Dire Conditions in Gaza: Water Shortage, Disease Outbreaks, and Child Trauma Amid Conflict
August 20, 2024Ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas has created dire living conditions for thousands of families in Gaza.
The majority of Gaza's 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once since the war began on October 7.
Israeli military actions have severely damaged Gaza's water infrastructure, leaving residents with only around 4.7 liters of water per person per day, significantly below the UN's recommended minimum.
Access to basic necessities such as water and proper sanitation is severely limited, exacerbating the living conditions.
Philippe Lazzarini from UNRWA warned that the collapse of Gaza's waste management system has created conditions ripe for disease outbreaks.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has recorded over 4,100 preventable skin infections since July, including scabies and chickenpox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 11,000 cases of lice, 65,000 cases of chickenpox, and 65,000 cases of skin rashes in Gaza.
Julie Faucon, a Medical Coordinator at Doctors Without Borders (MSF), highlighted the challenges of implementing hygiene measures in Gaza's dire living conditions.
Ghada Alhaddad from Oxfam expressed the impossibility of quarantining individuals with Hepatitis A due to overcrowded living conditions.
Children are suffering from sleep deprivation, leading to increased risks of post-traumatic stress syndrome, cognitive issues, and developmental delays.
Yasmine, a 6-year-old girl, expressed her fear of dying while seeking comfort from her mother in a plastic tent in Gaza.
Despite efforts to provide humanitarian aid, the scale of the crisis in Gaza far exceeds the available resources.
Summary based on 2 sources