Baby dies of cold as winter hits displaced Gazans amid Israeli attacks

An eight-month-old Palestinian infant has tragically died due to extreme cold in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis, as displaced families continue to endure harsh winter conditions compounded by the ongoing impacts of a two-year Israeli offensive.

The baby, named Rahaf Abu Jazar, died on Thursday as the temperature in the area plummeted sharply, amid worsening winter conditions faced by children and families seeking refuge in fragile and makeshift tents.

The head of the Health Ministry in Gaza, Munir al-Bursh, confirmed the death, cautioning that more children, elderly individuals, and patients might succumb to the cold inside rain-soaked tents.

Low temperatures are severely affecting children, the elderly, and those who are unwell, he added, pointing to instances of intense shivering, significant loss of body heat, worsening respiratory conditions, and the risk of fatalities.

Bursh noted that the humidity and stagnant water inside the tents create an ideal environment for pneumonia and respiratory infections to thrive, while patients struggle to access medicine or proper medical care.

The heartbreaking incident comes as several tents housing displaced individuals were submerged by rainwater in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, al-Bassa and al-Baraka in Deir al-Balah, the Central Market area in Nuseirat, and the Yarmouk and Port (al-Mina) areas on Wednesday.

The spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, Mahmoud Basal, said the agency received more than 2,500 distress calls in the past 24 hours from displaced families whose tents were flooded.

The Civil Defense described the conditions unfolding inside the camps as “tragic,” noting that heavy rainfall has washed away tents despite numerous humanitarian appeals for immediate intervention. 

The Civil Defense said it evacuated dozens of tents in Rafah, in the south, after they were completely submerged.

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Basal warned that over 250,000 families residing in displacement camps throughout the territory face significant risks from cold weather and rainwater, as their deteriorating tents offer little protection.

Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem stated that the international community is abandoning the people of Gaza, as Israel persists in striking the coastal region in violation of a ceasefire that has been in place for two months.

“World leaders and the international community continue to abdicate their responsibility, abandoning the people of Gaza and enabling Israel to continue its destructive campaign unabated behind the smokescreen of a ‘ceasefire'," the group said in a post on X.

B’Tselem reported that the majority of Palestinians are facing severe shortages of adequate shelter and essential supplies like food, water, and medicine. Furthermore, Israel is still restricting access for medical teams, humanitarian workers, and foreign journalists to enter Gaza, even after the ceasefire.

“This limits the availability of vital care, conceals reality on the ground and prevents documentation of harm to the population,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that a Palestinian woman was killed and others were injured on Thursday in an Israeli airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

Earlier, the Israeli military shot dead a Palestinian and injured others in al-Mawasi, near Rafah in southern Gaza.

WAFA reported that Israeli forces opened fire near the Flag Roundabout in al-Mawasi on Wednesday night.

Israel has violated the ceasefire more than 700 times since it took effect on October 10, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.

At least 384 Palestinians have also been killed ever since, and approximately 1,000 others sustained injuries.

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