Gaza newborn dies of hypothermia as Israel continues to block lifesaving aid

A two-week-old infant’s death amid winter storms underscores mounting warnings from UN agencies that blocked shelter, destroyed hospitals, and widespread hunger are making exposure deadly for Gaza’s youngest residents

A two-week-old Palestinian infant has died from hypothermia in Gaza as winter rain and strong winds continue to batter the territory and Israeli restrictions block the entry of tents and other essential shelter supplies, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The child’s death is the latest in a growing number of exposure-related fatalities that humanitarian agencies say are preventable and directly linked to the conditions created by Israel’s prolonged blockade and ongoing military campaign.

Gaza’s Health Ministry announced Tuesday that Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Khair died Monday after his body temperature dropped sharply following prolonged exposure to cold and rain. The infant had sought treatment for severe hypothermia as harsh weather swept across the coastal enclave, where hundreds of thousands of displaced families are living in makeshift tents or overcrowded shelters.

The ministry said Abu al-Khair was one of at least 13 Palestinian children who have died in recent days due to Storm Byron and the heavy rains that followed. Confirmed victims include Rahaf Abu Jazar, eight months old; Hadeel al-Masri, age nine; and Taim al-Khawaja, an infant whose precise age remains unclear. These deaths follow similar incidents during the first two winters of the war, when more than a dozen Palestinians, most of them infants and children, died from exposure.

While Gaza does not experience extreme winter temperatures, experts have noted that hypothermia can be fatal even at temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, particularly in conditions involving prolonged wetness, malnutrition, illness, and lack of shelter. Those conditions have become widespread across Gaza after more than two years of Israeli bombardment, invasion, and siege.

Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum described how the war has stripped families of basic protections. “Families are living in tents on wet ground without heating, electricity or sufficient clothing,” Abu Azzoum said. “When food, fuel, shelter and aid are banned, cold absolutely becomes lethal.”

Israel’s military campaign has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, with more than 80 percent of structures damaged or destroyed, forcing hundreds of thousands of families to take refuge in flimsy tents or overcrowded shelters. A powerful storm that recently struck the territory killed at least 11 people as torrential rains flooded tents and caused already-damaged buildings to collapse.

Displaced parents describe desperate attempts to keep their children warm. “We try to dry the children’s clothes over the fire,” said Umm Mohammed Assaliya, a mother sheltering in Gaza City. “There are no spare clothes for them. I am exhausted. The tent we were given cannot withstand winter conditions. We need blankets.”

Humanitarian agencies say these conditions are inseparable from Israel’s blockade on Gaza, which has been in place since 2007 and was tightened further following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack. Although a fragile truce is currently in effect, what Israeli officials previously described as a “complete siege” remains largely intact, severely restricting the entry of shelter materials, fuel, food, and medical supplies.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has said the Israeli government is blocking it from bringing aid directly into Gaza, despite UNRWA being widely recognized as best positioned to distribute assistance inside the territory. In a statement posted Tuesday, the agency said, “People have reportedly died due to the collapse of damaged buildings where families were sheltering. Children have reportedly died from exposure to the cold.”

“This must stop. Aid must be allowed in at scale, now,” UNRWA added.

The broader health consequences of the blockade are increasingly severe. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said Tuesday that “94 percent of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, leaving pregnant women and newborns without essential care.” The agency added that “the Israeli blockade has also prevented the entry of objects indispensable to the survival of civilians, including medical supplies and nutrients required to sustain pregnancies and ensure safe childbirth.”

UNICEF officials have also warned of worsening conditions inside displacement camps. Jonathan Crickx, UNICEF’s communications chief, described visiting one such camp this week. “Everything was completely damp… The mattresses were wet; the children’s clothes were wet,” he said. “It’s extremely difficult to live in those conditions.”

Crickx also warned of public health risks, saying, “With the very poor hygiene conditions and very limited sanitation system available, we are extremely concerned to see the spreading of waterborne diseases.”

Hunger remains a critical factor amplifying vulnerability, especially among children and newborns. OHCHR cited at least 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, who have died from malnutrition since October 2023. Experts referenced in the reporting describe the crisis as the result of a deliberately planned starvation campaign. Malnutrition, medical shortages, and repeated displacement leave infants particularly susceptible to cold and illness.

The scale of human loss in Gaza continues to grow. Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 70,667 Palestinians, though experts say the true toll is likely much higher. More than 170,000 people have been wounded, and approximately 9,500 others are missing and presumed dead beneath rubble. The overwhelming majority of Gaza’s more than two million residents have been forcibly displaced, often multiple times.

International legal scrutiny has intensified alongside the humanitarian collapse. Arrest warrants issued last year by the International Criminal Court accuse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including forced starvation and murder.

The infant’s death also comes as a ceasefire agreement reached in October shows signs of strain. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 393 Palestinians have been killed and 1,074 wounded in Israeli attacks since the first full day of the ceasefire on October 11. Over the weekend, the Israeli military killed senior Hamas leader Raed Saad in a targeted strike in western Gaza City.

Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad accused Israel of violating the ceasefire’s terms. “We want to make it absolutely clear: the ceasefire agreement is straightforward, detailed, and unambiguous. However, it’s evident that the Israeli occupation has distorted the text, manipulating and violating every single article,” Hamad said. “Since day one, Hamas has fully abided by the agreement and honored its commitments. In contrast, Israel has deliberately committed several systematic and preplanned breaches.”

As winter storms continue and aid restrictions remain in place, humanitarian agencies warn that more deaths from exposure are likely unless conditions change. UNRWA’s message was stark. “This must stop. Aid must be allowed in at scale, now.”