The humanitarian situation in Gaza entered the new year under heavy strain after a Palestinian child was killed in northern Gaza on Thursday, according to medical and regional security sources. The development comes as aid access remains restricted and international relief groups face new operational limits imposed by Israel.
A medical source at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed the child as Youssef Ahmed al-Shandaghli, saying he lost his life in the Jabalia an-Nazla area, specifically Jabalia an-Nazla’s Jabalia an-Nazla neighborhood. Officials noted that the details around the incident are still unclear, and a formal investigation has not yet produced public clarification.
The incident follows a ceasefire mediated by the United States in October 2025, but clashes and strikes in Gaza have continued since the agreement took effect. According to international monitoring reports, the conflict has resulted in more than 400 Palestinian fatalities since October, along with a large number of injuries. Aid deliveries, including tents, blankets, and winter-grade shelter supplies, remain limited, deepening hardship for displaced communities.
Winter Conditions Add Pressure
Local media also reported a young girl died in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, where families have faced extreme winter conditions. In a separate update, the Palestinian Civil Defence said it recovered a mother and child after a tent fire in central Gaza City’s Yarmouk district. Rescue teams continue operating despite shortages in equipment and infrastructure access.
More than 500,000 residents are now living in temporary camps or improvised shelters, after entire neighborhoods were destroyed during the two-year-plus conflict. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have called for unrestricted entry of winter shelter supplies, citing increasing risks for families, especially children.
UNICEF also issued an update saying that at least five children died in December 2025 due to inadequate shelter access, as supplies for winter protection remained limited. Among the incidents documented was a 7-year-old boy, Ata Mai, who lost his life in late-December flooding after heavy rainfall hit a displacement camp northwest of Gaza City.
UNICEF: “Shelter Is a Basic Right”
UNICEF’s regional director Edouard Beigbeder released a statement stressing that children in Gaza deserve safety and protection, particularly during winter.
“Gaza’s children have carried enough weight already. Access to safe shelter is not a request, it is a right,” Beigbfeder said.
He also warned that the region needs wide-scale entry of life-sustaining aid, including supplies previously restricted.
New Aid Group Restrictions
The humanitarian challenge escalated further on Thursday, when Israel moved to ban several international aid organizations from operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
According to official statements from Israel’s regulatory office, the government revoked 37 operating licenses, citing new compliance rules requiring detailed reporting on staff identities, funding sources, and internal operations. The decision has drawn condemnation from UN officials, who described the move as part of a continuing pattern of illegal limits on humanitarian access.
Aid organizations impacted by the ruling said the restrictions would force them to scale down or pause relief operations, putting critical support systems at risk.
Public Reaction and Diplomatic Context
Western and Middle Eastern monitoring agencies continue observing the situation, as rallies in Istanbul and other global cities have voiced support for Palestinian civilians, urging long-term diplomatic pressure to protect aid corridors and civilian infrastructure.