Winter Floods and Cold Kill Infant in Gaza Strip

Displaced Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip are facing a severe humanitarian crisis as early winter rains and extreme cold destroy shelters and cause fatalities. A nine-month-old infant, Kinan Ahmed Raqiq, died of hypothermia on Thursday in a displacement tent in Khan Yunis. A forensic examination at Nasser Medical Complex confirmed the cause of death after the child's father found him with blue skin.

UNICEF warned that unprecedented rain and cold are occurring before the official start of winter, increasing hypothermia risks for children. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 26,000 households were affected by storms as of November 8, and 94 percent of the population urgently needs shelter assistance. Approximately 650,000 children require winter aid, yet funding shortages have left agencies with supplies for only a small fraction of those in need.

Local merchants and the Board of Peace, an organization associated with Donald Trump, have criticized the Cabinet of Israel for restricting the entry of essential humanitarian goods. These restrictions on blankets and winter clothing have driven up prices while thousands remain in temporary shelters. The Ministry of Health of Gaza noted that at least 11 children died from hypothermia during the previous winter.