Gaza Families Face Rising Pest and Health Crisis

A mother in the Gaza Strip has described a terrifying night when her young daughter was attacked by a wild animal inside their makeshift shelter, as worsening sanitation conditions fuel a growing public health crisis across the territory.

Samah al-Daabla told the BBC that her four-year-old daughter, Mayaseen, began screaming at around 2am. When her husband switched on a torch, a weasel reportedly fled the scene. The child’s hand was badly injured and covered in blood, leaving the family in shock.

Mayaseen was later taken to a hospital in Gaza City, where she received a tetanus injection. She experienced several days of fever and vomiting but is now recovering in the family’s tent.

The incident reflects a wider crisis in Gaza, where displaced families are living in overcrowded camps with limited access to sanitation, clean water, and waste removal services. Aid workers warn that the collapse of basic infrastructure has created ideal conditions for rodents, insects, and other pests to spread rapidly.

Images circulating on social media have shown rats and other animals moving through displacement camps, with reports of attacks on vulnerable residents, including children and the elderly. In one reported case, a grandmother with diabetes-related nerve damage said she suffered bites to her toes.

According to figures cited by United Nations agencies, pests or rodents have been observed in around 80% of displacement sites, affecting an estimated 1.45 million people. Health risks linked to these infestations include skin infections, respiratory illness, and food contamination.

Dr Reinhilde Van De Weert of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Gaza said the situation was a “predictable consequence of a collapsed living environment,” pointing to widespread destruction of infrastructure and sanitation systems.

Large parts of Gaza’s water and waste networks have been damaged, and sewage is reportedly flowing through many temporary camps. Piles of uncollected rubbish have become breeding grounds for rats and insects, particularly as temperatures rise.

Residents say night-time conditions have become especially difficult, with many families staying awake to protect children from animal attacks and insect bites. One father living near a waste site in Gaza City described an “abnormal” increase in rats and weasels, alongside worsening smells and contamination.

Humanitarian organisations are calling for large-scale intervention to manage waste, repair sewage systems, and improve pest control. The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF has warned that without urgent action, health risks will continue to rise.

Aid groups are also requesting heavier machinery and access to landfill sites, many of which are located in areas currently under military control. They say rebuilding sanitation infrastructure will depend on the entry of materials such as pipes and chemicals, which remain restricted for security reasons.

The Israeli defence coordination body COGAT said it is working with international organisations to support sanitation efforts, including facilitating waste removal, infrastructure repairs, and the entry of equipment such as rat traps and pesticides.

COGAT stated that nearly 1,000 rat traps and around 10 tons of pesticides have recently been allowed into Gaza for humanitarian use.

Despite these measures, health agencies report a sharp rise in skin conditions and parasite-related illnesses this year, with more than 100,000 cases recorded. In overcrowded camps, many families say they are struggling to cope with persistent infestations and deteriorating living conditions.

For many displaced residents, the crisis has added another layer of hardship to daily survival, with little expectation of improvement in the near future.