Gaza is facing an acute shortage of the most basic hygiene items, with UNRWA warning that something as simple as a bar of soap, bought effortlessly across the world, is now almost impossible to find in the besieged strip. Markets have run dry, and the few remaining supplies are sold at prices far beyond the reach of most families. With crossings sealed since October, hygiene products join food, medicine, and clean water on the long list of essentials choked off by the blockade.

The absence of soap, shampoo, and sanitary pads is particularly devastating in overcrowded shelters and tents, where tens of thousands live in conditions stripped of dignity and health. Without proper hygiene, the risk of disease spreads rapidly, especially among children already weakened by hunger and thirst. Sewage now floods streets and markets, a direct result of power cuts and the fuel ban that has paralysed drainage systems, deepening both health and environmental hazards.

For Gaza’s displaced, the ability to wash hands, bathe, or keep living spaces clean has become a distant memory. The siege has turned the fight against dirt and disease into a daily battle for survival, where even the smallest bar of soap could mean the difference between life and death.