Another Palestinian infant falls prey to extreme cold weather in Gaza

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Another Palestinian infant has died in the Gaza Strip after exposure to extreme cold weather, the territory’s Health Ministry said Thursday, as a severe cold spell continues to claim lives amid dire living conditions.

In a statement, the ministry said one-month-old Saeed Asaad Abideen died as a result of a sharp drop in temperatures.

His death brought to 13 the number of people who have died after being admitted to hospitals due to the recent cold wave and extreme weather conditions across Gaza.

On Wednesday, Gaza’s Civil Defense warned that an intense cold wave threatens the lives of children, as many families lack adequate shelter and heating amid the worsening humanitarian conditions due to Israel’s genocide in the enclave.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are living in extremely difficult conditions after their homes were destroyed and they were forcibly displaced. Many families are sheltering in tents or makeshift structures, facing acute shortages of blankets, heating supplies and winter clothing as temperatures drop.

Gaza’s government media office has repeatedly accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations under the Oct. 10 ceasefire and its humanitarian protocol, including the entry of shelter materials and the delivery of 300,000 tents and mobile homes for displaced families.

Israel has killed nearly 70,700 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,100 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023, before the assault came to a halt under the ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10.