DaysofPal- The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has taken a devastating turn as extreme winter conditions kill more displaced people.
A Palestinian healthcare worker has died due to “extreme” weather conditions, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, highlighting the dire circumstances faced by those living in makeshift shelters.
The body of Al-Hakim Ahmed al-Zaharneh, an employee of the European Gaza Hospital, was discovered inside his tent in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. This tragic incident underscores the severe challenges faced by displaced individuals as temperatures plummet and adequate heating remains scarce.
The situation has become particularly dire for the most vulnerable, with at least four newborns and infants reportedly dying from hypothermia in recent days. These preventable deaths starkly illustrate the desperate and deteriorating conditions facing families and children across Gaza. As temperatures are expected to drop further, there are grave concerns that more children’s lives will be lost to the inhumane conditions that offer no protection from the cold.
Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of pediatric services at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, reported the latest tragedy.
“A three-week-old girl was brought to the emergency room with a severe temperature drop, which led to her death,” he said. This follows two other cases his team handled on Tuesday: a three-day-old baby and another less than a month old, both of whom died after experiencing severe drops in body temperature.
The deaths underscore the dire living conditions faced by displaced Palestinians. “This is due to the fact that they live in tents,” Dr. al-Farra explained, referring to the makeshift camps where many have sought shelter.
“The tents do not protect from the cold, and it gets very cold at night, with no way to keep warm.”
Israel’s military actions have displaced over 90 percent of Gaza’s population, many of them multiple times. The risk to newborns is particularly acute, as Dr. al-Farra noted that many mothers suffer from malnutrition, affecting the quality of breast milk their babies depend on.
One of the victims, Sela Mahmoud Al-Fasih, froze to death in a tent encampment in Al-Mawasi, southern Gaza. Her father, Mahmoud al-Faseeh, described the harrowing conditions: “We sleep on the sand, lack sufficient blankets, and feel the cold within our tent. Only God knows our circumstances. Our situation is extremely challenging.”
The ongoing conflict has severely impacted Gaza’s healthcare system. Dr. al-Farra mentioned that only 20% of neonatal care facilities are operational in the Gaza Strip. Premature infants are dying due to a lack of essential medical equipment, including ventilators, and doctors are forced to prioritize cases to save children’s lives.
The year 2024 has brought unimaginable hardship for families in Gaza. Beyond the constant threat of attacks, many live without adequate shelter, nutrition, or healthcare. Cold injuries, such as frostbite and hypothermia, pose grave risks to young children in tents and other makeshift shelters ill-equipped for freezing weather. For newborns, infants, and medically vulnerable children the danger is even more acute.
The vast majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once since the conflict began on October 7, 2023. Many are now living in tents that offer little protection from the cold, rain, and flooding. The United Nations and other organizations have repeatedly decried the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, as Israeli attacks and blockades severely curtail access to food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies.
The situation has become so dire that a leading United States government organization monitoring food crises worldwide withdrew a new report warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel’s “near-total blockade” after the US requested its retraction123.
As winter progresses and temperatures continue to drop, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the critical needs of those affected by this devastating crisis. The urgent need for adequate shelter, heating, and medical supplies has never been more apparent as Gaza’s residents struggle to survive not only the ongoing conflict but also the unforgiving winter conditions.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=59663
