At least six infants have died from hypothermia in the past two weeks in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering in makeshift camps and damaged buildings amid a fragile ceasefire, Palestinian medics reported Tuesday.
Gaza’s cold, wet winters bring temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius (50°F) at night, with strong storms rolling in from the Mediterranean Sea. The past few days have been particularly harsh.
Yusuf al-Shinbari woke just after midnight on Tuesday to find his 2-month-old daughter, Sham, lifeless in their tent.
“Yesterday, I was playing with her,” he said. “I was happy with her. She was a beautiful child, like the moon.”
Dr. Ahmed al-Farah, head of the pediatric department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirmed that Sham had no pre-existing illness and died due to exposure. Two other infants were treated for frostbite.
At the Patient’s Friends Hospital in Gaza City, Saeed Salah reported five additional deaths of infants aged one month or younger in the last two weeks, including a 1-month-old who died Monday. Another child is currently on a ventilator.
According to Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the Gaza Health Ministry’s records department, at least 15 children have died from hypothermia this winter.
While the ceasefire has allowed an influx of humanitarian aid—primarily food—residents say blankets and warm clothing remain in short supply, and firewood is scarce.
“There’s no central electricity, fuel for generators is nearly impossible to find, and many families sleep on damp sand or bare concrete,” said Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for UNICEF. “It’s incredibly cold. I have no clue how people manage to sleep in these makeshift tents.”
The war between Israel and Hamas, triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has left much of Gaza in ruins. Many of the displaced have returned to northern Gaza under the ceasefire, settling among the wreckage.
The first phase of the ceasefire is set to expire on Saturday, with no guarantee of an extension. If hostilities resume, the already limited flow of humanitarian aid could be further restricted.
Even if peace holds, rebuilding remains uncertain. The World Bank estimates reconstruction costs to exceed $50 billion, with years needed just to clear debris.
Israel attributes the destruction in Gaza to Hamas’ strategy of embedding military infrastructure within civilian areas. Hamas, in turn, accuses Israel of blocking essential aid, including mobile homes and tents—claims Israel denies.
The war began after Hamas-led militants killed approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and took around 250 hostages in their Oct. 7 attack. More than 60 remain captive, with about half believed to be deceased.
Israel’s military campaign has since killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not specify how many were militants. Israel claims to have eliminated over 17,000 Hamas fighters but has not provided evidence.
