Spread of Disease in Gaza Endangers the Hostages Held by Hamas, and Will Soon Even Risk Israel
The deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip have been the subject of discussion in Israel, mainly in regard to its impact on public opinion in the Arab world and the time Israel has left to wind up its offensive. But as the days pass, they could also entangle Israel in an epidemiological crisis.
Gazans are at risk of a wide range of diseases whose vectors do not recognize political borders. "I estimate that within a few weeks, we'll begin to feel it in Israel. Initially, it will be in the southern locales and then it will be spread by soldiers who get infected and pass [disease] along to their families," says Prof. Dorit Nitzan, the director of the emergency medicine program at the Ben-Gurion University's School of Public Health.
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Prof. Nadav Davidovitch, the head of the Ben-Gurion School of Public Health and the head of health policy at the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies, said in a 2019 report that sanitary conditions in Gaza would affect Israel, especially due to untreated sewage.
"We are aware of the spread of respiratory diseases such as RSV, flu and the coronavirus, as well as a fivefold increase in the spread of intestinal diseases, including viruses and intestinal bacteria, such as Shigella and others," he says. "Given the very poor sanitation conditions that exist in Gaza, this is no surprise. These are diseases we're familiar with – we haven't identified any new or virulent strains unknown to us, but it greatly affects health. It's a great danger to Gaza and eventually it will be to Israel as well."
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https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-12-13/ty-article/.premium/morbidity-in-gaza-endangers-the-hostages-and-possibly-israel/0000018c-5fe1-d6f9-afbc-5febf3e60000
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