The health situation in Gaza is worsening at an accelerated pace. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned that, so far in 2026, at least 17,000 people have contracted diseases related to rats and insects in a context marked by the massive accumulation of debris and garbage.
According to the organization, rodents have spread uncontrollably among the more than 61 million tons of waste that cover the territory, becoming a constant risk for the population. Bites and the transmission of diseases are already part of everyday life.
“We are seeing skin diseases that we have not seen before. Diseases transmitted by mice,” explains Rami Abu, an MSF nurse on the ground. “Imagine a mother who discovers at night that her child has mouse bites. Unfortunately, that is our new normal,” he denounces.
An expanding health crisis
The data reflects the magnitude of the problem. This year alone, 17,000 cases of infections linked to rodents and parasites have been recorded. Additionally, more than 1,300 shelters have reported the presence of rats, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Humanitarian organizations warn that the combination of destruction, lack of sanitation and overcrowding is creating a perfect breeding ground for the spread of disease, in a crisis that continues to deteriorate with no immediate solution in sight.
