Palestinians living in the al-Mawasi refugee camp in southern Gaza have described harrowing scenes of rat-infested tents, poor sanitation and the spread of diseases.
They made the comments while waiting to be supported at a Medical Aid for Palestinians’ supported primary healthcare centre in Khan Younis.
You can read some of the testimonies below:
“Rats are eating our food. We can barely get enough to eat, and we cannot even store it because rats reach it immediately.” – Rasha, 16, displaced in Khan Younis
“We try to hang food from the tent ceiling to keep it away from rats, but that does not always work. We’re forced to throw away all stored food, like rice or flour, once we discover that rats have reached it. I have children and I am afraid for them. I cannot feed them food that may have been contaminated or touched by rats. There are nothing I can do about it, everyone in the camp is suffering from it. We do what we can, but even hanging food is not enough, because rats reach the wooden parts and the tent roofs. Sometimes we say maybe in dome shaped tents it could be easier, but who can even afford to improve their tent? We are barely managing to find shelter from the heat and cold.” – Um Ahmed, displaced in Khan Younis
“Our life has become a nightmare. My two children are covered in flea bites and they cry all night. I no longer know what to do. Their mother and I have tried almost everything, but we cannot control the situation or find a solution. Recently, I have started sitting with them outside the tent as much as possible, only going inside at night or when absolutely necessary. I have no other option.” – Father of two, 29, displaced in Khan Younis
“The three of us are teachers working in an educational initiative inside the near camp, teaching children. All of us are suffering from skin rashes and bumps, and so are the children we teach. There is no real treatment available. The creams we can get only provide temporary relief, but the problem remains. We are seeing insects inside the tents that we have never seen in our lives before. It’s unbearable.” – Rahma, teacher, Khan Younis
“The camp is extremely overcrowded, and we all live in constant anxiety, especially regarding toilets and sanitation. There is no proper infrastructure inside the tents, and the situation is unsafe. In addition to the severe overcrowding, we do not even know where to dispose waste. The designated areas are either too close to Israeli militarised zones or within it, which makes waste disposal difficult and risky. Some people are forced to bury waste or throw it in nearby areas because they have no other option.” – Woman, 37, displaced in an overcrowded camp in Khan Younis
