The genocide in Gaza carried out by the Israeli occupation has unleashed a new horror: the return of diseases and epidemics that had been eradicated decades ago. Despite Gaza’s fragile health system — long crippled by siege and blockade — Palestinians had succeeded in eliminating many of these illnesses. But with medicine, vaccines, food, and clean water blocked from reaching more than 1.2 million people, and with the health system deliberately destroyed, old diseases are re-emerging with devastating consequences.
These outbreaks now form part of a broader strategy of slow death — a form of biological warfare against the besieged population. Beyond the bombs, the re-emergence of deadly illnesses threatens to wipe out generations to come, especially among Gaza’s children.
Below is an overview of the most alarming diseases reported by international and UN agencies as a result of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza:
Polio
Polio is a viral disease that primarily affects children, spreading through contaminated food or water. It often begins with fever and headache, but can lead to permanent paralysis or death. Vaccines are the only effective means of prevention.
For over 25 years, Gaza remained polio-free, with vaccination campaigns reaching 99% coverage before the 2023 assault. But after the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure in October 2023, the virus resurfaced.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), polio traces were detected in wastewater samples from Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. Authorities confirmed three new cases among unvaccinated children — including the first confirmed polio case in Gaza in a quarter of a century.
Vaccination rates have since plummeted from 99% to 86% amid the collapse of health facilities. WHO and UNICEF have urgently warned of a potential outbreak, stressing the need for immediate immunisation campaigns in an environment where displacement, siege, and overcrowding fuel the virus’s spread.
Despite international appeals, Israel has blocked vaccines, detained medical staff at checkpoints, and even bombed makeshift vaccination tents, killing children and their families.
Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS)
Guillain–Barré Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. It often strikes children and can lead to rapid paralysis, requiring mechanical ventilation.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health has recorded 95 cases so far, reporting symptoms ranging from limb weakness to life-threatening respiratory failure. Malnutrition, polluted water, and a destroyed health system have accelerated its spread.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox, caused by the varicella virus, spreads quickly in crowded environments. Symptoms include rash, fever, and fatigue. While usually mild, it can lead to pneumonia or bacterial infections in vulnerable populations.
In November 2023, WHO confirmed around 1,000 cases among displaced families. By July 2024, the UN reported more than 11,000 infections, largely due to overcrowding, lack of hygiene, and Israel’s ban on vaccines and sanitation supplies. Health experts warn it could escalate into a wider epidemic.
Hepatitis A (Jaundice)
Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water — conditions widespread in Gaza due to Israel’s deliberate destruction of water supplies and sewage treatment. Symptoms include jaundice, fever, nausea, and appetite loss.
Before the genocide, cases were minimal. Now, infections have exploded: from just 85 cases to 40,000 in 2023, with over 107,000 cases of acute jaundice reported by mid-2024.
Contaminated drinking water, overflowing waste, and insect vectors such as flies have accelerated the outbreak. Overcrowded displacement camps have become epicenters of infection.
Infectious Diarrhoeal Diseases
Waterborne diseases like rotavirus, norovirus, E. coli, salmonella, giardia, and cryptosporidium have surged. The greatest danger is severe dehydration, particularly fatal for children. Globally, diarrhoeal disease is the third leading cause of child mortality.
In Gaza, the figures are staggering: since October 2023, there have been 33,000 cases in children under five. By July 2024, infections reached 577,000 cases of acute watery diarrhoea and 12,000 cases of bloody diarrhoea.
The root cause is clear: Israel’s blockade of clean water and sanitation, creating an environment where almost every Palestinian family is affected.
Respiratory Infections
Respiratory illnesses — from common colds to life-threatening pneumonia — have soared due to mass displacement, overcrowding, and lack of medical care.
WHO recorded 54,000 cases within the first month of war, and by July 2024, infections surpassed 1 million cases. With no access to antibiotics, vaccines, or basic care, these infections have become a public health catastrophe.
Lice and Scabies
Lice infestations and scabies — diseases linked to poor hygiene and cramped living conditions — have spread rapidly in Gaza’s displacement camps.
Scabies causes severe nighttime itching and skin rashes, leading to bacterial infections. Lice infestations can cause anaemia and transmit deadly diseases like typhus.
WHO documented 9,000 cases in the first month of Israel’s assault. By July 2024, the UN reported over 103,000 cases of lice and scabies, alongside 65,000 cases of secondary skin infections.
A Manufactured Health Catastrophe
The return of these diseases is not accidental. They are the direct result of a deliberate policy of genocide, weaponising starvation, thirst, and disease as tools of war.
The systematic denial of vaccines, destruction of hospitals, and blocking of aid all point to a calculated attempt to inflict maximum suffering on Palestinians — especially children, who bear the brunt of these epidemics.
What Gaza faces today is not only bombardment, but a public health disaster engineered by the occupation. Its effects will scar generations unless the siege is lifted and Palestinians are guaranteed their right to life, dignity, and health.
