Gaza Crisis Deepens: Overcrowding, Starvation, and Disease Rampant as Conflict Enters 13th Week

Displaced Palestinians Struggle for Survival Amid Soaring Food Prices and Dwindling Aid, as Health Officials Warn of Disease Outbreaks

Israel's bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, now in its 13th week, have pushed almost all Palestinians toward the southern city of Rafah along the Egyptian border, causing the population to increase from around 280,000 to over 1 million.
The war broke out on Oct. 7 after Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 240 others. The fighting has killed over 22,400 Palestinians.
Food prices have soared and Gaza is facing acute food and medicine shortages. More than half a million people in Gaza — roughly a quarter of the population — are starving.
Displaced Palestinians in Rafah are entitled to free aid if they register with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, but the agency is overwhelmed and is already providing support to 1.8 million people in Gaza.
Health officials warn of the growing spread of diseases, especially among children, due to overcrowding and poor hygiene caused by a lack of toilets and water for washing.