Sewage seeping through the streets of Gaza is prompting a new infectious threat to desperate Palestinians.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is taking a frightening turn as diseases rip through the population and a dormant illness re-emerges, with kids bearing the brunt.
Days earlier the ABC gained access to a United Nations-run health clinic in Deir-al-Balah, in central Gaza, where many displaced people have been seeking treatment for debilitating skin infections."These skin diseases developed and became diseases that resemble burns," local paediatrician Lubna Al Azaizeh said.
UNRWA reported more than 40,000 cases — compared to just 85 in the same period last year, prior to the war beginning.Inside the clinic, mother Oufan Behaisy clutched her young son tightly as he writhed around — the rashes on his skin causing significant discomfort.Her older children are also suffering.Her small frame is pockmarked with scabs and sores.She knows the water is to blame but the conditions in Gaza leave her family with little choice.
The Canadian government, which funded water infrastructure in the area, continues to demand a full investigation into the incident. Before the war, Oxfam said Palestinians in Gaza had access to almost 87 litres of water per person, per day."We're talking about the largest water tanks that have been blown up and bombarded and completely decimated," Bushra Khalidi, a researcher with Oxfam who co-authored the report said.
Gaza Polio Gaza United Nations Gaza Water Gaza Sewage Gaza Illness Palestinians Israel Gaza War
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