UN Warns: Israel’s War on Gaza Spurs Various Disease Outbreaks

The UN humanitarian agencies have issued a warning about the increasing risk of infectious disease outbreaks in Gaza. This is due to severe water shortages and insufficient waste and sewage management. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), has highlighted on social media that Hepatitis A is spreading rapidly, particularly among children.

Since the conflict began last October, UNRWA has reported 40,000 cases of the disease, a significant increase from 85 cases during the same period before the conflict. Hepatitis A, which is caused by a virus and results in liver inflammation, is transmitted through contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infected person. Lazzarini pointed out that the collapse of Gaza’s waste management system has led to the accumulation of trash and sewage discharges in the streets, creating ideal conditions for disease spread.

Humanitarian workers are also concerned about a potential polio outbreak after recent detections of the virus in sewage samples. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed the importance of a ceasefire and clear access to ensure that vaccines can reach every person in Gaza. Efforts are underway to secure and distribute vaccines, but the situation remains critical.

Aid delivery in Gaza continues to face significant obstacles, including ongoing hostilities, unexploded ordnance, damaged roads, attacks on aid convoys, and restrictions on border crossings. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that in July, Israel only facilitated 67 out of 157 planned aid missions to northern Gaza, with the remainder either denied or canceled.

This week, UNRWA reached a tragic milestone with 202 staff members killed since the conflict began—the highest number of UN personnel deaths in a single conflict since the organization’s founding in 1945. The deceased included teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and other essential staff, many of whom were killed while at home or performing humanitarian duties.

Lazzarini reiterated the UN’s commitment to demanding accountability for the deaths of its staff and announced plans to commemorate the fallen colleagues in the coming weeks.