Fourth Baby Freezes to Death in Gaza amid Israel’s Genocidal War
Middle East Monitor 12/28/2024
( Middle East Monitor ) – Another baby in Gaza has died from the severe cold today, becoming the fourth infant fatality linked to freezing temperatures in just 72 hours, amid Israel’s ongoing military onslaught against the enclave.
The baby succumbed to the harsh weather as a result of the dire living conditions in Gaza, where destroyed homes and infrastructure leave residents exposed to harsh weather, local health authorities confirmed.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the ongoing Israeli aggression since October 2023 has left thousands of families without adequate shelter, food, or medical care, contributing to worsening health crises. Over 45,436 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 108,038 injured since October 2023, officials said.
It comes after a three-week-old baby girl died in a tent encampment in Al-Mawasi in the southern city of Khan Yunis on Wednesday, Dr Munir Al-Bursh, the director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry, said on his X account.
Sela Mahmoud Al-Fasih “froze to death from the extreme cold,” he explained.
“Frozen Angel,” Digital, Dream / Dreamland v3 / IbisPaint, 2024
Moreover, Dr Ahmed Al-Farra of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported two additional deaths on Tuesday.
“A three-day-old baby and another baby, less than a month old, both died after a severe temperature drop,” he said.
The suffering has become particularly extreme in Khan Yunis, where many Palestinians displaced by over 14 months of indiscriminate attacks have sought refuge in makeshift camps.
“The tents do not protect from the cold, and it gets very cold at night, with no way to keep warm,” Al-Farra explained. Newborns face heightened risks as malnutrition among mothers reduces the quality of milk they can provide.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen as Israel’s strikes continue unabated, displacing over 90 per cent of the population, many repeatedly. Despite appeals from the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire and warnings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) about preventing genocide, the assaults persist.