April 16, 2025 – Humanitarian aid assets funded by the EU that helped restore access to water, sanitation and hygiene to thousands of displaced people who lost their homes and are sheltering at schools across Gaza have either been damaged or destroyed by Israeli airstrikes over the past two weeks.
On April 3, airstrikes on two schools in Gaza City that killed 30 people and injured more than 70 people destroyed five mobile latrines, a solar-powered desalination unit and eight garbage containers that were delivered and installed in October 2024 as part of an EU-funded project. On April 12 an airstrike on another collective center in Gaza City damaged similar WASH facilities, while an airstrike on a desalination plant in Deir El Balah was struck by an airstrike on April 13, with a full assessment of the damage to be conducted once the area becomes accessible again.
“We need all parties to the conflict to safeguard our ability to provide sustained and lifesaving humanitarian support,” said Jolien Veldwijk, CARE Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) Country Director. “People in Gaza are being deprived of all the basic necessities for survival and a dignified life, the violence must stop, and the lifeline extended by humanitarian work should be protected.”
For media inquiries, email: usa.media@care.org or Sulafah Al-Shami, Regional Communications Advisor, email: sulafah.al-shami@care.org