Hypothermia claims newborn in Gaza and more babies are at risk, doctor says

As December’s harsh winter conditions descended upon Gaza, a second infant has died of hypothermia in a makeshift tent camp, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation facing displaced Palestinians amid ongoing ceasefire arrangements.

Twenty-nine-day-old Saeed Abdeen, born prematurely and severely underweight, succumbed to the cold on Wednesday night despite his father’s desperate efforts to keep him warm under multiple blankets in their nylon tent.

“I always feared for him and tried to keep him warm. But it is very cold,” said the child’s mother, Rawya Abdeen, her voice breaking with emotion. When doctors confirmed her son’s death, her anguished cries drew neighbors to the family’s side. “Why him?” she lamented.

Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, director of pediatrics at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, reported that the baby arrived late Wednesday with a body temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), significantly below the threshold for hypothermia. Despite medical intervention, the infant died early Thursday morning.

“We are warning that this tragedy will happen again unless there is a permanent solution for babies, and specifically premature babies, because they are more vulnerable to the dropping temperatures,” al-Farra cautioned. “They live in worn-out tents that are exposed to winds and cold weather and lack all means to stay warm.”

Overnight temperatures in Gaza have plunged to around 6 degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days, creating particularly dangerous conditions for premature infants. Al-Farra explained that these babies face heightened risk because their underdeveloped fat tissues provide insufficient insulation, causing their bodies to rapidly lose energy in cold environments.

Saeed’s death marks the thirteenth weather-related fatality in Gaza since storms hit the region last week. According to Gaza’s health ministry, eleven people died when heavy rains caused damaged buildings to collapse, while two infants, including Saeed and two-week-old Mohamed Khair, perished from hypothermia. Unlike Saeed, Mohamed had been born after a full-term pregnancy.

The mounting weather-related casualties underscore the precarious living conditions for Gaza’s displaced population. Despite a two-month ceasefire, humanitarian organizations report insufficient shelter materials entering the territory. Israeli military figures suggest that the agreed-upon daily target of 600 aid trucks has not consistently been met, though Israeli authorities dispute this assessment. American officials coordinating aid shipments maintain that deliveries have reached stipulated levels.

An estimated two million Gazans—the vast majority of the territory’s population—have been displaced from their homes. Most now inhabit makeshift tent settlements stretching along the coast or clustered among damaged buildings. These improvised shelters lack proper drainage infrastructure, forcing residents to use hastily dug cesspits near their tents for sanitation.

The Abdeen family described their tent in southern Gaza’s Muwasi area as regularly flooded by rainwater, exacerbating the already challenging conditions. Rawya Abdeen noted that her son had weighed just 1.3 kilograms (2.9 pounds) at birth and had spent two weeks in neonatal intensive care before coming home to their tent.

The tragedy unfolded when Saeed’s father performed his nightly check on Wednesday around 10 p.m., shining a flashlight on his son’s face. Normally, the baby would respond by squinting, but this time there was no reaction. Upon closer examination, they discovered the infant was vomiting and rushed him to the hospital. By morning, doctors delivered the devastating news of his death.

“I was willing to trade my soul to save him,” said Eseid Abdeen, the child’s grief-stricken father.

As winter progresses, medical professionals fear more children could suffer similar fates without substantial improvements to shelter conditions and increased humanitarian assistance. The deaths highlight how weather conditions have become yet another threat to vulnerable populations already coping with the consequences of conflict and displacement in Gaza.