JERUSALEM (AP) — A three-week-old baby girl froze to death overnight as Israeli forces and Hamas trade accusations over delays to ceasefire negotiations. This is the third infant to die from the cold recently, illustrating the dire conditions within Gaza’s overcrowded tent camps.
Little Sila Mahmoud al-Faseeh was discovered unresponsive by her father, Mahmoud, the morning after enduring freezing temperatures as low as 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit). Sila was found wrapped in a blanket, but the makeshift tent where her family sought shelter failed to protect them from biting winds and cold ground.
"It was very cold overnight and as adults we couldn’t even take it. We couldn’t stay warm,” al-Faseeh told the Associated Press. During the night, Sila cried three times, but when the family woke up, they found her body stiff. “She was like wood,” he lamented.
Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of pediatrics at Nasser Hospital, confirmed the baby died from hypothermia, stating two other infants, one aged three days and another aged one month, were treated for the same. These fatalities amplify concerns surrounding the precarious living conditions faced by tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians.
Living conditions across Gaza have become increasingly desperate, particularly for those crowded alongside the Mediterranean coast. Many families, notoriously struggling with insufficient clothes and blankets, have been pushed from their homes by the Israeli military’s offensive since the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas.
Israel’s recent ground invasion has resulted in over 45,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. This includes women and children, whose suffering is often exacerbated by harsh winter conditions as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
Temporary camps have sprung up, offering little peace or safety. Al-Faseeh and his family, like many others, fled from their original locations and have been trying to survive without adequate shelter.
"Sila died from the cold," her mother, Nariman, stated, lamenting her inability to keep her daughter warm. "I was warming her and holding her. But… [we] didn’t have extra clothes for me to warm this girl." Harsh realities like these have left families drowning, living month after month under flimsy tents made of cloth and nylon.
Humanitarian organizations report severe shortages of aid, warm clothing, firewood, and food. The situation reached crisis levels particularly as the cold, wet winter sets in, leaving fragile populations even more vulnerable.
While Israel has increased the daily allowance of aid trucks entering Gaza, many argue it remains insufficient to meet the mounting needs. Reports suggest up to 60% of delivered aid cannot be distributed due to Israeli security measures and rampant theft. This failure exacerbates the plight of those suffering most, especially the children.
The war’s toll on children is particularly grim. “One child in Gaza is killed every hour,” reported Philippe Lazzarini, chief of the UN’s agency for Palestine refugees, underscoring the severity of the humanitarian crisis.
Rosalia Bollen, communications specialist for UNICEF, warned of the grim future many children face amid the violence and dislocation. “For over 14 months, children have been at the sharp edge of this nightmare… The war on children stands as a stark reminder of our collective responsibility. A generation of children is enduring the brutal violation of their rights and the destruction of their futures.”
With the conflict continuing and ceasefire talks stalled, many fear more children will suffer as conditions continue to degrade. Families are calling for international support, pleading not only for immediate aid but also for lasting solutions to their situation.
Mahmoud al-Faseeh’s heart-wrenching experience reflects just one of the countless families facing similar fates. The loss of young Sila serves as both testimony to the individual tragedies playing out daily and as part of the broader humanitarian challenge confronting Gaza and its children.
