RAMALLAH, April 3, 2026 (WAFA) – Minister of Health Majed Abu Ramadan warned on Friday of escalating health risks threatening the population of the Gaza Strip due to the widespread presence of rodents amid severe environmental deterioration caused by extensive destruction and the accumulation of debris and untreated waste.

In a press statement, he said current conditions in Gaza have created a fertile environment for the spread of rats and mice, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks of serious diseases transmitted directly through bites or indirectly through urine, droppings, and parasites such as fleas and ticks. Among the diseases cited were hantavirus, plague, leptospirosis, salmonella, and tularemia.

Abu Ramadan called on the World Health Organization and international health bodies to intervene urgently by providing rodent control materials and strengthening prevention and containment measures. He noted that more than one million people are living in fragile conditions, including tents or in the open, heightening their exposure to such health threats.

He added that the health situation of children is becoming increasingly critical, with thousands suffering permanent disabilities due to the war, including loss of limbs or senses, alongside rising malnutrition, which increases vulnerability to disease and mortality rates.

The minister stressed the severe environmental and health conditions facing infants and children in Gaza and their long-term impact, renewing his call on the international community to take urgent action to ensure health protection and improve living conditions in the territory.

M.N