The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced on Tuesday that approximately 40,000 cases of hepatitis have been recorded since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA stated in a Facebook post that 800 to 1,000 new cases of hepatitis are reported weekly, bringing the total number of cases in health centers and shelters across Gaza to around 40,000 since the start of the conflict.
The agency added that after ten months of this brutal war, strict restrictions on humanitarian aid access, combined with inadequate medical care and preventive measures, have created a perfect storm for the spread of diseases, including hepatitis, especially among children in overcrowded emergency shelters in Gaza.
UNRWA revealed that the hepatitis outbreak in Gaza during the war is due to the displacement of families living in dire and inhumane conditions in overcrowded camps and shelters. These families lack clean water, hygiene supplies, and proper waste and sewage management.
Dr. Ghada Al-Jadba, head of UNRWA’s health program in Gaza, stated, “This crisis continues to make it extremely difficult for UNRWA’s health program to meet patients’ needs.”
