Parts of Gaza's Mediterranean coastline have turned brown due to a large sewage discharge, raising serious health concerns about waterborne diseases.

Public health experts are warning of potential cholera outbreaks due to the lack of sanitation and the dangerous mixing of clean water with sewage.

Aid agencies report that a quarter of Gaza's population has fallen ill from waterborne diseases, with Oxfam highlighting the severe damage to sanitation infrastructure.

Recent reports show a significant increase in Hepatitis A cases, with 40,000 infections reported since the start of the conflict, a stark rise from just 85 previously.

Health experts are alarmed by a recent polio case in Gaza, the first in 25 years, affecting a 10-month-old baby, underscoring the urgent need for vaccination.

UN and WHO officials have called for ceasefires to facilitate vaccination efforts for 600,000 children in Gaza against polio and other diseases.

Local officials report that displaced individuals are resorting to connecting their sewage pipes to the rainwater drainage system due to the increased displacement.

The Israeli defense ministry body overseeing Palestinian territories, Cogat, claims to have coordinated improvements to Gaza's sewage system and water infrastructure.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza, which escalated on October 7, has led to the deaths of over 40,200 Palestinians, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry.

The United Nations estimates that most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been internally displaced, resulting in extreme overcrowding and inadequate sanitation facilities.

A recent UN environmental report indicates that the collapse of Gaza's wastewater management infrastructure has been worsened by intensive Israeli bombardment.

Environmental expert Wim Zwijnenburg confirmed that pollution from overcrowded camps is flowing into the sea, contributing to a growing environmental crisis.