Eight-month-old infant passes away from severe cold in Gaza

(MENAFN) According to reports, an eight-month-old Palestinian girl lost her life on Thursday due to extreme cold in Khan Younis, where displaced families continue to endure harsh winter conditions after two years of Israeli military actions. The child, Rahaf Abu Jazar, died as temperatures dropped sharply while families sheltered in fragile tents unable to keep out the cold.

Local health authorities confirmed the incident and cautioned that additional deaths may occur among vulnerable groups. Munir al-Bursh, head of Gaza’s Health Ministry, stated that “Low temperatures are ravaging children, the elderly and the sick,” describing severe cases of shivering, loss of body heat, respiratory deterioration, and threats to survival. He noted that damp, flooded tents create “a perfect environment” for pneumonia and respiratory illnesses, with many people unable to access medication or medical support.

Reports from Civil Defense teams indicate that heavy rainfall has inundated several displacement camps across the region, including areas in al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, al-Bassa and al-Baraka in Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat’s Central Market zone, and the Yarmouk and Port (al-Mina) districts. Entire communities have been engulfed by rising water, and tents have been swept away despite repeated humanitarian pleas for immediate assistance.

Civil Defense described the scenes as “tragic,” saying “Displaced citizens, with their children and women, are drowning now.” A spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, reported receiving more than 2,500 emergency calls in the past 24 hours from families whose shelters were flooded during the storm.

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