The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has taken a devastating toll on its most vulnerable population—children. As winter temperatures continue to plummet and thunderstorms forecast further suffering, a Seventh Palestinian Baby Freezes to Death in Gaza.
With Gaza’s infrastructure shattered and hundreds of thousands displaced, families are struggling to survive, often without adequate shelter or protection from the harsh conditions.
The story of Jumaa al-Batran, a one-month-old infant who froze to death in Deir al-Balah on a cold winter’s day, is a heart-wrenching reminder of the humanitarian crisis facing Gaza’s residents. Her twin brother, Ali, had died from hypothermia just a day earlier, underscoring the devastating impact of the extreme weather on the displaced population.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: A Struggle for Survival
The winter in Gaza is proving to be deadly, with freezing temperatures and heavy rain worsening an already dire situation. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, along with the blockade on Gaza, has left millions of Palestinians in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
Approximately 1.6 million Gazans are currently living in makeshift shelters, with many of them in flood-prone areas that provide little protection from the elements. Half a million people are living in areas that are especially susceptible to flooding, and as temperatures drop, the conditions only become more dangerous.
Families in Gaza, many of whom have already been displaced multiple times throughout the course of the war, have little to no protection against the cold. Many of them are staying in tents, which do little to shield them from the biting winter chill.
The situation is exacerbated by a shortage of basic necessities such as food, clean water, and medical supplies. Humanitarian aid is scarce, and the efforts of international agencies have been inadequate in meeting the growing needs of the people in Gaza.
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The death of Jumaa al-Batran and her twin brother, Ali, due to hypothermia highlights the severity of the crisis. Jumaa’s father described finding his daughter “frozen like ice,” a tragic image that reflects the extreme conditions Gaza’s children are facing. These deaths are part of a disturbing trend, as they represent the sixth and seventh Palestinian babies to die from the cold in Gaza within just a week.
As more rain and thunderstorms are predicted to batter Gaza in the coming days, the situation is expected to worsen. Families who have already been displaced from their homes now face the added threat of flooding, which has already affected many makeshift shelters.
According to reports from Gaza’s civil defense, hundreds of distress calls have been received from families whose shelters have been flooded, leaving them exposed to the elements. In many cases, families have been forced to move to other unsuitable areas that offer even less protection, enduring the harsh winter conditions without shelter or warmth.
International Appeals and Growing Humanitarian Concerns
The international community’s response to the crisis in Gaza has been inadequate, according to local leaders and humanitarian organizations. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a breaking point, with aid agencies warning that the situation is rapidly worsening.
The UN relief agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, has called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of much-needed food and supplies. Without such an agreement, humanitarian efforts will remain severely constrained, and the already dire conditions will continue to spiral out of control.
In addition to the cold and flooding, Gaza’s healthcare system is collapsing under the weight of the conflict. Israeli airstrikes have targeted medical facilities, further exacerbating the suffering of the civilian population. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit Al Wafa Hospital in Gaza City, killing seven people, including medical personnel and patients.
The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted Hamas militants, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. With hospitals becoming battlegrounds, the medical infrastructure is struggling to cope with the overwhelming number of casualties and the lack of resources.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO), described hospitals in Gaza as “battlegrounds,” as the continued attacks on healthcare facilities further undermine the ability to provide life-saving care.
On Friday, Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, detaining over 240 people, including medical staff. The hospital has since been rendered non-operational, leaving the northern region of Gaza with only one small functioning medical facility.
The Israeli military’s actions are drawing heavy criticism from humanitarian organizations, which have called for an immediate ceasefire and for medical access to be restored.
Human rights groups have condemned the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, and have urged the international community to hold those responsible accountable.
Meanwhile, Hamas has called for urgent international relief to address the worsening situation in Gaza. The group has appealed to the United Nations to provide tents, blankets, and relief supplies to protect the hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians. In a statement, Hamas emphasized that the international community has a humanitarian and legal duty to intervene and provide assistance.
However, the political climate surrounding the Gaza conflict has led to a lack of decisive action from the international community. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been compounded by what many see as international impotence in addressing the ongoing conflict. While many world leaders have condemned the violence, few have taken meaningful steps to end the suffering.
The Impact on Gaza’s Children and Families
The deaths of infants like Jumaa and Ali are tragic symbols of the larger humanitarian crisis affecting Gaza’s children. The harsh winter conditions are claiming the lives of more babies, who are unable to survive without the warmth and protection of proper shelter.
Many children in Gaza are only receiving one meal a day, which further weakens their ability to cope with the cold. Families are forced to make do with what little they have, and many are struggling to repair their damaged shelters or find more secure areas to move to.
Sabreen Abu Shanab, a Gaza mother, described her children waking up soaked and freezing after the water from the heavy rainfall seeped into their shelter. With everything soaked—the blankets, pillows, and clothes—her children were left to endure the cold without the protection they desperately needed.
The constant displacement of families in Gaza has created a generation of children who are growing up in a state of perpetual uncertainty. They face not only the immediate threat of violence but also the long-term impacts of trauma, malnutrition, and lack of access to education and healthcare. The long-term effects of such conditions are likely to have lasting repercussions for Gaza’s future.
As the international community watches the tragedy unfold in Gaza, the need for immediate intervention is more urgent than ever. The deaths of babies like Jumaa and Ali cannot be ignored, and the international community must act to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to prevent further loss of life.
let’s enjoy few years on earth with peace and happiness….✍🏼🙏