Amidst a rash covering their bodies, fevers that rob them of sleep, and mothers anxiously watching over their children, children and infants in the Gaza Strip are facing a growing outbreak of chickenpox. The harsh health and living conditions make managing the disease even more difficult and exacerbate the risk of complications, especially among younger children.
For many families in Gaza, chickenpox is no longer just a passing illness. Its spread coincides with overcrowding in displacement camps, soaring temperatures, a lack of clean water, deteriorating sanitation and hygiene services, and limited access to medicine and medical care.
The World Health Organization warned at the beginning of last month of a sharp rise in chickenpox cases in the Gaza Strip, noting that nearly 9,300 cases had been reported in just two weeks across more than 130 health facilities, with over half of the cases concentrated in Khan Younis Governorate. The organization attributed this increase to deteriorating environmental conditions, severe overcrowding, and gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene services, compounded by the effects of summer. It confirmed that it continues to provide antihistamines, antibiotics, fever reducers, and other essential medications to those affected.
The organization also explained that partner organizations are working to expand water tanker deliveries to the most overcrowded displacement sites, increase water chlorination efforts, and enhance latrine cleaning and disinfection. In addition, they have deployed more than 100 health educators to raise awareness among residents about managing cases at home, isolation practices, and the importance of seeking medical care early.
However, the numbers alone do not fully reflect the extent of the suffering. Testimonies from residents, journalists, and activists on social media platforms continue to document cases of children and infants contracting the disease within tents and displacement centers.
In a related context, the Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir al-Barsh, warned of the worsening spread of chickenpox in the Gaza Strip. He noted that more than 58,000 cases have been recorded since the beginning of 2026, with more than half of the infections concentrated in Khan Younis Governorate. Al-Barsh stated that the outbreak is occurring within an extremely difficult health and humanitarian context, characterized by a combination of medicine shortages, reduced hospital capacity, displacement, overcrowding, and deteriorating water and sanitation services.
He explained that overcrowding in displacement camps, water contamination, declining sanitation services, accumulated waste, and a lack of hygiene supplies all create favorable conditions for the spread of infectious diseases, including chickenpox and scabies.
He emphasized that combating the spread of diseases requires more than just providing medicine and treatment; it also necessitates protecting water sources, improving sanitation and environmental health services, and ensuring a healthy and safe environment for the population.
