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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 30, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT:
Lucy Carradine, [email protected]
A new report by the international medical aid organization MedGlobal warns that rodents and other pests are impacting sites hosting over two-thirds of Gaza’s population – over 1.4 million people. Reports from MedGlobal’s dedicated team of clinicians and care providers in Gaza indicate that displacement camps are ravaged by these pests, creating a surge in bites, disease and a public health emergency.
The new report from one of the leading aid providers in Gaza warns that children and pregnant women are among the most affected by the crisis stemming from overcrowding, poor hygiene, and constant exposure. Between January and May 2026, MedGlobal facilities recorded over 10,000 consultations for conditions commonly spread by rodents or insects, including dermatological diseases, scabies, impetigo, gastrointestinal illnesses, and hepatitis, indicating a correlation between worsening exposure to pests and a growing public health crisis.
“One of my greatest concerns is the increasing spread of rats, mosquitos and other disease vectors in Gaza,” said Dr. Salwa Al-Tibi, MedGlobal’s Country Director in Gaza. “The ongoing conflict has damaged essential services and created living conditions that make disease prevention extremely difficult.”
The report points to several major drivers of the pest crisis:
- Poor Conditions in Displacement Sites – Garbage, rubble and overcrowding attract rodents and pests, provide nesting places, and facilitate the spread of disease.
- Fuel and Electricity Shortages – They are crippling hospitals and essential services including garbage pickup, wastewater treatment and sewage systems.
- Water and Sewage System Failures – Infrastructure was badly damaged by the conflict and has remained crippled and degraded during the ceasefire, with clean water production declining.
- Destruction of the Healthcare System – Severe shortages of medicines, antibiotics, laboratory supplies, and diagnostic equipment limit both treatment and disease surveillance.
“Rat and pest infestations are the visible symptoms of a systematic collapse. Health, water, and sanitation systems across Gaza are still unable to fully function, leading to human waste piling up near camps, hospitals lacking essential medicine and diagnostic tools, and limited clean water,” said Anastasia Moran, MedGlobal’s Director of Global Advocacy. “In a prolonged crisis, there is a risk that the international community becomes desensitized to what are, in fact, deeply abnormal conditions. Living conditions that enable rats to thrive are not fit for families and children to live in.”
“This report makes clear that the spread of pests across Gaza is not an unavoidable environmental problem, but a symptom of a wider collapse of critical services,” said Joseph Belliveau, Executive Director of MedGlobal. “Through urgent action – including an increase in the availability of fuel, water, housing materials, pesticides and other sanitation supplies – we can bring this crisis under control.”
MedGlobal operates 16 medical points and health centers across all five governorates of Gaza, providing primary care, mental health, emergency services, and other health services. The organization also fully supports a maternity and reproductive health hospital in the Middle Area, treating more than 1,400 patients every day. MedGlobal also provides nutrition services, with two nutrition stabilization centers and mobile teams that performed over 163,000 malnutrition screenings in 2025, treated malnutrition cases, distributed supplements, and offered essential medications, therapeutic food, and follow-up care. This work is possible thanks to MedGlobal’s team that includes 400+ local Palestinian doctors, nurses, and staff, supported by international medical missions.
MedGlobal is a humanitarian nonprofit organization that provides emergency response and health programs to build resilience among vulnerable communities around the world. The organization’s health programs support victims of crisis and conflict, refugees, internally displaced persons, and marginalized communities in disaster-affected and low-resource settings.
