© Omar Ashtawy/APA imagesDisplaced Palestinians live in tents in a camp set up in a landfill • al-Yarmouk neighborhood of Gaza City • 22 March 2025
Over a week before, a number of small rats had invaded our tent. We set up the tent on the rubble of our house in Khan Younis, and it does not provide much of a barrier between those inside and the pests outside.
The rats crawled onto my three younger siblings, including Louay. In the morning, my parents noticed traces of the rats' presence on our mattresses, blankets, clothes and even food.
They had to dispose of lentils, rice and peas out of fear of contamination. That day, I walked to the water distribution point an hour away and returned with three gallons of water just to wash our blankets.
My mom bathed my three young siblings, too, trying to avoid any illness. But over the week, Louay developed a rash. That rash spread, and the red dots turned into ulcers that covered his body.
Before going to the hospital, I went to a nearby medical tent where a doctor prescribed Louay an antibiotic, but we had no way to access the medicine. It was not available anywhere. Even basic medical supplies are blocked by the occupation, with only small streams of supplies allowed in when Israel grants permission.
Comment: This is the sort of drivel that keeps the woke academic grift going. When will rational people stop tolerating it?