UN Warns Skin Infections Sweep Gaza as Shelter Crisis Deepens
"Teams on the ground say that pests and skin infections among people in Gaza is 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."
Dujarric placed the scale of the crisis in stark numerical terms, stating it was "impacting almost 10,000 people compared with about 3,000 in January," drawing on figures compiled by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza.
He pressed for immediate access for "the entry of anti-lice shampoo, lotions, hygiene supplies, pesticides and insecticides, to avert an even greater public health emergency and prevent further harm to civilians."
On the shelter front, Dujarric revealed that humanitarian partners had been driven to repurpose wooden pallets — originally used to transport aid into Gaza — as raw materials for emergency 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 also reported that throughout March, UN partners managed to bring in thousands of shelter items — including tens of thousands of bedding items, tarpaulins, and tents — reaching more than 45,000 families. Even so, he was unequivocal that stopgap measures were falling short, stressing that "more robust and longer-lasting shelter solutions are needed," and calling for "the entry of emergency shelter equipment and materials to repair damaged homes."
Gaza's Government Media Office reported on April 14 that Israel had committed 2,400 violations of a ceasefire agreement signed last October, encompassing killings, arrests, blockade measures, and starvation tactics. Those violations have since killed 784 Palestinians and wounded a further 2,214, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The ceasefire followed two years of war launched by Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, with US backing. The conflict — which has continued in various forms — has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded over 172,000 more, and left approximately 90% of the enclave's infrastructure in ruins.
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