Infant Freezes to Death in Gaza Amid Israeli Siege and Forced Displacement
Preventable deaths mount as blockade, destroyed infrastructure, and ceasefire violations leave displaced civilians without shelter
Palestina | PUREWILAYAH.COM - A Palestinian newborn has frozen to death in the southern Gaza Strip after being exposed to extreme cold, a direct consequence of the ongoing Israeli siege, mass displacement, and the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Medical staff at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed that Aisha Ayesh al-Agha, a 27-day-old infant, died on Saturday from severe cold exposure. Her family, like hundreds of thousands of others, had been forced to live without adequate shelter amid winter conditions following Israeli assaults and the prolonged blockade.
Health officials say the death was entirely preventable.
Children Dying from Cold Amid Siege and Displacement
Al-Agha’s death raises the number of Palestinian children who have died from extreme cold in Gaza this winter to eight, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Civil defense and ambulance services warn that plunging temperatures are now compounding an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with infants, children, the elderly, and chronically ill patients facing acute and escalating risk.
Emergency responders report widespread cases of hypothermia, violent shivering, respiratory deterioration, and dangerous drops in body temperature, as families remain trapped in tents and damaged buildings incapable of shielding them from winter weather.
Health workers have warned that more deaths are imminent unless shelter materials and humanitarian assistance are allowed into Gaza without obstruction.
Systematic Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure
According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, approximately 90 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war, leaving vast sections of the population forcibly displaced.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are now living in tents, makeshift shelters, or partially destroyed homes—conditions that humanitarian agencies say are unfit for human survival, particularly during winter.
Palestinian officials stress that this situation is not the result of natural disaster, but the outcome of deliberate Israeli military policy, backed politically and militarily by the United States.
“Israel” Violates Ceasefire as Demolitions and Gunfire Continue
Despite a declared ceasefire that entered its first phase on October 10, 2025, Palestinian sources report continued Israeli violations across the Gaza Strip.
The agreement includes explicit commitments to open border crossings and allow agreed quantities of food, medical supplies, fuel, and shelter materials into Gaza—commitments Palestinian authorities say “Israel” has failed to honor.
Early Sunday, Israeli occupation forces carried out demolition operations in Rafah, in what Palestinian sources described as another breach of the ceasefire. The actions coincided with US envoy Steve Witkoff’s announcement of the launch of the deal’s second phase, highlighting the gap between diplomatic declarations and realities on the ground.
Civilians Targeted Across Gaza
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that two Palestinians, including a child, were injured by Israeli gunfire in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Additional civilians were wounded following Israeli shelling near the car market in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
Over several hours, Israeli occupation forces conducted operations across multiple areas, including:
Demolition of residential buildings east of Khan Younis and west of Rafah
Detonation of an explosive-laden robot north of Beit Lahia
Live fire directed at civilians east of the Bureij refugee camp and again in Beit Lahia
Palestinian sources confirmed that civilians—not combatants—were present in the targeted areas.
Death Toll Continues to Rise
Since the ceasefire was announced, as of January 17, 2025, Palestinian health authorities report:
464 Palestinians killed
1,275 injured
712 bodies of martyrs recovered from beneath the rubble
The overall toll of “Israel’s” war on Gaza has now reached 71,548 Palestinians killed and 171,353 wounded, according to official figures.
Palestinian officials and rights groups say the deaths of infants from cold exposure expose the criminal consequences of siege warfare, collective punishment, and the international community’s failure—led by the United States—to hold “Israel” accountable.
For Gaza’s children, winter has become another weapon. (PW)