Six Babies Die from Cold in Gaza Over Two Weeks, Say Medics
At least six newborns have died in Gaza over the past two weeks due to freezing temperatures and a lack of adequate shelter and heating, according to Palestinian medics and health officials.
Doctors at the Patient's Friends Benevolent Society (PFBS) hospital in Gaza City reported that nine newborns suffering from cold-related conditions had been admitted, with five of them succumbing to their injuries. Another baby remains in critical condition.
In the south of Gaza, near Khan Younis, the family of a two-month-old girl said she had died from exposure to the cold overnight.
The PFBS hospital has called for urgent humanitarian aid, including caravans and fuel, to support the estimated 945,000 displaced Palestinians living in makeshift tents and shelters.
Hamas has accused Israel of failing to allow the agreed-upon delivery of essential shelter supplies, including tents and mobile homes, during a ceasefire that began five weeks ago. Israel has denied the claims.
Since the start of the 16-month war between Israel and Hamas, most of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been displaced multiple times. Approximately 70% of buildings in the territory have been damaged or destroyed.
The ongoing conflict has also devastated Gaza’s healthcare system, with only 18 out of 35 hospitals partially operational and severe shortages of medical equipment. Night-time temperatures in Gaza have regularly dropped below 10°C (50°F) in the past two weeks, reaching as low as 3°C (37°F) on Monday.
Medical Reports on Infant Deaths
Dr. Saeed Salah, the PFBS hospital’s medical director, warned in a recent video that three newborns suffering from hypothermia had died. He noted that the babies were just one or two days old, weighing between 1.7kg and 2kg (3.7–4.4lbs).
On Tuesday, Dr. Salah and pediatrician Dr. Samer Lubad confirmed the deaths of two additional newborns.
"In the last several weeks, we had nine neonates admitted with what we call 'cold injury' or hypothermia," Dr. Lubad told Al Jazeera. "Three survived and were successfully treated and discharged. One baby remains in critical condition in our neonatal ICU."
He attributed these medical emergencies to the lack of safe shelters, heating, and electricity in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the head of the pediatric department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis told the Associated Press that it had received the body of a two-month-old girl who died of hypothermia on Tuesday.
A video shared by a local journalist showed the girl’s father and uncle burying her. The father said her name was Sham Yousef al-Shambari and that she had been healthy before her sudden death. According to him, her mother found her "stiff as wood from the cold" when she tried to wake her for feeding in their tent in the al-Mawasi area.
Humanitarian Concerns and Political Disputes
Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, director general of the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, stated that at least 15 children had died from the cold since the beginning of winter. He accused Israel of violating humanitarian agreements by restricting the entry of essential supplies, including medical equipment, heating materials, and shelter.
Hamas has previously claimed that Israel was supposed to allow in 300,000 tents and 60,000 caravans under a six-week ceasefire agreement that began on January 19.
However, Israel's military body, COGAT, asserted that it has met its obligations, permitting 4,200 humanitarian aid trucks per week to enter Gaza, including those carrying shelter materials. "Based on the data available to us, hundreds of thousands of tents have entered Gaza since the agreement took effect," a COGAT statement said.
The humanitarian crisis continues amid uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire, which is set to expire on Saturday.
On Sunday, Israel postponed the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 10 hostages freed by Hamas, accusing the group of using hostages for political leverage. Hamas condemned Israel's move as a "blatant" breach of the deal and linked future negotiations to the release of the prisoners.
Background on the Conflict
The war began after Hamas launched a cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
In response, Israel initiated a military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 48,348 people have been killed in the territory since the conflict began.
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