Israel's ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip has left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians vulnerable to infectious disease.

Health workers are already stretched thin and the rainy season is only making conditions worse. Evacuation facilities have been flooded with rainwater, drenching civilians who have fled the fighting.

"My daughter was soaked with rainwater while she was sleeping," said one evacuee. "Her blankets were wet. But we have no drinking water, food or medicine."

On Wednesday, Gaza health authorities said they'd confirmed over 320,000 cases of infectious illness. Overcrowding and poor sanitation have made shelters a hotbed for disease and wet conditions are threatening to make even more people sick.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is heading to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House says he'll press for more aid to be allowed into Gaza to alleviate the situation.

Sullivan is expected to call on Israel to open up the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. It's currently used to screen aid supplies. But the US says more could be delivered directly from Israel.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will also visit Israel next week to discuss military aid and other issues.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces are continuing an operation in the southern city of Khan Younis. They're hunting for the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who's believed to be hiding underground.

Multiple US media outlets are reporting the Israeli military is pumping seawater into a vast tunnel complex. Israel has not yet commented.

As the fight drags on, a recent poll suggests Hamas is gaining popularity in Gaza and the West Bank. The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found over 70 percent of Palestinians believe Hamas's decision to attack Israel on October 7th was "correct." 60 percent of respondents said they think Hamas should control the Gaza Strip after the fighting ends.