UN agency reports hepatitis outbreak in Gaza

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has reported a significant hepatitis outbreak across the Gaza Strip, coinciding with ongoing Israeli military operations.

Alarming increase in hepatitis cases

In a statement released on Tuesday, UNRWA disclosed that nearly 40,000 hepatitis cases have been documented in Gaza since the commencement of the Israeli assault on October 7, 2023. The agency highlighted that 800 to 1,000 new hepatitis cases are reported weekly from its health centers and shelters across the enclave.

“Desperate sanitary conditions facilitate the spread of diseases, including hepatitis A,” UNRWA noted in its statement.

Devastating impact of Israel’s military campaign

The Israeli military campaign, which began on October 7 following a Hamas attack, has led to widespread devastation in Gaza. Hospitals have been systematically targeted, and at least 39,400 individuals have been killed, with nearly 91,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Over nine months into the conflict, Gaza remains under a crippling blockade, facing severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. Vast areas of the territory are in ruins, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Accusations of genocide

Israel faces genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ’s latest ruling mandates that Tel Aviv immediately cease its military operations in the southern city of Rafah. Over a million Palestinians had sought refuge in Rafah before it was invaded on May 6.

Despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israeli operations in Gaza continue unabated. The international community remains deeply concerned about the ongoing humanitarian disaster and the spread of diseases like hepatitis in the region.