The Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that the death toll of Palestinian infants due to severe cold and lack of shelter has now reached eight, as Israel’s ongoing siege continues to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced today that another infant has tragically died from the extreme cold, bringing the total number of children who have lost their lives due to the freezing temperatures to eight. This comes as Israel’s suffocating siege and ongoing military aggression against the Strip have now continued for over 15 months, leaving millions of Palestinians in unbearable conditions.
The latest victim, identified as 35-day-old Yusuf Ahmad Anwar Kloub, succumbed to the harsh weather conditions in Gaza. His death underscores the dire situation faced by infants and vulnerable populations as winter sets in, with no relief in sight.
In an interview with local media, Gaza Municipality spokesperson Hosni Mahna highlighted the increasing suffering of displaced families in the city as cold waves and heavy rainfall intensify.
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The blockade, which has greatly worsened since October 27, 2023, has compounded these conditions. Restrictions on the entry of essential goods, including fuel and cooking gas, have forced the population to rely on burning wood and debris from destroyed homes, further endangering their lives.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has raised alarms over the rising number of child fatalities in Gaza due to the cold and lack of shelter. A recent UNRWA report revealed that at least 7 newborns have already perished, and 7,700 other newborns are lacking critical life-saving care.
Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) condemned Israel’s continuous assaults on health infrastructure, notably the repeated attacks on the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, which has been hit at least 50 times since the beginning of Israel’s ground invasion in October 2024. The hospital has been rendered nearly nonfunctional, adding to the already strained healthcare system.
Amidst this crisis, the displaced population in Gaza — estimated at nearly 2 million people — is living in tents made of flimsy materials such as nylon and fabric, which provide little protection from the elements. Many of these displaced families were forced to leave their homes in northern Gaza, which were destroyed in Israeli airstrikes, and sought refuge in the southern regions of the Strip.
The ongoing siege, supported by the US, has contributed to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with over 154,000 Palestinians — the majority of them women and children — either dead or injured since the genocidal war began on October 7, 2023. More than 11,000 people are still missing, adding to the trauma and despair that has gripped the population.
(PC, AA, AJA)
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