The Israeli occupation continues its violations of international and humanitarian laws and norms, and restricts the means of life for Palestinians, as the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Tuesday the death of six newborns in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the severe cold and lack of heating means, and the presence of a number of children in hospitals in critical condition.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned of worsening the suffering of newborns in Gaza, noting that some 7,700 infants lack the necessary medical care, amid deteriorating living conditions and shortages of basic supplies.
The director of the Patient’s Charitable Friends Hospital in Gaza, Saeed Salah, said that the hospital received 8 newborns, suffering from a sharp drop in body temperature, as a result of exposure to severe cold, noting that 3 of them died hours after their arrival, while two were discharged in stable condition, while 3 cases are still under intensive care in critical condition, before announcing their deaths later.
“Salah” added that the children arrived at the hospital in a state of “freezing”, as their bodies looked very cold, and showed serious symptoms resulting from low blood circulation, which led to failure in the functions of the heart, breathing, kidneys and brain, noting that the children were living in makeshift tents that lacked heating, warning of the possibility of a rise in the number of deaths among infants as the severe cold wave continues. The Israeli occupation authorities are obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid and shelter materials to more than two million citizens in Gaza, while the Gaza Strip is witnessing a strong winter storm accompanied by a sharp drop in temperatures and strong winds, which caused the uprooting of hundreds of tents, and the flooding of large parts of the camps due to heavy rains, at a time when displaced families suffer from severe shortages of fuel and heating.
