Six newborns have tragically died from hypothermia in Gaza since Sunday, according to health officials, as winter conditions worsen and essential aid remains insufficient. Medical experts warn that more lives will be lost unless immediate action is taken to provide warmth and shelter for displaced families.
Dr. Saeed Salah, medical director at the Patient’s Friends Benevolent Society Hospital in northern Gaza, described the situation as a “disaster,” with more and more babies suffering from extreme cold. In just two weeks, the hospital admitted eight infants with hypothermia, three of whom were placed in intensive care, while three others succumbed to their condition within hours of arrival.
On Tuesday, a fourth infant, just 69 days old, passed away overnight, Dr. Salah confirmed. In the southern city of Khan Younis, two additional babies died from hypothermia at Nasser Hospital, further highlighting the dire conditions. Health workers stress that an urgent influx of tents, fuel, and supplies is necessary to prevent further fatalities.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens Amid Ongoing Conflict
A fragile ceasefire has temporarily halted Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which were launched following Hamas’ October 7 attacks that killed over 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in more than 250 hostages being taken. However, the humanitarian toll on Gaza has been devastating.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, over 48,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, while more than 111,000 have been injured since the war began. The destruction of medical infrastructure has left the population with limited access to healthcare, exacerbating the crisis. The United Nations reports that only 20 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza are partially functional.
While Israel denies blocking aid shipments, Palestinian authorities and humanitarian organizations accuse Israeli forces of severely restricting the entry of life-saving supplies. On February 14, Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated that 4,200 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza in a single week, carrying essential items like food, medicine, fuel, and shelter supplies. However, medical professionals argue that these efforts remain insufficient.
Newborns Face Extreme Risks in Freezing Conditions
Inside Nasser Hospital, a Palestinian mother held her two-month-old son, Yousaf Al-Najjar, as she tried to warm his tiny, frail body. “He has become like a skeleton,” she said, describing the harsh living conditions in her tent, where she shelters with 15 relatives.
Dr. Fida’a Al-Nadi, a pediatrician at the hospital, explained that baby Yousaf was born prematurely and weighs only two kilograms, making him extremely vulnerable to hypothermia. “Every day, we see children suffering from the cold. Many of them do not survive,” she said.
The United Nations estimates that 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced by the war, with many forced to live in makeshift tents or partially destroyed homes. Without electricity, proper insulation, or adequate fuel for heating, newborns and young children are at extreme risk of developing life-threatening conditions, including respiratory infections and frostbite.
A Preventable Tragedy
Medical and humanitarian organizations say these deaths could have been avoided if sufficient aid had reached Gaza. Fikr Shalltoot, director of Medical Aid for Palestinians, described the deaths of these six babies as a “man-made crisis.”
“Newborns should not be dying of hypothermia in Gaza,” Shalltoot stated. “This is not a natural disaster but the direct result of restricted humanitarian aid. If hospitals had enough shelter supplies, fuel, and resources, these deaths would not be happening.”
As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens, aid workers and medical professionals continue to urge the international community to act swiftly, warning that without urgent intervention, more vulnerable infants will lose their lives in the coming weeks.
