Gaza Herald_ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported a sharp rise in respiratory infections across the Gaza Strip as freezing winter conditions collide with the catastrophic humanitarian reality created by Israel’s war and blockade.
In a statement released Friday, MSF confirmed the death of a 29-day-old infant at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. The baby died just two hours after being admitted to the MSF-supported pediatric ward. Medical staff attempted emergency treatment but were unable to save the child.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the infant died from acute hypothermia caused by a dangerous drop in body temperature. His death raises to 13 the number of Palestinians who have died after being hospitalized due to the recent cold wave and extreme weather conditions sweeping the enclave.
Displacement and Exposure Fuel a Health Crisis
MSF warned that the combination of severe winter weather and collapsing living conditions is dramatically increasing health risks, particularly for children under the age of five. Medical teams continue to register alarming numbers of respiratory infections and expect cases to rise further as winter deepens.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain forcibly displaced, living in fragile tents and makeshift shelters that offer little protection from rain, wind, and cold. Heavy rainfall and violent storms have flooded many of these shelters, leaving families exposed to freezing temperatures with no adequate heating or insulation.
Aid Blocked as Cold Turns Deadly
MSF stressed that the worsening crisis is directly linked to Israel’s continued restrictions on humanitarian aid. The organization called on Israeli authorities to immediately allow a significant increase in the entry of essential supplies, including shelter materials, medical aid, and winter necessities.
Earlier this week, Gaza’s Civil Defense issued an urgent warning that the intense cold wave poses a deadly threat to children, especially those living in tents without heating, blankets, or proper clothing.
Families across Gaza face acute shortages of basic winter supplies after their homes were destroyed and they were forcibly displaced. Many are now surviving in conditions that humanitarian agencies say are incompatible with life.
Ceasefire Violations and Unmet Commitments
Gaza’s government media office has repeatedly accused Israel of failing to uphold its obligations under the October 10 ceasefire agreement, particularly its humanitarian provisions. These include commitments to allow the entry of shelter materials and the delivery of approximately 300,000 tents and mobile homes for displaced families, supplies that have yet to arrive.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 70,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 171,100 others. Although large-scale bombardment paused following the ceasefire, the humanitarian crisis continues to claim lives through exposure, disease, and deprivation.
