Rats and parasites are overrunning tent camps for displaced Palestinians in Gaza, biting children as they sleep and destroying what few belongings families have left. Many of the territory's more than two million residents remain displaced despite a months-long truce, living in damaged buildings or makeshift tents where waste and contaminated water have accumulated.

Residents describe rodents gnawing through clothing, food supplies, and even wedding garments. Some parents say they now sleep in shifts to guard their children after repeated bites. Medical officials report daily hospital admissions linked to rodent attacks and warn that diseases such as rat-bite fever and leptospirosis could spread further as summer approaches.

Health authorities and aid groups say the collapse of sanitation systems and limits on pest control supplies have worsened the infestation. Israeli authorities say they have recently allowed significant quantities of pest control materials into Gaza, citing security considerations for broader restrictions.

The humanitarian crisis continues amid sporadic violence despite the ceasefire. Legal petitions have also been filed seeking the release of Palestinian doctors held without charge and calling for independent access for foreign journalists to report from inside Gaza, as international concern grows over living conditions in the enclave.