Photo: Israeli troops operating in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, Dec. 24, 2023. Photo courtesy of IDF.
JNS
An Israeli soldier has died after being infected by a dangerous type of fungus found in the soil of the Gaza Strip, Kan reported on Tuesday, Dec. 26.
The soldier was transported to Assuta Ashdod Medical Center two weeks ago, suffering from serious limb wounds infected by the fungus. The medical staff attempted every treatment possible, including experimental treatments from abroad, and brought in experts, but the fungus proved resistant and eventually overtook his organs, resulting in his death.
There are around 10 other soldiers who have been infected with the deadly strain in Gaza, according to professor Galia Rahab, chairperson of the Infectious Diseases Association and former director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Sheba Hospital. Rabab told Kan that these fungi were not seen in previous wars in the Gaza Strip and that the source may have been soil contaminated by sewage. It is unknown whether there is a connection to Hamas’s tunnel network, and the matter is under investigation.
The Infectious Diseases Association plans to hold an emergency discussion on the fungus along with Israel Defense Forces epidemiology experts.
