severe rodent infestation

Yes, there is currently a severe rodent infestation throughout the Gaza Strip, particularly affecting displacement camps and tent settlements. According to recent reports, over 80% of displacement sites surveyed in April 2026 experienced regular infestations of rats and pests.

The infestation has reached crisis levels, with rats and parasites spreading through tent camps, biting children and adults as they sleep, and gnawing through possessions. Health officials have reported that every day hospitals record cases of patients being admitted due to rodent-related incidents, particularly among children, the elderly, and the sick.

The World Health Organization has recorded more than 70,000 cases of ectoparasite infections and rodent-borne illnesses in Gaza since the beginning of 2026. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, four displaced people have died from skin diseases directly linked to rodent infestations.

The crisis stems from the widespread destruction of infrastructure, including water and sewage networks, combined with the accumulation of rubble and waste, which has created favorable conditions for rodents to thrive. Aid efforts have included the transfer of about 90 tons of pest control materials and over 1,000 mousetraps into Gaza, but these measures have proven largely ineffective in the current environment.

The problem has now spread beyond Gaza's borders, with thousands of rats reportedly moving into Israeli settlements surrounding the Strip, causing significant agricultural damage.

magnificent language

 “Profanity is the parlance of the fool. Why curse when there is such a magnificent language with which to discourse?"

-Theodore Roosevelt

My Lai

 

In 2004, Mike Wallace interviewed Larry Colburn and Hugh Thompson, members of an American helicopter crew who were credited with saving Vietnamese civilians during the 1968 My Lai massacre, which killed more than 500 unarmed civilians. In 1998, 60 Minutes first returned to Vietnam with Colburn and Thompson, where they met some of the people they rescued in My Lai.

The wise will understand. 

Israel does not feed Gaza

I heard the claim recently, that "Israel feeds its enemies." This was meant as praise, but some will say it out of criticism.

Despite the naive claim, Israel does not feed its enemies and doesn't feed Gaza, not that more than a small portion of Gaza is an enemy.

Before the war, 300 food trucks entered Gaza a day. That's enough to feed 3 million people, but Israel does not supply the food.

Bottom line: The international community (UN, governments, NGOs) pays for the food; commercial truckers transport it; Israel controls whether it enters.

Who Supplies the Food

Source	Examples	Role
UN Agencies	UNRWA, World Food Programme (WFP)	Largest suppliers; UNRWA specifically serves Palestinian refugees
Government Aid	USAID, EU humanitarian aid, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey	Direct government donations and funding
International NGOs	Red Cross/Red Crescent, MSF, Oxfam, Save the Children	Emergency food, medical supplies
Local NGOs	Palestinian charities, community groups	Distribution inside Gaza
Private Donors	Islamic Relief, Catholic Relief Services, etc.	Faith-based and secular charities

If 500 trucks enter daily (the pre-war Gaza average):

Assumptions:

• ~60% carry food/water = 300 food trucks
• Average truck: 20 tons capacity
• Daily food delivery: 6,000 tons (6 million kg)

• Daily food need per person: ~2 kg (including staples, not just calories)
• 6,000,000 kg ÷ 2 kg = 3 million people fed daily

This tracks — Gaza's population is ~2.3 million, and 500 trucks/day was the baseline import level for all goods (food, fuel, medicine, construction materials, commercial trade).

Current situation: During the 2024-2025 war, daily aid often dropped to 10-50 trucks/day — roughly 5-10% of minimum needs, which is why famine conditions developed.

Etymology of deer