As winter tightens its grip in Gaza, freezing temperatures and widespread displacement have wrought a silent emergency.
At least 10 children have died from exposure since the beginning of winter, according to a statement by Gaza’s Ministry of Health on 22 January. Most were infants, living with their families in tents, shelters or damaged shelters offering little protection from the cold. Despite parents’ tireless efforts to keep these children warm through the night, the cold has proved stronger.
Among them was three-month-old Shaza Abu Jarad, the youngest of seven children. Her family lives in a room that measures less than 100 square feet in a partially damaged house. Their supplies include only two thin mattresses, two worn blankets and three pillows. They do not have winter clothing or heating or any electricity at night.
Health officials say Shaza’s death is part of a growing and alarming pattern.
“We are seeing a noticeable increase in the number of children arriving at Gaza’s hospitals due to severe cold spells, along with the spread of viruses and bacteria,” said Zaher Al-Wuheidi in an interview with CNEWA’s ONE magazine.
Mr. Al-Wuheidi, who heads the health information unit at Gaza’s Ministry of Health in Gaza, explained that poor living conditions — especially for displaced families living in tents or damaged buildings — are directly contributing to rising illness and death among children. The health system is barely functioning, he said.
“There is a severe shortage of medicines, medical equipment and laboratory testing. In many cases, we cannot even diagnose the exact cause of death,” he said.
International organizations have echoed these concerns. In a Winterization Situation Update published on 20 January, UNICEF warns that children in Gaza are facing “a winter no child should face.”
“Night-time temperatures drop to 8-11 degrees Celsius [46-52 F], leaving thousands of children unprotected in inadequate shelter,” the report states. It also notes nearly one million people in Gaza still lack adequate shelter while repeated winter storms have destroyed or damaged thousands of makeshift tents, diminishing the ability of families to cope.
“Malnutrition — especially among infants and young children — has left many physically weakened, with compromised immune systems that make them acutely vulnerable to disease,” the report continues. “In these conditions, cold temperatures sharply increase the risks of hypothermia, respiratory infections and waterborne illnesses, particularly where children sleep on wet ground or in shelters soaked through by winter storms.”
A separate U.N. report from Geneva, published on 2 January, says Gaza’s aid lifelines are “under severe strain.”
Despite large-scale aid efforts, including the distribution of blankets, winter clothing and tents, humanitarian agencies acknowledge that assistance has not kept pace with the need.
Shaza’s parents, Muhammad and Makram, say their faith helps to sustain them.
“My faith always drives me to be patient,” Mr. Abu Jarad said. “I feel as though God’s light shines in our hearts, and that Shaza will be a bird in Paradise.”
“I want God to inspire people to look upon us with compassion,” Mrs. Abu Jarad said. “God is generous and he is everywhere.
“I am only asking for mattresses and blankets. I do not want to lose another child.”