More Lives Lost: Gaza Trapped in Severe Weather, Blockade, and Military Pressure
Infant dies of exposure as Israeli attacks, flooded shelters, and a paralyzed health system intensify Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Cold weather is claiming additional lives across the Gaza Strip as continued Israeli military actions, widespread flooding, and the collapse of essential services deepen an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that one person was killed and 13 others were wounded over the past 24 hours as Israeli attacks and deteriorating living conditions continue to devastate Gaza.
The ministry warned that many victims remain trapped beneath rubble or in areas unreachable by ambulances and Civil Defense teams due to ongoing bombardment, destroyed roads, and severe winter conditions.
Deaths and Injuries Since the Declared Ceasefire
According to the ministry, 395 people have been killed and 1,088 injured since the declared ceasefire on 11 October 2025, with 634 bodies recovered during that period.
Despite a halt in wide-scale airstrikes, Israeli drone fire, targeted incursions, and the collapse of structurally compromised buildings continue to produce casualties on an almost daily basis.
Health officials reported that the overall death toll from the Israeli assault, which began on 7 October 2023, has reached 70,669 martyrs, with 171,165 people injured. These figures remain incomplete, the ministry stressed, as rescue crews are still unable to access dozens of destroyed neighborhoods in northern and central Gaza, where entire families are believed to remain buried under rubble.
Infant Dies as Cold Exposure Deaths Rise
The ministry also confirmed the death of one-month-old Saeed Usaid Abdeen, who succumbed to severe cold amid Gaza’s collapsing living conditions. His death brings the number of people who have died from cold exposure and the ongoing weather depression to 13.
Health authorities described these deaths as the result of conditions created by the siege and destruction of civilian infrastructure, noting that displaced families are living in tents, damaged buildings, and unheated classrooms without adequate protection from winter storms.
Flooding, Collapsing Buildings, and Displacement
Civil Defense teams reported widespread flooding across displacement areas, the collapse of 17 residential buildings, and dangerous partial collapses in more than 90 additional structures as winter storms batter the Strip.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are exposed to freezing temperatures, rain, and unsafe shelter conditions.
Doctors warned that children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses face the highest risk, as hospitals operate at up to four times their capacity.
Medical facilities are struggling to manage a surge in hypothermia cases, respiratory infections, and waterborne diseases amid severe shortages of fuel, medicine, and equipment.
Aid organizations reported that winterization supplies remain critically insufficient, with only a fraction of promised shelter materials entering Gaza due to ongoing Israeli restrictions.
Since the ceasefire began, the Israeli occupation has carried out more than 760 attacks, incursions, and shootings, killing hundreds of civilians and obstructing humanitarian operations. Aid entry remains far below agreed levels, with daily truck arrivals reaching only 39 percent of what was pledged.
Calls for Immediate Humanitarian Access
Gaza authorities urged the international community to intervene to ensure safe humanitarian access, enable reconstruction, and prevent further loss of life as winter conditions worsen.
The Ministry of Health reiterated that updated, interactive casualty data is available through its official platform, documenting the continuing toll of the assault and siege on the Palestinian population. (PW)