distributing it to residents. “They’re storing the tents and tarps in containers to film trends. Now the storm came, people are drowning in the sea. In Mawasi, people drowned.”
Himmelfarb notes that Zanoun is careful not to explicitly mention Hamas, but the statements come against the backdrop of the organization’s control over large areas of the Strip. In a reality where Hamas continues to hold governing mechanisms and the ability to influence what happens on the ground, the accusations against local authorities also raise questions about its responsibility for the situation.