In Gaza, where war has displaced millions, the brutal winter cold is claiming the lives of its youngest residents. Seven children, including newborns, died within a week due to freezing conditions, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Among them was Jumaa al-Batran, a premature infant who succumbed to the cold in a makeshift tent in Deir el-Balah.
Jumaa’s father, Yahya al-Batran, clutched the tiny clothes of his deceased son, expressing his anguish. “We are watching our children die before our eyes,” he said. The family, originally from Beit Lahia, fled Israeli bombardments only to face the lethal grip of the cold. Jumaa’s twin brother, Ali al-Batran, remains in intensive care, while their mother, Noura al-Batran, recovers from the premature birth in a tent made of worn-out blankets and fabric.
The al-Batran family is among thousands living in desperate conditions in a date palm orchard. Nighttime temperatures in Gaza have plummeted to 8°C (46°F), exacerbated by heavy rains. Families struggle to keep warm, often without sufficient blankets or adequate clothing. Noura al-Batran recounted how Jumaa’s skin turned blue as he froze, ultimately leading to his death.
Similar tragedies are unfolding across Gaza. In Khan Yunis, three-week-old Seela al-Fasih died of severe hypothermia in a tent near al-Mawasi beach. Her father, Mahmoud al-Fasih, found her lifeless and rushed her to a hospital designated as a humanitarian zone by Israel. Doctors confirmed she had gone into cardiac arrest due to the cold. Another infant, 20-day-old Aisha al-Qassas, also died in similar circumstances.
Dr. Ahmad Al-Farra, director of the emergency and children’s department at Nasser Hospital, warned of worsening fatalities. He cited the lack of energy, heating sources, and proper shelter as critical threats to displaced families, particularly children, and the elderly. “Life in tents is dangerous due to the cold and the scarcity of resources,” he said.
The Hamas administration in Gaza warned of harsher weather in the coming days, posing a “real threat to two million displaced people.” The United Nations has reported severe shortages of food, fuel, and medicine, with Gaza’s healthcare system nearing collapse. Families, already grappling with bombardments, hunger, and cold, are left with no reprieve. As Mohamed al-Qassas, uncle of one of the deceased infants, put it, “In Gaza, everything leads to death.”
