The World Health Organization warned on Friday (November 13) of surging respiratory illnesses in Gaza, with worse expected after heavy rains flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians.

“The numbers already show the pressure. Acute respiratory infections are 33,000 cases higher than at the same time last year,” Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told reporters in Geneva from Jerusalem.

Poor living conditions and severe overcrowding are driving up infections as Gaza's population is squeezed into an ever-smaller area, WHO said. The crunch has worsened as the Israeli military expands its control by advancing the "yellow line," a demarcation established under October’s US-brokered ceasefire.

“That means people are living in more crowded conditions, where of course the spread between humans of a virus is much more prone to spread,” Van De Weerdt explained.

The Israeli military and COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Last week, COGAT said that it had stepped up efforts to improve sanitary conditions before the heavy rain, in coordination with international organisations.

Respiratory infections currently make up 11% of all consultations, with the WHO expecting cold weather, flooding, overcrowded shelters and poor ventilation to push these numbers higher.

“It is shocking that just a few days of rain really showed us what the coming months will bring. And winter has not even fully set in. The worst really is yet to come," Van De Weerdt said.

Nearly a million displaced people in Gaza live in flood-exposed areas, and 400,000 of them are in locations that are considered at extremely high risk, according to the WHO.

The agency said flooding heightened the risk of contaminated water, while standing water gave mosquitoes and pests more places to breed. Dampness encouraged mould and bacteria that are major drivers for respiratory infections, especially in young children, it said.

While the majority of medicines are getting into Gaza, the WHO faces difficulty getting laboratory supplies, which it says are vital for diagnosing patients before they can be treated.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: WHO OFFICIAL SAYING RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES ARE RISING IN GAZA WITH WORST TO COME AS WINTER FLOODS ARRIVE / FLOODED TENTS IN GAZA

SHOWS: GAZA CITY, GAZA (NOVEMBER 7, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1.⁠ ⁠VARIOUS OF TENTS FOR THE DISPLACED AND AREAS AROUND THEM FLOODED WITH RAINWATER

2.⁠ DISPLACED PALESTINIAN HOLDING TWO CHILDREN IN HIS ARMS

3.⁠ ⁠VARIOUS OF DISPLACED PALESTINIAN WOMAN SWEEPING WATER AWAY FROM HER TENT

4.⁠ ⁠PALESTINIAN CHILD IN TENT

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 13, 2026) (UNTV - Access all)

5. PRESS BRIEFING IN PROGRESS

JERUSALEM (NOVEMBER 13, 2026) (UNTV - Access all)

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO REPRESENTATIVE IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, REINHILDE VAN DE WEERDT, SAYING:

“And the numbers already show the pressure. Acute respiratory infections are 33,000 cases higher than at the same time last year. Respiratory infections today make up for more than 10% of all consultations, and again, this winter has only just begun. Cold weather, flooding, overcrowded shelters and poor ventilation will push these numbers higher, again especially for children, but also for older people and those living with chronic health conditions.”

GAZA CITY, GAZA (NOVEMBER 7, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

7. ⁠VARIOUS OF DISPLACED PALESTINIANS LOOKING AT FLOODWATER

JERUSALEM (NOVEMBER 13, 2026) (UNTV - Access all)

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO REPRESENTATIVE IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, REINHILDE VAN DE WEERDT, SAYING:

“I'm sure again that you've seen the images. And again, it is shocking that just a few days of rain really showed us what the coming months will bring. And winter has not even fully set in. The worst really is yet to come. Nearly a million displaced people in Gaza live in flood-exposed areas, and 400,000 of them are in locations that are considered at extremely high risk.”

UNKNOWN LOCATION, GAZA (NOVEMBER 7, 2026) (UNICEF - Do not obscure UNICEF credit)

9. RESIDENT BENDING DOWN TO CLEAR NARROW MUDDY DRAINAGE CHANNEL

10.⁠ ⁠DEEP STANDING WATER ALONG LANE, RESIDENTS IN DISTANCE

11.⁠ ⁠CHILD RUNNING IN WATERLOGGED PASSAGE BESIDE TENT

JERUSALEM (NOVEMBER 13, 2026) (UNTV - Access all)

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO REPRESENTATIVE IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, REINHILDE VAN DE WEERDT, SAYING:

“The reasons why we see more infections, respiratory infections, one clear reason is just the living conditions. When people live in makeshift shelters, because tents for many parts of Gaza are actually an overstatement, of course, when the weather gets colder, people also live increasingly more on top of each other. Whenever I go to Gaza, you literally feel people moving closer to the Mediterranean because the IDF occupies more and more of the territory. So that means people are living in more crowded conditions where, of course, this threat between humans of a virus is much more prone to spread.”

UNKNOWN LOCATION, GAZA (NOVEMBER 7, 2026) (UNICEF - Do not obscure UNICEF credit)

13.⁠ ⁠WOMAN WADING BETWEEN PARTLY SUBMERGED SHELTERS

14.⁠ ⁠YELLOW-AND-WHITE TENT ENTRANCE SURROUNDED BY WATER

15.⁠ ⁠FLOODED LIVING AREA WITH CHAIR, BROOM AND HANGING BLANKETS

16.⁠ ⁠BLANKETS AND RUGS DRAPED OVER CORRUGATED SHELTER WALL

JERUSALEM (NOVEMBER 13, 2026) (UNTV - Access all)

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WHO REPRESENTATIVE IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, REINHILDE VAN DE WEERDT, SAYING:

“Specifically to prevent outbreaks, we really hope to let laboratory equipment enter Gaza today so that we can avoid a public health disaster on top of a disaster.”

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 13, 2026) (UNTV - Access all)

18. PRESS BRIEFING IN PROGRESS