By Elsie Kamsiyochi

For thousands of displaced families in Gaza, survival has become a daily struggle not only against war and hunger, but now against a growing infestation of rats and parasites spreading through overcrowded tent camps.

In areas such as Khan Younis and northern Gaza, rodents have begun invading makeshift shelters at night, biting sleeping children and contaminating the few belongings families have managed to save.

Residents say the problem has worsened dramatically as mountains of uncollected rubbish, stagnant water, and destroyed sewage systems have created ideal conditions for vermin to thrive. Families living in tents or damaged homes describe hearing rats moving beneath floors and through thin fabric walls before emerging after dark. Some parents say they now take turns staying awake at night to guard their children from attacks while they sleep.

One young woman in southern Gaza said rats destroyed the clothing and personal items she had carefully prepared for her upcoming wedding. In a place where nearly everything has already been lost, the destruction of those final possessions felt devastating. Others describe rodents chewing through food supplies, blankets, and medicine, making already unbearable living conditions even worse.

Doctors in Gaza warn that the infestation is becoming a serious public health emergency. Medical workers have reported rising cases of infections linked to rodents and parasites, particularly among children, older people, and those already weakened by malnutrition. Health officials fear diseases such as leptospirosis and other rodent-borne illnesses could spread more rapidly as temperatures rise heading into the summer months.

The crisis reflects the broader collapse of Gaza’s sanitation infrastructure after months of conflict. Waste collection has nearly stopped in many areas, and damaged sewage networks have left contaminated water pooling near crowded camps where families eat, sleep, and wash. Humanitarian agencies say this combination of displacement, overcrowding, and poor hygiene has created dangerous conditions that make disease outbreaks increasingly likely.

International health officials have warned that the infestation is not an isolated problem but a symptom of a much deeper humanitarian disaster. With more than two million people displaced and essential services severely disrupted, aid organizations say restoring sanitation and access to pest control is becoming just as urgent as delivering food and medicine.

For many families in Gaza, the fear no longer ends when the bombing stops. As night falls inside the camps, another threat begins to emerge from the shadows—one that turns even sleep into a source of danger.

Source Reuters