Palestine: Over 1.7 Million Cases of Infectious Diseases, Particularly Hepatitis, Reported in Gaza
Gaza Strip is grappling with an unprecedented health and environmental crisis, exacerbated by the destruction of civilian infrastructure, notably sewage treatment plants, due to Zionist aggression. This devastation has led to an alarming spread of over 1.7 million cases of various infectious diseases, particularly hepatitis.
Palestinian health authorities have documented more than 1.7 million cases of infectious diseases in Gaza since the onset of the Zionist aggression on October 7th last year.
The UN aims to eradicate these diseases by 2030; however, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a widespread outbreak of Hepatitis A in many parts of Gaza. As of early June, this has resulted in over 81,000 reported cases of jaundice—one of the primary symptoms—caused by the consumption of contaminated water due to non-operational sewage treatment facilities.
The United Nations commemorates World Hepatitis Day on July 28 this year, emphasizing awareness and collaboration among local and international professionals to eliminate all forms of viral hepatitis. Amid escalating hepatitis cases in Gaza, the UN estimates that approximately two-thirds of the water and sanitation infrastructure in Gaza has been destroyed due to the ongoing war.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that even before the conflict, most of Gaza’s groundwater was contaminated with sewage, rendering over 97% of it undrinkable. Both WHO and relief organizations have raised concerns about waterborne diseases such as Hepatitis A and cholera, which thrive under poor sanitation conditions and high population density.
The health organization also highlighted factors contributing to the disease spread in Gaza, including untreated sewage, lack of clean water, food insufficiency, and inadequate personal hygiene necessities.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, stated that the health crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels and is rapidly worsening, also affecting the occupied West Bank. She mentioned that the healthcare sector in Gaza alone requires 80,000 liters of fuel daily, but only about 195,000 to 200,000 liters were delivered between June 25 and 27.
Hospitals face severe fuel shortages, threatening vital medical services and causing delays in ambulance responses, leading to casualties. Fuel scarcity also impacts water and sanitation services, waste collection, and significantly contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases, including hepatitis, diarrhea, and skin infections.
Earlier reports from the Gaza government media office indicated that around 700,000 people suffer from infectious diseases due to displacement, with approximately 8,000 cases of viral hepatitis among them.
Medical sources have reported numerous patients experiencing health issues, malnutrition, and hepatitis due to declining hygiene standards, polluted water and food, and overcrowded shelters lacking basic living conditions. These shelters report more than 10 new cases daily across all age groups, posing a significant unprecedented threat to children’s health and safety.
The same sources emphasized that Gaza’s hospitals are unable to cope with the number of patients due to a shortage of medications and medical supplies amid the extensive destruction caused by the aggression.
Margaret Harris, a spokesperson for WHO, stated that the destruction of hospitals in Gaza exacerbates the spread of diseases. She pointed out that Gazans face extreme hardships due to water contamination and the destruction of medical facilities and infrastructure.
Globally, the UN estimates that 354 million people live with life-threatening hepatitis infections, with at least one person dying from viral hepatitis every 30 seconds.
Since October 7, 2023, Zionist forces have launched devastating assaults on the Gaza Strip, resulting in more than 39,000 deaths, over 90,000 injuries, and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster that has displaced over 85% of the population, equating to about 1.9 million people.
