DaysofPal — A growing outbreak of hepatitis A is sweeping through Gaza’s overcrowded displacement camps, raising alarm among health officials who say contaminated water and collapsing sanitation systems have created ideal conditions for the virus to spread.
In Al-Wahda camp in central Gaza City, 38-year-old Khuloud Hammad sits outside her family’s tattered tent, holding her six-year-old son, Mohammed.
What began as fatigue and mild illness soon escalated into a confirmed case of hepatitis A.
“I thought it was just malnutrition, then his eyes turned yellow, and the doctor told us it was hepatitis A ,” Hammad said.
Mohammed first developed a low-grade fever and nausea before losing his appetite and complaining of abdominal pain.
Days later, jaundice set in, a hallmark symptom of liver infection, where Hammad says the lack of clean water and overcrowded, makeshift toilets shared by hundreds of families have made it nearly impossible to safeguard her children.
Health agencies report a sharp spike in cases, citing figures referenced by The New York Times from the World Health Organization, more than 100,000 people in Gaza have developed acute jaundice syndrome or suspected hepatitis A since the beginning of the Israeli genocidal war.
The health program of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) says between 800 and 1,000 new cases are being recorded weekly at its clinics and shelters.
Before the war, only 85 cases had been documented; since then, nearly 40,000 infections have been reported through UNRWA facilities alone.
Gaza’s Government Media Office estimates that about 1.5 million people are currently displaced by the destruction of residential areas.
Officials say nearly 288,000 caravans or mobile housing units are urgently required to replace tents that offer little protection against harsh weather or disease.
Medical professionals warn that hepatitis A, typically transmitted through contaminated food and water, spreads rapidly in overcrowded settings.
Dr. Khairi Al-Bazm, an internal medicine consultant, described the virus as particularly dangerous under current conditions.
“In displacement camps like those in Gaza, hepatitis A thrives because of polluted water and failing sewage systems,” he said.
“Its early symptoms, fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, are often dismissed as routine illness. That’s why it spreads quietly.” He added.
Although most patients recover with rest and proper nutrition, Al-Bazm cautioned that malnutrition and weakened immune systems can prolong illness and increase the risk of complications, including rare cases of liver failure among the elderly and severely malnourished.
Healthcare facilities are also grappling with shortages of laboratory supplies and supportive medications, limiting their ability to diagnose and manage cases effectively.
In Al-Qadisiyah camp in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, 24-year-old Ahmad Hijazi, a former mathematics student at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, said he initially dismissed his own symptoms as exhaustion from displacement.
“We’re all tired, but when the nausea didn’t stop, and the pain got worse, I realized it was more serious,” he said.
Hijazi attempted to protect his family by washing his hands frequently and using separate utensils but acknowledged that isolation is nearly impossible inside cramped tents.
Beyond the physical symptoms, residents say stigma has compounded their suffering. Some families report neighbors avoiding infected children out of fear of contagion.
“We don’t want pity,” Hammad said.
“We want clean water, proper sanitation, and disinfectants. This is a preventable disease.” He added.
The outbreak unfolded amid a prolonged Israeli genocidal war in Gaza that began on October 7, 2023.
Palestinian officials describe the offensive as genocidal, citing mass casualties and widespread destruction, while the Israeli occupation maintains that their operations target armed groups.
According to Gaza health authorities, more than 72,000 people have been killed and over 171,000 wounded since the conflict began, with thousands still missing.
Large parts of the enclave’s infrastructure remain in ruins, and hundreds of thousands continue to live in temporary shelters.
As hepatitis A spreads through the camps, residents warn that the humanitarian crisis is deepening.
“War already took our homes. We don’t want it to take our children’s health too,” Hammad said
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