Chickenpox infections climb among displaced children in Gaza, UN says

Chickenpox cases among displaced Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip have continued to rise, with about 9,300 cases recorded over the past two weeks, more than half of them in the densely populated city of Khan Younis, the United Nations said, Reuters reported.

A report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said overcrowded living conditions, accumulating waste, limited access to clean water and the collapse of sewage infrastructure were driving the spread of infectious diseases in displacement camps.

The worsening conditions have turned chickenpox into a growing public health concern in the enclave, the report added.

The United Nations said acute respiratory and skin diseases remained the most commonly reported health problems in Gaza.

The UN also said waterborne diseases continued to spread, particularly around Khan Younis, and reported more than 18,000 new cases last week of chickenpox, external parasite infestation and bacterial skin infection impetigo.

Gaza’s health care system has been devastated by Israel’s genocidal war, which destroyed hospitals and medical infrastructure while creating severe shortages of medicine, fuel and medical supplies.

Israel has continued to violate the ceasefire agreement, which took effect on 10th October 2025, killing 1,127 Palestinians and injuring 3,643 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry on Thursday.

Since Israel’s genocide began on 8th October 2023, at least 73,250 Palestinians have been killed and 173,751 injured, according to the ministry. It added that about 90 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.