Gaza Newborn Dies of Hypothermia as Israel Continues to Block Lifesaving Aid

Yet another infant has died from hypothermia in Gaza as winter rain and wind continued to lash the embattled Palestinian exclave on Tuesday amid Israel's blockage of tents and other essential goods from the coastal strip.

Gaza's Health Ministry announced the death of 2-week-old Mohammed Khalil Abu al-Khair, who died Monday after his body temperature plummeted due to exposure as cold, heavy rains, and fierce winds continued to batter the strip. Storm conditions have exacerbated the suffering of residents already weakened by more than two years of Israeli bombardment, invasion, and siege.

The ministry said that al-Khair was one of at least 13 Palestinian children who have died in recent days due to Storm Byron and subsequent rains. Confirmed victims include Rahaf Abu Jazar, age 8 months; Hadeel al-Masri, age 9; and Taim al-Khawaja, an infant whose precise age is unclear.

The renewed hypothermia deaths follow those of more than a dozen Palestinians—most of them infants and children—who died from exposure during the first two winters of the Gaza genocide. While the strip does not experience severe winters, experts have noted that hypothermia can be deadly at temperatures over 60°F (15°C) in overexposed conditions such as those in Gaza.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007, which it tightened even further following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack. This "complete siege" remains in place despite some loosening during the current tenuous truce, and has contributed to widespread starvation and sickness in the strip.

Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 70,667 Palestinians in Gaza, although experts contend the actual toll is likely far higher. More than 170,000 Palestinians have been wounded and approximately 9,500 others are missing and presumed dead and buried beneath rubble. Meanwhile, the overwhelmingly majority of Gaza's more than 2 million people have been forcibly displaced, usually more than once.

Noting the official death toll, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Tuesday that "94% of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, leaving pregnant women and newborns without essential care."

“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,” the agency added.

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) communications chief Jonathan Crickx on Tuesday described a visit to one displaced persons camp in Gaza.

“Everything was completely damp... The mattresses were wet; the children’s clothes were wet," he recounted. "It’s extremely difficult to live in those conditions.”

“With the very poor hygiene conditions and very limited sanitation system available, we are extremely concerned to see the spreading of waterborne diseases," Crickx added.

Hunger remains a serious issue as well, with OHCHR citing the at least 463 Palestinians—including 157 children—who have died from malnutrition since October 2023 in what experts say is a deliberately planned Israeli starvation campaign.

The 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.