Garbage and lack of hygiene… the suffering of Gaza women in displacement tents

Thousands of women and girls in Gaza City are facing a dire health and humanitarian situation due to the accumulation of solid waste, the lack of basic hygiene supplies, and water scarcity.

The stench of garbage and the proliferation of insects and rodents have become part of the daily landscape, directly impacting women’s physical and mental health and undermining even the most basic standards of human dignity as winter approaches.

Dr. Rehab al-Harazin, a displaced woman from the eastern part of the Zeitoun neighborhood and mother of two, says that seeing the piles of garbage around the shelters for displaced people “has alarming health consequences, especially for women and children.” She explains that “the spread of flies and mosquitoes, along with skin diseases and gastroenteritis, has become commonplace due to the lack of basic cleaning materials and the scarcity of water.” She points to insect bites on her daughter’s arms and notes that she is forced to use sanitizing products sparingly despite their high prices and scarcity in the markets.