DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Gaza Strip has witnessed the tragic death of a fourth infant due to hypothermia amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis resulting from nearly 15 months of conflict. With the arrival of winter, countless Palestinians who have been uprooted from their homes are enduring harsh living conditions in makeshift tents along the coast, battling the elements and inadequate resources.
On Sunday, Jomaa al-Batran, a newborn just 20 days old, was found by his father, Yehia, with a body temperature described as “as cold as ice.” Tragically, his twin brother, Ali, has been placed in intensive care at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father revealed that the twins, born premature, only spent one day in the hospital nursery. Like other medical facilities in Gaza, the hospital is struggling under the strain of war and is operating well below optimal capacity.
Yehia recounted the challenges they face, saying that while medical staff advised keeping the babies warm, living in a tent makes this impossible, especially as night temperatures frequently fall below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). “We are eight people, and we only have four blankets,” he lamented while holding his lifeless child. He pointed to the condensation dripping into their tent overnight, illustrating just how dire their situation is. “Look at his color because of the cold. Do you see how frozen he is?”
Surrounding the grieving father, several children, some without shoes, looked on with somber expressions. A prayer for the infant was conducted by an imam, who then offered his own coat to the father, saying, “Feel warm, my brother.” In addition to Jomaa, local health authorities have confirmed the deaths of at least three other infants attributed to the frigid conditions in recent weeks.
In another development, a report from Israel has highlighted the severe mistreatment of hostages who were held in Gaza. Following the attack by Hamas militants on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals — primarily civilians — and the abduction of around 250 others, chilling accounts have surfaced about the horrors faced by those in captivity.
The Israeli Health Ministry revealed findings that indicate systemic physical, psychological, and sexual abuse of hostages based on evaluations conducted by healthcare professionals who treated a number of captives released during a prior ceasefire. The report described instances of violence, deprivation of basic needs, and sexual assault, including testimonies from former hostages who confirmed these abuses.
These distressing findings, which will be presented to the United Nations, could amplify the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to initiate a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Families of those still held captive have been vocal for months, conducting mass demonstrations while negotiations continue behind the scenes.
Further escalating tensions, a Palestinian woman was fatally shot in her home in Jenin, a city marked by unrest. The family of Shatha al-Sabbagh, a 22-year-old journalism student, claims she was shot by a sniper from Palestinian security forces while she was with her mother and children, despite the absence of militants nearby.
In a statement, Palestinian authorities suggested that “outlaws” were responsible for her death and promised an investigation into the incident. Shatha’s family expressed frustration, arguing that such forces repress their own citizens instead of protecting them from the ongoing Israeli occupation. Hamas has since criticized the security forces for their role, reminding that Shatha was related to a Hamas fighter killed in the conflict last year.
Amid these tensions, hundreds rallied in support of the Palestinian security forces in a demonstration orchestrated by the Fatah party, which oversees the Palestinian Authority. Since the onset of the Gaza conflict, violence has surged in the West Bank, as the area has been a focal point of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict which has persisted since the territory was captured during the 1967 war.
Simultaneously, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate with recent Israeli airstrikes resulting in multiple casualties. A strike on Wafa Hospital in Gaza City reportedly killed at least seven individuals, while another attack in central Gaza led to the deaths of eight more. The Israeli military claims that the targets were Hamas facilities, asserting that they no longer serve as hospitals.
The ongoing violence has led to significant casualties on both sides, with reports indicating over 45,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict escalated. Separately, Israel maintains that many of those killed were militants, although this classification has not been independently verified. With a significant portion of Gaza’s population displaced and in dire need of assistance, fears of famine are rising as delivery efforts remain impeded.
This stark humanitarian crisis paints a troubling picture of life amid prolonged conflict, where basic necessities and safety are scarce, leaving communities vulnerable to disease and despair.
