The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Tuesday the death of an infant due to severe hypothermia caused by the extreme cold, amid harsh conditions faced by residents of the Gaza Strip as a result of the storm.
In a press statement issued today and reported by the Palestinian Information Center, the Ministry said that the infant, Muhammad Khalil Abu al-Khair (two weeks old), died from severe hypothermia due to the extreme cold.
The statement added, “The infant, Abu al-Khair, arrived at the hospital two days ago and was admitted to the intensive care unit, but he passed away yesterday.”
Heavy rains caused flooding in a large number of tents belonging to displaced people in various parts of the Gaza Strip, especially in low-lying areas. This exacerbated the suffering of thousands of families living in dire humanitarian conditions amidst the harsh weather and the ongoing repercussions of the aggression, according to the center.
The Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Munir al-Barsh, had previously warned of the potential deaths of children, the elderly, and the sick due to the low temperatures inside the flooded tents of displaced people.
Al-Barsh said earlier that the humidity and water inside the tents create an environment for the spread of respiratory diseases among the displaced people, while the sick are unable to obtain any health care.
