Gaza health crisis worsens as infections triple in displacement camps: UN

The UN has warned in April 2026 that skin infection and pest-related illness in Gaza have almost tripled, among the displaced and distressed people living in the refugee camps and many without proper shelters and inadequate access to insecticides, pesticides, and hygiene supplies. The UN have reported that infections in UN-run displacement sites impacted nearly 10,000 people in March, a sharp rise from 3,000 in January. The UN estimates that around 850,000 people are in urgent need of emergency housing items as the shelter crisis deepens.

“Teams on the ground say that pests and skin infections among people in Gaza are still on the rise,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric at a news conference. “In March, such infections have more than tripled in our own UN-run displacement sites.” According to the UN, skin disease now also impacts half of all displacement sites across Gaza. Rodents, lice, and other pests are frequently observed in 80% of sites, according to UN site management partners.

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Dujarric said wooden pallets used to carry supplies into Gaza have been repurposed to create shelter units for displaced families. "By the start of this week, 20 shelters of this kind had been set up across Gaza and North Gaza governorates, offering some level of privacy and dignity to families," he added. He noted that in March, UN partners brought around thousands of shelter items, including tens of thousands of bedding items, tarpaulins, and tents to shelter around 45,000 families.

Water and sanitation infrastructure are in near-total disrepair, leading to accumulated sewage and polluted water sources, which facilitate the spread of contagious rashes and infections. He stressed that "more robust and longer-lasting shelter solutions are needed," requiring "the entry of emergency shelter equipment and materials to repair damaged homes." Currently, aid access is frequently undermined by customs delays, movement restrictions, and limited crossing capacities

According to Gaza's Government Media Office, Israel has committed 2400 violations of the ceasefire agreement and killed 784 Palestinians and wounded 2,214 since October 2025.