Gaza: Five Palestinian infants die from extreme cold amid Israeli siege

The director of a hospital in the Gaza Strip stated that five Palestinian newborns have tragically died due to the severe cold in the war-torn and besieged Gaza Strip, as Israel continues to delay the delivery of mobile homes and tents intended for displaced families. This underscores the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the threat to the survival of vulnerable populations.

Dr. Saed Salah, director of the Patient's Charitable Hospital, revealed to the media on Monday that the neonatal intensive care unit had received nine cases in the past two weeks, all suffering from serious health problems due to the harsh weather. These cases originated from northern Gaza, where residents mostly live in makeshift tents made of tattered cloth, exposed to the elements, and without heating. One child remains in intensive care, reliant on a ventilator for survival, while three others have recovered and been discharged.

Dr. Salah pointed out that the five deceased infants were between one day and two weeks old. "Three babies died within hours of being admitted. They were very small, weighing between 1.7 and 2 kilograms," he said. The infants suffered complications such as respiratory failure, liver failure, hypotension, and cyanosis due to the harsh weather. He also noted that some of the cases admitted to the hospital had extremely low body temperatures, as low as 32 to 33 degrees Celsius.

According to local media reports, another infant also tragically died due to the severe weather. Sham Yousef Shambari, only 60 days old, passed away on Tuesday morning due to the cold inside her family's tent in the Al-Mawasi area south of Khan Younis. Dr. Salah urged relevant authorities and the international community to provide immediate assistance, including mobile homes, tents, and fuel, to ensure warmth for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by Israel's widespread destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure.

Under a ceasefire agreement reached last month, Israel agreed to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, including allowing the delivery of 60,000 mobile homes and 200,000 tents. However, to date, Israel has not fulfilled its commitments, allowing only the delivery of 20,000 tents and a small number of mobile homes, none of which were designated for civilians. The United Nations has stated that at least 1.9 million people, approximately 90% of Gaza's population, have been displaced in the besieged enclave during Israel's war on Gaza. The Ministry of Public Works and Housing estimates that up to 92% of residential units in the Gaza Strip have been severely damaged or destroyed by Israel's 15-month-long bombardment.