Gaza Herald – The Gaza Health Ministry announced on Friday that it had recorded the first child death caused by severe cold and dropping temperatures since the beginning of the current winter season. This development highlights the worsening humanitarian situation as families struggle with a sharp shortage of heating means and basic survival necessities.
In a statement, the ministry specified that the victim was Kanan Ahmed Arreeq, aged nine months. He died as a result of a sharp drop in body temperature. The report noted that he was brought to Nasser Medical Complex as a lifeless body on Thursday, having been transferred from the Kuwaiti Hospital.
The ministry clarified that the forensic medicine report confirmed the death was directly caused by severe hypothermia. This finding reflects the extent of suffering faced by children in the strip amid the lack of essential heating equipment and survival resources during the harsh weather conditions.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of catastrophic humanitarian conditions for residents. During the previous winter season, the sector recorded ten deaths resulting from freezing temperatures. These fatalities took place amidst a continued acute shortage of basic needs, underscoring the persistent vulnerability of the population.
Families are facing increasing difficulties in securing heating sources due to the absence of electricity and fuel. This situation exacerbates the fragility of the most at-risk groups, particularly infants and young children who have limited capacity to withstand extreme cold without adequate shelter or warmth.
Field reports indicate that tents and temporary shelters do not provide sufficient protection against the cold. Furthermore, the health sector is suffering from a sharp deficit in capabilities, limiting its ability to respond effectively to emergencies arising from the weather extremes.
Warnings have repeatedly emphasized that continuing under these conditions could lead to more victims, especially among children, unless urgent humanitarian needs are met. The death of Kanan Arreeq stands as the first fatality of this winter but sheds light on broader risks threatening civilian lives across the region.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
