Gaza Health Authority warns of disease risk as rodents & insects spread

Ayman al-Ramlawi, head of environmental health at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, has warned that the growing spread of rodents and insects under uncontrolled conditions could lead to serious disease outbreaks in the Gaza Strip.

He said the situation is driven by halted pest control programs since the early months of the war that began on October 7, 2023, along with widespread destruction of infrastructure, rubble from destroyed houses, and accumulated waste in shelters and residential areas.

These conditions have created an environment that allows rodents and insects to multiply rapidly and spread widely among houses and displacement camps.

Residents, especially those living in makeshift tents, report rodent attacks and bites on children, with many cases requiring hospital care amid a collapsing health system and severe shortages of medicines.