Gaza Herald – Gaza’s Ministry of Health confirmed that another child has died from severe cold exposure, bringing the number of children who have succumbed to freezing conditions since the start of winter to 11. The death underscores the deepening humanitarian collapse as displaced families remain trapped in tents with no protection from harsh weather.
Zaher Al-Waheidi, Director of the Information Unit at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, told Gaza Herald that children are the most vulnerable to cold-related deaths, particularly newborns and infants. He explained that many of the victims were born prematurely or with low birth weight, conditions that significantly weaken their ability to regulate body temperature.
“Infants in their first days of life have a larger body surface area relative to their weight,” al-Waheidi said. “This makes them far more exposed to cold, especially in Gaza, where most families are living in tents that offer no insulation or protection.”
He stressed that in such conditions, constant physical contact with the mother is critical for survival. “If the baby is not held close to the mother’s body, the risk of death rises sharply,” he warned, noting that displacement and overcrowded shelters make this basic form of protection difficult to maintain.
Al-Waheidi linked premature births and low birth weight directly to maternal malnutrition during pregnancy, caused by food shortages and anemia. “Poor nutrition leads to early labor, low-weight infants, miscarriages, and long-term health complications,” he said, adding that even children who survive cold exposure may suffer lifelong issues such as sepsis and organ dysfunction.
The human cost of the crisis is reflected in the testimony of Mohammed Tottah, a father who lost two infant children to the cold in consecutive years. His daughter Reeda died at just under two months old. “Her circulation and breathing stopped,” he said. “I took her to the hospital and spent the entire night holding her in my arms, she was already gone.”
His son Mohammed died the year before after suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. “We took him to Nasser Hospital. He stayed there for three days, then he died,” Tottah said. “Losing two children, one each year, is something I can’t describe. It’s unbearable. I felt my entire life collapse when my children died.”
Health officials warn that without urgent shelter, heating, food, and medical support, more preventable child deaths are inevitable, as winter conditions continue to intersect with famine, displacement, and the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
