A Palestinian newborn has died from freezing temperatures in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities, as Israel continues to block essential shelter materials and humanitarian aid despite the harsh winter.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that the two-week-old baby, Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Khair, passed away on Monday after being treated for severe hypothermia caused by the extreme cold gripping the enclave.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum said the infant’s death highlights how basic protections in Gaza have been “systematically dismantled” amid Israel’s ongoing war on Palestinians.
“Families are surviving in tents on soaked ground, with no heating, electricity, or proper clothing,” Abu Azzoum said. “When food, fuel, shelter, and aid are blocked, cold becomes deadly.”
Israel’s two-year assault has destroyed more than 80 percent of Gaza’s buildings, forcing countless families into fragile tents or overcrowded makeshift shelters. A powerful storm recently struck the area, killing at least 11 people as heavy rain and strong winds caused tents to flood and damaged structures to collapse.
“We dry the children’s clothes over an open fire,” said Umm Mohammed Assaliya, a displaced mother in Gaza City. “We have no spare clothes. I am exhausted. The tent we were given can’t withstand winter. We need blankets.”
Humanitarian agencies continue to urge Israel to allow unrestricted aid into Gaza.
UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, said Israel has prevented it from delivering aid directly into the enclave.
“Families are dying when damaged buildings collapse. Children are dying from exposure to the cold,” UNRWA warned on Tuesday. “This must stop. Aid must be allowed in at scale—now.”
Hamas condemns Israeli ceasefire violations
Hamas has also accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement that began in October. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 393 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,000 wounded since the first full day of the truce on October 11.
Israel further escalated tensions by killing senior Hamas leader Raed Saad in a targeted strike on a vehicle in western Gaza City on Saturday.
Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad accused Israel of “manipulating” the US-brokered agreement.
“The ceasefire terms are clear and detailed, but Israel has twisted the text and violated every part of it,” Hamad said. “Hamas has followed the agreement from day one, while Israel has committed deliberate and systematic breaches.”