Critical Aid Needed in Gaza as Children Face Freezing Conditions, MSF Calls for Action from Israel
As the harsh winter weather bears down on the Gaza Strip, humanitarian organizations are raising alarms over the tragic toll it is taking on the youngest and most vulnerable. With reports of babies succumbing to hypothermia and the dire need for adequate shelter, the call for an escalation of humanitarian aid is growing louder amidst ongoing conflict and a blockade that hinders assistance. This crisis not only underscores the dire consequences of the current situation but also highlights the pressing urgency for a coordinated response that prioritizes the welfare of children and families in Gaza.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has sounded the alarm over the alarming rise in mortality rates among infants and children in the Gaza Strip due to the severe winter weather. The humanitarian organization has urged Israeli authorities to ease their blockade, which severely limits the flow of crucial aid into the region as military hostilities continue.
In a recent report, MSF highlighted the heart-wrenching case of a 29-day-old premature baby named Said Asad Abedin, who died from severe hypothermia in Khan Younis under dire living conditions. The organization stated that the combination of winter storms and an already critical humanitarian situation has heightened health risks for the local population.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the death toll from extreme weather reached 13 as of Thursday, with another two-week-old baby, Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Khair, freezing to death due to inadequate shelter and clothing. Ahmed al-Farra, head of the maternity pediatric department at the Nasser Medical Complex, stressed that without immediate provisions like mobile homes and adequate heating for families living in tents, the likelihood of further tragedies among infants remains high.
Bilal Abu Saada, a nursing team supervisor at Nasser Hospital, lamented the unfortunate reality that children are “losing their lives due to a lack of basic items for survival.” He reported that babies arriving at the hospital were in critical condition, battling extreme cold.
In addition to the rising fatalities, MSF has recorded an increase in respiratory infections among children, which pose a significant risk as the cold weather persists. The organization conveyed the urgency of the situation, stating that “as Gaza is battered by heavy rains and storms, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to suffer in flooded and broken makeshift tents.” They implored Israeli authorities to allow a substantial increase in humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering.
Despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis, reports from Palestinian news agency Wafa indicate that Israeli forces are intensifying military operations. On Saturday morning, they demolished buildings and conducted artillery shelling in areas east of Gaza City, with additional gunfire reported in Khan Younis. Recent Israeli strikes on shelters for displaced Palestinians resulted in casualties, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation.
As winter storms have wreaked havoc over recent weeks, they have displaced thousands, washing away or demolishing more than 53,000 tents that serve as shelters. With critical infrastructure damaged and the streets flooded, displaced families are compelled to seek refuge in partially collapsed buildings, elevating their risk of harm.
Eman Abu al-Khair, a 34-year-old displaced resident from al-Mawasi, tragically recounted the loss of her baby, Mohammed. Exposed to the harsh conditions of their makeshift living situation, the infant succumbed to hypothermia after they could not access medical care due to impassable roads.
Tragically, since the October 10 ceasefire, aid into Gaza has remained severely restricted, with numerous UN agencies and international organizations calling for immediate action to allow the entry of humanitarian relief. The United Nations has reported that tents and blankets have been blocked, leaving tens of thousands of families vulnerable as they weather the winter storms.
Natasha Hall, a senior advocate for Refugees International, remarked that aid is trickling into Gaza, hampered by an unclear list of controlled items deemed dual-use. The ongoing crisis thus highlights the necessity for a collaborative international response to ensure the welfare and safety of the people in Gaza during this challenging period.
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