Khan younis: An eight-month-old Palestinian infant died on Thursday from severe cold in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, amid worsening winter conditions faced by displaced families following a two-year Israeli genocide. The baby, identified as Rahaf Abu Jazar, succumbed to the sharp drop in temperatures as families sheltered in fragile, makeshift tents.
According to Anadolu Agency, the head of the Health Ministry in Gaza, Munir al-Bursh, confirmed the infant's death and warned of the potential for more fatalities among children, the elderly, and patients due to the cold in rain-soaked tents. He described the harsh conditions, including severe shivering, loss of body heat, respiratory deterioration, and potential death. Al-Bursh emphasized the risk of pneumonia and respiratory infections in the humid and stagnant water conditions inside the tents, compounded by a lack of medicine and medical care.
Gaza's Civil Defense reported that entire camps have been submerged by rainwater, including areas in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, al-Bassa, and al-Baraka in Deir al-Balah, the Central Market in Nuseirat, and the Yarmouk and Port (al-Mina) areas. The Civil Defense highlighted the dire situation, noting that heavy rainfall has swept away tents despite repeated humanitarian appeals for intervention. Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal revealed that more than 2,500 distress calls were received in the past 24 hours from displaced families whose tents were flooded.
The Civil Defense evacuated dozens of tents in Rafah after they were completely submerged. Basal warned that more than 250,000 families in displacement camps are vulnerable to cold weather and rainwater in their deteriorating tents.
Earlier this week, the Gaza media office had forewarned of a polar low-pressure system affecting the enclave, threatening hundreds of thousands of displaced families. Since Wednesday, thousands of tents have turned into pools of water, soaking bedding, clothing, and food supplies, leaving Palestinian families exposed to the cold without warmth or shelter.
According to earlier data, Gaza requires approximately 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet basic shelter needs following the destruction of infrastructure over two years of war. The UN estimates the cost of reconstructing Gaza at about $70 billion. Israel has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000 in Gaza since October 2023, with the assault halting under a ceasefire deal that took effect two months ago.