Gaza - Saba:
A UN report warned that displaced families in the southern Gaza Strip are facing a worsening public health crisis, as the Zionist enemy continues to prevent the entry of aid and dwindle medical supplies, amidst the intense heat, untreated sewage, and the flow of garbage.
UNRWA Emergency Officer Louise Waterridge said in statements to the UN News Center that in the temporary coastal camps of Mawasi, families have no choice but to live in unsanitary conditions that are quickly turning into a catastrophe.
She warned that the situation is worsening, especially for children and families suffering from malnutrition and exhaustion from months of war, facing extreme heat, unsanitary conditions, a lack of clean water, and limited access to healthcare.
She continued: "The garbage is out of control, and there is sewage, rodents, pests, rats, and mice—all these animals are moving between the buildings where people are taking shelter."
She noted that amid rising temperatures, "diseases are spreading, and there are not enough medicines." She added: "UNRWA teams are conducting intensive clean-up campaigns, but their resources are running low." She warned: "We only have 10 days of pesticides left, and supplies will run out."
Regarding the deteriorating situation exacerbated by the destruction of public health infrastructure in Gaza, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that more than 30 vehicles essential to waste management, water supply, and sanitation maintenance were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes between April 21 and 22.
It also stated that at least 23 airstrikes over the past week hit tents housing displaced persons, killing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and persons with disabilities.
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