
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) has reported an increase in hepatitis cases. Across the Gaza Strip, up to 1,000 new cases are reported each week infection. Since the beginning of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, UNRWA health centres and shelters in the enclave have documented almost 40,000 cases of hepatitis.
The serious outbreak is mainly due to the terrible health conditions that have plagued Gaza since the conflict escalated. The intense and ongoing violence has not only resulted in major destruction of infrastructure but has also seriously threatened access to clean water and sanitation facilities. This deterioration of living conditions has created fertile ground for infectious diseases, especially hepatitis A, which is usually spread through the consumption of contaminated food or water.
“Desperate health conditions promote the spread of diseases such as hepatitis A,” UNRWA said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The agency stressed the urgent need for immediate international assistance to address the public health crisis and prevent the epidemic from worsening.
Health workers in Gaza are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of cases and struggle to provide adequate care with limited resources. Hospitals and medical facilities, already suffering from a flood of war casualties, now face the added burden of managing a rapidly spreading virus epidemic. The situation is worsened by the lack of medical supplies, clean water and sanitary equipment.
“The current health crisis in the Gaza Strip is unprecedented,” said Dr. Nidal Abu Rashed, a senior physician at one of UNRWA’s health centres. “We see children, adults and the elderly affected by hepatitis A. The conditions here are terrible and without immediate international intervention we fear that the situation will only get worse.”
UNRWA appealed for international aid, calling on donor countries and humanitarian organizations to provide financial support, medical supplies and expertise to fight the outbreak. A spokesperson for the agency emphasized the critical need for clean water, adequate sanitation facilities and vaccines to prevent the spread of the virus.
As the conflict continues, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire, with more than two million residents facing severe hardship. The intersection of war, refugees and public health crises underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive response to alleviate the suffering of Gazans.
The international community is urged to act urgently to provide the necessary resources both for the immediate health crisis and for the long-term reconstruction of Gaza’s infrastructure. Without meaningful action, the hepatitis epidemic threatens to become a permanent public health disaster in a region already reeling from the effects of protracted conflict.