On Thursday, February 25, 2025, six newborn infants lost their lives in Gaza due to the freezing temperatures gripping the besieged territory, as Israel’s ongoing blockade continues to deprive civilians of essential aid, including fuel, heating, and shelter. The worsening humanitarian catastrophe has left families struggling to survive in makeshift tents under extreme winter conditions, with more infants now in critical condition.
Medical sources in Gaza confirmed that the infants died as a direct result of the severe cold. Dr. Saeed Salah, the medical director at the Friends of the Patient Charitable Hospital, stated that three newborns passed away within hours of admission. The infants, aged between one and two days, weighed between 1.7 and 2 kilograms and could not withstand the freezing temperatures. Another three infants remain in critical condition, while hospitals continue to struggle with the growing number of cases linked to hypothermia and the lack of medical supplies.
The cold has been particularly deadly for displaced families living in tents after Israeli airstrikes destroyed their homes. Among the victims was 60-day-old Sham Yousef Al-Shambari, who died in her family’s tent in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis due to exposure to the extreme cold. Two more infants also succumbed, raising the total number of children who died from the freezing temperatures to six. Dr. Salah further revealed that the hospital’s neonatal unit recently admitted eight cases of severe hypothermia, all directly linked to the absence of heating and medical support, which remain blocked from entering Gaza due to Israel’s siege.
As thousands of families remain displaced and living in the open, the Israeli blockade has made it nearly impossible for them to access even the most basic necessities for survival. With no fuel allowed in, hospitals are unable to function properly, and families have no means to warm their children against the bitter cold. The situation has prompted renewed warnings from international organizations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), both of which have condemned the continued Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid. Blocking essential supplies, including fuel and heating, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, specifically the Geneva Conventions, which require the protection of civilians and guarantee their access to life-saving aid.
Human rights experts have also warned that depriving children of their right to life due to preventable causes, such as extreme cold and starvation, constitutes a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. UNICEF has once again urged immediate protection for Gaza’s children, emphasizing that the ongoing restrictions on aid put hundreds of thousands of lives at risk. The ICRC has similarly warned that the situation in Gaza has surpassed all definitions of a humanitarian disaster, calling for immediate action to prevent further loss of life.
As the death toll rises, the international community faces growing pressure to intervene and hold Israel accountable for using siege and starvation as weapons of war. The deaths of these infants on February 25, 2025, serve as yet another reminder of the devastating consequences of the blockade, as Gaza’s most vulnerable continue to pay the ultimate price for policies that have stripped them of their most basic rights. The urgent need for justice, accountability, and unrestricted humanitarian access remains greater than ever as the world watches a catastrophe unfold.
