Food supplies have to be inspected regularly (the author’s shoes are in the photo). Photo: Rama Hussain

In Gaza, war doesn’t end with airstrikes or displacement. For thousands of families, another, quieter battle begins, one that is no less devastating. It is a daily struggle against a destroyed environment, collapsed infrastructure, and small creatures that now threaten what remains of everyday life. Families in Gaza’s displacement camps remain awake at night with pounding hearts and growing fear of what may be hiding nearby. 

Suleiman al-Ajlah, known as Abu Alaa, is a 53-year-old man who lives with his family in a small tent in western Gaza City with limited access to basic services. The household includes nine members: his wife, himself, and five sons and two daughters ranging in age from 18 to 27. His family has been displaced and forced into extremely difficult living conditions. The tent is a pastiche of small pieces of fabric and torn tarps; within the tent, temperatures run very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. “The movements and sounds of small things at night drive out sleep from our eyes,” Abu Alaa told me. 

I also spoke with Um Alaa, his wife, who explained that her husband has been involved in trade for nearly 35 years. He previously owned several shops in Al-Shuja’iyya. All of them were destroyed during the Israeli ground invasion in September 2025, wiping out their only source of income and forcing the family to rely on a fragile, makeshift life in displacement.

To support his family, Abu Alaa opened a small market stall in western Gaza that sells basic household items, food, and drinks. The stall is pretty simple, constructed from what he could afford — tent fragments, tarps, and low-quality fabrics. The cost of living in Gaza is very high. Prior to October 2023, eggs cost one shekel apiece (34 cents) and a kilogram of flour cost 3 shekels; today an egg costs 7 shekels and flour more than 20 shekels. 

“I just wanted to work,” he says. “I needed to protect and support my family.” But what he built soon became another source of loss. 

“We noticed that things started to disappear around us and bags were opened,” Abu Alaa says. “Then we noticed small rats moving from one place to another, too quick for us to catch.” He tried unsuccessfully to protect his merchandise from the rodents. He and his sons constantly moved boxes and cartons of food around to inspect the ground.

In Gaza, some residents have turned to keeping cats as a natural way to reduce rodent activity. This environment, shaped by destroyed infrastructure and the collapse of sanitation systems, has accelerated the spread of rodents across residential areas.

For the past two and a half years, Hosni Muhanna, the spokesperson for the Gaza Municipality, has focused on the environmental issues faced by Gazans, such as water and sewage problems, and more recently, a significant increase in rodents.

Abu Alaa’s market stall. Photo: Rama Hussain

“At least 700,000 tons of solid waste resulted from Israeli military operations in Gaza Strip and the destruction caused by airstrikes and tank shelling of facilities and homes,” Muhanna says. He explained that the severe overcrowding in the refugee camps, where many people live on streets, significantly increases their exposure to rodents.

The problem is worsening over time, he says, due to the ban on certain specialized pesticides and rodenticides, forcing Gaza’s people to resort to rudimentary methods of pest control. Sewage networks have been destroyed and waste collection services have been disrupted due to vehicle damage and fuel shortages, leading to the long-term accumulation of garbage. The leakage of sewage into streets and tents creates the ideal breeding ground for rodents. 

The environmental degradation has a particularly severe effect on children, many of whom are malnourished and have low immunity. According to Dr. Muhammad Abu Hasira, the head of the Kidney Department at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, the current conditions contribute to a significant increase in health risks, especially among children and those with chronic diseases.

He said his department recently treated several cases related to rodent bites. Among them was a 3-year-old boy, Ahmed, who suffered from a rat bite on his finger, resulting in an infected wound that required cleaning, antibiotics, and 24-hour medical monitoring. Dr. Abu Hasira worries about the potential spread of diseases, including intestinal diseases, if the rodent infestation and food contamination persist. 

“The initial impact is on the digestive system, which can lead to severe stomach pain, acute diarrhea, or dehydration, especially among children,” he says. “The shortage of medical supplies, including sterile gauze, medications, and laboratory materials, makes it difficult for us to treat patients as needed.”

Abu Alaa and others like him struggle to secure their family’s basic needs in a devastated environment. “I just want to live like before,” he says, “with safety, cleanliness, and a stable income.” Many in Gaza who are now trying to reclaim their lives are finding these basic needs a struggle to secure.

This article is co-published with Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.