In Gaza's tent camps, displaced families fight a daily battle against scorpions and rats

Displaced Palestinians sheltering in makeshift tents across Gaza are facing a new and relentless threat: infestations of scorpions, rats, and insects. With sanitation systems destroyed and piles of rubble and garbage everywhere, families describe a daily struggle to protect themselves and their children from the pests that have overrun their living spaces.

Mohammad Jbour, who was displaced from eastern Khan Younis, now lives with his family in a tent near a cemetery. He says he catches between one and three scorpions every day, while some of his neighbors report catching five or six. "The suffering is immense; these scorpions pose a serious threat to our lives," he said.

Jbour described living in a state of constant vigilance, spending his entire day searching for scorpions and limiting his children's playtime to specific hours. "We live in constant anxiety. Night is like day. I spend 24 hours a day searching and worrying," he added.

Imad Abu Shaweesh, displaced from Rafah, has been living in the area for three months and says he has caught about 16 scorpions in that time. "The situation is difficult in this area, which is teeming with insects, scorpions, snakes, mice, and rats," he said.

The rodents are not just a nuisance; they are destroying the meager food supplies that families manage to store. Majdi Shakshak, another displaced resident of Khan Younis, said he recently killed three mice after pouring water into their burrows near his tent. "They eat our food and spread diseases and insects," he said.

Randa Abu Ramadan, also in Khan Younis, described the unsanitary conditions that attract the pests. "We live amidst rubble, a garbage dump, and sewers, and rats come from the unsanitary places. They come near the children while they're sleeping and eat the food supplies," she said.

In Gaza City, nighttime brings no relief. Iyad Awad, displaced from Jabaliya, said he and his family cannot sleep as rats run freely around their tent. "It's midnight, and we're sitting here, unable to sleep. We have children, and as you can see, the tents are in a terrible state," he said.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned in April that rodents and pests are frequently observed in 80 per cent of displacement sites. The damaged infrastructure, stagnant wastewater, and debris have created breeding grounds for mosquitoes, fleas, and mice, leading to health problems including scabies, impetigo, and gastrointestinal illnesses.

Aid group MedGlobal reported that its 16 health care facilities in Gaza recorded over 10,000 consultations for conditions commonly spread by rodents or insects between January and May. "The ongoing conflict has damaged essential services and created living conditions that make disease prevention extremely difficult," said Dr. Salwa Al-Tibi, MedGlobal's Country Director in Gaza.

The war has left the majority of Gaza's more than 2 million people living in tents or damaged buildings. According to the U.N., the conflict has left 61 million tons of rubble across the enclave, making the task of clearing the debris and restoring basic sanitation a monumental challenge.