Rats and urban weasels are infesting displacement camps across the Gaza Strip, attacking children and the elderly, according to bbc.com.
In the war-torn territory, families living in overcrowded tents are facing a secondary public health crisis as pests spread diseases through bites, scratches, and contaminated waste.
Samah al-Daabla, a mother of four, described a terrifying night when her daughter, Mayaseen, was attacked. "We woke up to the sound of her screaming at 2am," al-Daabla told the BBC.
"When my husband turned on the torch, the weasel ran away. I looked at my daughter's hand, and it was all bloody," she said.
Mayaseen required a tetanus injection after the attack and suffered from fever and vomiting, though she is now recovering in her family's tent.
A breakdown in sanitation
UN agencies report that rodents or pests are visible in 80% of sites where displaced families live, affecting approximately 1.45 million people.
Local authorities and aid workers say the infestation is a direct result of a collapsed living environment. Raw sewage and massive piles of uncollected rubbish have become breeding grounds for the animals.
Dr. Reinhilde Van De Weert, the local World Health Organization representative, called the infestations the "predictable consequence of a collapsed living environment."
In some camps, the situation has become physically devastating. One grandmother with diabetes-related nerve damage in her feet reported having parts of her toes bitten off by rodents.
Rizq Abu Laila, who lives near a rubbish dump in Gaza City, says his family stays awake at night to guard their belongings and children. "If we sleep, they bite the children and disturb us," he told the BBC.
"The rats have torn our clothes and eaten our flour. There are mosquitoes and foul smells," Abu Laila added.
UNICEF’s deputy representative for Palestine, Ettie Higgins, noted that the agency is trying to scale up support to manage wastewater and sewage, but the scale of the problem requires a massive campaign to deal with waste and rubble.
Humanitarian workers are requesting more heavy machinery and access to major landfill sites in eastern Gaza, which are currently under Israeli military control.
Cogat, the Israeli body controlling Gaza's crossings, stated it is working with international organizations to address sanitation needs. The agency reported it recently allowed the entry of nearly 1,000 rat traps and 10 tons of pesticides.
However, the WHO reports that 111,500 cases of disease or infestation from external parasites, such as scabies and lice, have been recorded this year. More than 80% of Gaza households report skin infections and rashes.
For residents like Hassan Al-Faqaawi, a father of six in Khan Younis, the daily reality is a constant struggle against pests. "We spend the whole night scratching from fleas on one side and mosquitoes on the other," he said.
