Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned that children in the Gaza Strip are dying from cold exposure, as severe winter storms intensify the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in makeshift shelters.
The organization urged Israeli authorities to immediately allow a large‑scale increase in humanitarian aid, stressing that expanded access is essential to prevent further avoidable deaths.
In its statement, MSF reported the death of a 29‑day‑old infant at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza.
The newborn died just two hours after being admitted to the pediatric ward supported by MSF.
Despite intensive efforts by medical teams, the child could not be saved and died from a critical drop in body temperature, the organization said.
MSF emphasized that this tragedy reflects a broader and worsening pattern driven by the combination of harsh winter weather, mass displacement, and the collapse of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.
The group warned that freezing temperatures, overcrowded shelters, and the lack of adequate protection from the elements are creating a dangerous environment for infants and young children.
Medical teams continue to record high and rising rates of respiratory infections, with MSF warning that these illnesses are expected to surge throughout the winter.
Children under five face the greatest risk, particularly in shelters that lack insulation, heating, dry bedding, or basic hygiene conditions.
The situation has deteriorated further as Gaza endures heavy rain and strong winds, leaving families in fragile tents that are torn, waterlogged, or structurally unstable.
Flooding has swept through entire tent encampments, forcing displaced Palestinians to sleep on soaked ground with no means to stay warm.
MSF stressed that the humanitarian crisis cannot be mitigated without unrestricted and expanded aid access.
The organization called on Israeli authorities to immediately permit the entry of essential supplies, including winterized shelters, blankets, heating equipment, medical materials, and fuel needed to operate hospitals and emergency services.
The warning highlights growing concern among humanitarian agencies that Gaza’s winter will bring a wave of preventable deaths — not only from violence, but from exposure, illness, and the collapse of basic living conditions.
For families displaced multiple times, the cold has become another life‑threatening force that medical teams cannot confront without the resources and access they urgently need.
