Varicella outbreak spreads in Gaza refugee camps

UNICEF reports roughly 9,300 suspected varicella (chickenpox) cases in Gaza since early July 2026, as the disease spreads rapidly in the densely populated Khan Younis area. The ongoing Israeli attacks and mass displacement have left Palestinians living in crowded tents, making patient isolation and proper hygiene virtually impossible.

Medical staff with the Red Crescent, including Dr. Raed Abdel Karim Abu Sariya, describe families of ten to twenty sharing a single shelter, with water supplied only once a week and no soap, disinfectant or clean washing facilities. Children such as eight‑year‑old Ruba Saadeh contract the illness while confined to the same tent, illustrating the dire conditions that fuel the epidemic.