A severe cold snap in the Gaza Strip has claimed the lives of at least six infants. Medical officials reported on February 25, 2025, that newborns die from hypothermia as freezing temperatures worsen conditions for displaced families. Many live in makeshift shelters without proper heating.
Dr. Ahmed al-Farah of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed that newborns die from hypothermia due to extreme cold. He reported receiving the body of a two-month-old girl and treating two other infants for frostbite. Meanwhile, Saeed Saleh, director of the Patient’s Friends Hospital in Gaza City, stated that five infants—each one month old or younger—had died recently from hypothermia. Another infant remains on a ventilator. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 15 children have died from hypothermia this winter.
The crisis has intensified due to a blockade on essential supplies. Despite a ceasefire agreement allowing temporary housing units into Gaza, Israeli authorities have blocked the entry of mobile homes and heavy construction equipment. As a result, hundreds of thousands remain in tents and rubble, exposed to the freezing cold.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not approved the entry of mobile homes and construction tools, a move widely criticized as a potential violation of the ceasefire. The lack of shelter and heating has put displaced families, especially infants and young children, at extreme risk.
Humanitarian organizations are calling for urgent action. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that in less than three weeks, newborns die from hypothermia, raising concerns over worsening conditions. Aid groups stress the need for immediate assistance, including mobile homes, tents, and heating supplies, to prevent further tragedy.
The international community must act now to protect Gaza’s most vulnerable populations from the deadly cold.
