As Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip continue, 1.9 million people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip. Many people have to take refuge in overcrowded schools and medical facilities, and many people are crowded into makeshift tents. The World Health Organization recently warned that the growing threat of infectious diseases in the Gaza Strip is "deeply worrying."
The World Health Organization warned on the 19th that due to limited testing conditions, 24 cases of hepatitis A have been confirmed so far, but thousands of people with jaundice symptoms are also believed to be related to hepatitis A, indicating that the spread of hepatitis A is likely to be much wider than testing shows.
Currently, clean water is extremely scarce in the Gaza Strip. UNICEF has warned since November that children in southern Gaza only have access to 1.5 to 2 liters of clean water per day, compared with the accepted minimum standard in humanitarian crises of 7 liters. These children and their families are forced to drink contaminated water, which has also led to a surge in diarrhea cases among children in the Gaza Strip. The number of diarrhea cases in children under 5 years old is 25 times the number of cases reported before the conflict.
In the southern border city of Gaza, Rafah, as the conflict continues, the population of Rafah has increased from about 300,000 before the conflict to about 1.3 million currently. Most people live in tents, and the crowded situation has exacerbated the incidence of diseases.
There are also some displaced people crowded in the reception center. However, due to overcrowding and unsanitary environment, skin infections including scabies have appeared here, as well as "chest infection, respiratory infection" and other symptoms.
The WHO has previously warned that if the Gaza Strip's health system is not repaired, more people may die from disease than from bombing.