The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has revealed shocking figures reflecting the scale of health deterioration in the Gaza Strip, with over 125,000 cases of skin infections reported due to the spread of rodents and parasites. The agency clarified that this statistic covers the first five months of 2026, indicating a dangerous acceleration in the pace of environmental crises afflicting the besieged strip.
The international agency affirmed that its field medical teams are making strenuous efforts to deal with this crisis, providing treatment to approximately 400 cases daily suffering from various skin symptoms. However, medical sources affiliated with the agency stressed that the ability to contain this outbreak remains dependent on the availability of sufficient medical supplies, which suffer from a severe shortage due to ongoing restrictions on aid entry.
Health experts attribute this sharp increase in infections to the widespread destruction of vital infrastructure, particularly sewage and water drainage networks, which has transformed large areas into fertile environments for the proliferation of insects and rodents. This suffering is exacerbated by the overcrowding of displaced persons in camps lacking the most basic public hygiene facilities, which facilitates the transmission of skin infections and parasites among the population.
UNRWA warned through its official platforms that the continuation of war and destruction increases the risks of more dangerous epidemic outbreaks, given the health system's inability to provide a full response. It pointed out that the severe shortage of fuel needed to operate health facilities and water treatment plants directly contributes to deepening this humanitarian tragedy experienced by more than two million Palestinians.
It is worth noting that the Gaza Strip has faced harsh living conditions for many years, but the recent military escalation has led to a near-complete collapse of basic services. International warnings are increasing that the continuation of this situation without urgent intervention to restore the health sector and provide medical supplies will lead to an uncontrollable epidemic catastrophe in the near future.
The Gaza Strip is witnessing a worsening health crisis with the increasing spread of rodents and parasites and rising rates of skin infections.
شارك برأيك
UNRWA warns of health catastrophe: 125,000 skin infections in Gaza due to rodents