Skin infection cases reach new high in Gaza as Israel stops entry of medicine and rodents multiply
A view of the area where people live in makeshift tents near trash, garbage piled up in the coastal area of Gaza City, on 24 December 2024
Nadda Osman reports in The New Arab on 22 May 2026:
Skin infections in Gaza, mostly linked to parasites and rodents, have increased dramatically in recent months, as Israel continues to prevent the entry of medicine and essential items into the Strip and key infrastructure remains destroyed.
A new report from UNRWA said on Thursday that there have been over 125,000 documented cases of skin infections recorded since the start of this year.
The report adds that this equates to around 400 cases a day, while medical staff struggle to provide the necessary treatment due to a lack of medication.
Israel’s two year genocidal war on Gaza has devastated the enclave, destroying key healthcare and sanitation infrastructure including waste management systems.
Rubbish has gone uncollected for long periods of time, while sewage is overflowing in many areas. Medical agencies state that the dire conditions could also result in respiratory issues and even the plague if it continues.
As a result of worsening conditions, rodent and pest populations have proliferated, particularly in displacement camps. Rats are chewing through tents, clothing, and food, and in many cases biting young children.
“As far as the rat infestation and the infectious diseases that we’re seeing now, this is all a result of overcrowding and poor living conditions because of the lack of sewage management. Most people are living next to open waste and sewage,” Dr Mimi Syed, a US-based emergency physician who volunteered in Gaza amid the war, told The New Arab.