If We Sleep, They Bite: Rats and Weasels Infest Gaza Displacement Camps

If we sleep they bite – In the Gaza Strip, where conflict has left a trail of destruction, daily life now revolves around battling rats, weasels, and other pests that spread disease. The once bustling camps for displaced families have transformed into battlegrounds for survival, as rodents and insects plague the living conditions of millions. Amid the chaos, parents report losing sleep to the relentless presence of these creatures, with some fearing for their children’s safety even during the night.

The Human Cost of the Crisis

Samah al-Daabla, a mother of four, recounted a harrowing morning when her four-year-old daughter, Mayaseen, was attacked by a weasel. “We woke up to the sound of her screaming at 2am,” she told the BBC. “When my husband turned on the torch, the weasel ran away. I looked at my daughter’s hand, and it was all blood. Everything was bloody.” Her account highlights the growing menace of wildlife in the camps, where the absence of proper sanitation has turned waste piles into havens for infestation.

“We cannot sleep! If we sleep, they bite the children and disturb us. There are so many weasels and rats – an abnormal number,” said Rizq Abu Laila, a father of four living near a Gaza City rubbish dump. “They go in the rubbish and fight because there are so many of them. I swear we can’t endure it. The rats have torn our clothes and eaten our flour. There are mosquitoes and foul smells. We call on international institutions to help us.”

The situation has escalated into a public health emergency. Rodents, including rats and weasels, are not only gnawing through supplies but also transmitting diseases through their urine, droppings, and fleas. These pests are responsible for respiratory illnesses, skin infections, and food poisoning, creating a cycle of sickness in already vulnerable populations. A recent survey cited by UN agencies revealed that rodents or pests were frequently visible in 80% of sites where displaced families reside, affecting an estimated 1.45 million people.

Aid Workers’ Struggles

Humanitarian workers are scrambling to address the crisis, but resources remain limited. The Israeli Defence Force, through Cogat, claims it is collaborating with international organizations to tackle sanitation needs. “This includes coordinating the removal of waste piles, facilitating the entry of dedicated equipment for infrastructure repairs in accordance with requests and identified needs, and facilitating the entry of trucks and tankers for waste removal on behalf of the international community,” Cogat stated in a recent message to the BBC.

Yet, the progress has been slow. More than six months after the US brokered a Gaza ceasefire deal, the humanitarian situation remains stagnant. Regular airstrikes continue, with Israel asserting they target Hamas, the group that sparked the war in October 2023 through its deadly assault on Israeli territory and hostage-taking operations. Hamas has not pledged to disarm, leaving the conflict unresolved and the infrastructure in ruins.

With reconstruction efforts halted, Gazans are still living in overcrowded camps that lack basic amenities. The absence of 200,000 promised caravans as temporary shelters has forced families into makeshift tents, often built from whatever materials are available. These conditions, compounded by raw sewage running through the camps, have created ideal breeding grounds for rodents. The warmer springtime weather has only exacerbated the problem, as the animals thrive in the accumulation of trash and debris surrounding tents.

Disease and Displacement

One grandmother, suffering from nerve damage due to diabetes, described how her toes were bitten off by rodents. “The rats have become a menace, even to those who can’t move,” she said. Such incidents underscore the severity of the infestation, which extends beyond mere nuisance to life-threatening risks. Parents are now taking turns to watch over their children and belongings, ensuring no creature can invade their space during the night.

Dr. Reinhilde Van De Weert, the local WHO representative, emphasized that the infestations are a direct result of the collapsed living environment. “The new outbreaks are unfortunately the predictable consequence of a broken infrastructure,” she said. “Without basic sanitation, disease spreads rapidly, and the health of the population deteriorates.”

Meanwhile, the UN agencies are pushing for large-scale interventions. “What is needed is a very large-scale campaign to deal with the waste and rubble problems across Gaza,” said Ettie Higgins, deputy representative for UNICEF in central Gaza. “Pipes have been destroyed, and treatment facilities have been destroyed, so we are trying to scale up our support to manage the wastewater and sewage.” Despite these efforts, the scale of the problem remains daunting, with many families still relying on makeshift solutions to protect their health.

Political and Logistical Barriers

The ongoing conflict has not only disrupted daily life but also hindered access to essential resources. Israel restricts the entry of vital supplies, including chemicals and pipes, for security reasons, claiming they could be used to build new weapons by Hamas. This restriction has left aid workers without the tools needed to repair sanitation systems, exacerbating the crisis in displacement camps.

UN agencies are advocating for greater access to Gaza’s major landfill sites, which are under full Israeli military control. Without this access, waste continues to pile up, creating a toxic environment that fuels the rodent population. “The situation is dire, and without urgent action, it will worsen,” said a UN official. “The people are suffering, and the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be to recover.”

As the winter months pass and the spring sun warms the air, the rodents grow bolder. Their presence is no longer confined to the shadows of tents but has spilled into the open, threatening even the most vulnerable. Newborn babies, the sick, and the elderly are particularly at risk, with footage shared on social media showing these groups being attacked by pests in their sleep.

Mayaseen, the four-year-old who was bitten by a weasel, received a tetanus injection at a Gaza City hospital but has spent days battling fever and vomiting. She is now recovering in her family’s tent, a symbol of the resilience required to endure this new chapter of the conflict. For many, the struggle is not just about finding shelter but about fighting for survival in a world where even the smallest creatures can become deadly threats.

Amid the growing crisis, the voices of displaced families echo through the camps. They call for international support, not just in terms of supplies but also in political will to ease restrictions and allow aid to flow freely. Until then, the battle against rats and weasels will remain a constant reminder of the challenges faced by those who have already lost so much.

The Road Ahead

Rebuilding the waste management and sanitation systems will require a coordinated effort between Israel and international partners. While Cogat claims it is working with the UN and other organizations, the practical outcomes remain unclear. Aid workers stress that without heavy lifting equipment and spare parts for existing machines, the cleanup efforts will struggle to keep pace with the growing waste.

For the displaced Gazans, the future is uncertain. They remain trapped in a cycle of destruction, where the absence of basic infrastructure allows pests to thrive. As the war continues, the health crisis in the camps grows, and the need for urgent intervention becomes more pressing. The question now is whether the international community will respond with the scale required to save lives and restore dignity to those in need.