In the Gaza Strip, it is not only objects falling from the sky that pose problems; creatures emerging from beneath the ground are also creating serious challenges. Amani Abu Salmiya is inside a tent at the Sports Club camp in southern Gaza, preparing for her wedding in ten days. She was inspecting the wedding clothes and supplies she had carefully prepared over months. “I was showing my friends the ready clothes and materials… everything was perfectly prepared,” she said. “The next day, I heard the sounds of mice. Later, I found many of the clothes torn and eaten.”
“The damage was not only material but also deeply emotional. I had worked very hard to make those items, and everything was expensive… yet nothing could be saved. We had planned to keep the clothes in my home tent so the groom’s family could also see them – but what happened was very heartbreaking.”
Despite a ceasefire in October 2025, approximately 80% of Gaza’s nearly 2.2 million residents still live in temporary camps, according to the United Nations. Many homes remain destroyed, and nearly half of the area remains under Israeli military control. Though the tents in the camps serve as temporary shelters, the ground itself presents ongoing risks. Overcrowding has led to unprecedented proliferation of mice and insects, complicating the situation further.
“Previously, a mouse even came at us,” Amani recounted. “We block the tent at night using bricks and wood, but the mice still get inside.” Basel Al Dahnoon, displaced from Beit Lahiya near the Israeli border, suffers from kidney failure and diabetes. His wife once saw blood flowing from his foot and later noticed a mouse had bitten his toe during the night. “Feet affected by diabetes require special care, but the conditions here are extremely difficult,” said the 47-year-old Basel. “Mice and mosquitoes are everywhere. The risks are increasing as summer approaches.”
“Conditions inside the tents are unbearable. Mice and mosquitoes constantly bother us. My children spend nights frightened to move around,” he added. “These mice can carry serious diseases, so this is a matter of risk. I also suffer from severe allergies and immune system issues.”
At the start of April, Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan highlighted the widespread proliferation of mice and other creatures in Gaza, urging WHO to provide materials immediately to control the situation. The ministry reported that waste and debris stimulate mouse populations, increasing risks of serious diseases transmitted through bites, waste, and parasites.
The most prominent diseases include hemorrhagic fever, plague, mouse-bite fever, and salmonella. Not only mice but also more dangerous reptiles such as snakes and scorpions have been appearing as summer nears. In one camp, a young girl suffered from a fever after being bitten by an unknown insect. Her mother, Um Ramez, said, “Doctors estimate the virus could last around 30 days. It has already been 17 days, and we are putting our trust in God. I only give her medicine to reduce the pain, but she is still sleeping with a high fever.”
She recalled her daughter waking up crying. “We found an insect the size of a large bag.” “Otherwise, we spend nights in fear. There are no torches to even look around. There is no security here. Everything is torn and destroyed. No matter what we do, it never feels enough.”
Dr. Mohammad Abu Afesh, director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society in Gaza, stated, “The current conditions favoring the spread of mice are the greatest problem and constitute a genuine public health threat. The dangers are especially high where food and water are accessible inside tents.” “There have been injuries requiring hospital and health center visits. While exact statistics are unavailable, these incidents are increasing, and without immediate prevention, a major crisis may occur.”
“Animals that bite and sting, previously rare, have also become more common, creating serious risks and even attacks in some camps.” According to Afesh, pest control is nearly non-existent. The destruction of infrastructure, limited capacity of local authorities, and bans on pesticides have all contributed to the spread of mice. He called on international agencies to urgently provide necessary materials, disinfectants, and fuel supplies for sanitation efforts.
Currently, some youth are attempting to combat the infestation by spraying agricultural insecticides, setting simple traps inside tents, and removing waste from the settlements. “We are trying to control mice and insects using basic materials,” said Mahmoud Al-Amawi, a social media content creator from Gaza City. “Doing something is better than doing nothing.”
However, the war has left Gaza littered with over 670,000 pieces of rubble and waste, including 4 million tons of extremely hazardous materials. The United Nations reported that this volume is 13 times larger than Egypt’s largest pyramid.
