Sally Thabet, a 40-year-old mother, shared her heartbreaking story of trying to protect her three daughters from illness in the midst of the dire conditions in Gaza City. After fleeing their home, the family found refuge in Deir al Balah, where they lived in a former minimart, facing unsanitary living conditions.
Despite her efforts, Sally’s daughters fell ill one by one with what doctors diagnosed as hepatitis A, a viral liver infection that spreads rapidly in unhygienic environments. Amoon, 10, was the first to be diagnosed, followed by Kenzy, 15, and Kandi, 11.
According to the World Health Organization, over 100,000 people in Gaza have been affected by acute jaundice syndrome or suspected hepatitis A since the conflict between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7. The situation has led to the rapid spread of various diseases in Gaza due to overcrowded camps, lack of clean water, and other basic necessities.
Among the reported cases are nearly one million instances of acute respiratory infections, half a million cases of diarrhea, and 100,000 cases of lice and scabies. Shockingly, even polio, a disease eradicated in many parts of the world, has reemerged in Gaza with the presence of a variant of poliovirus in water samples.
