Palestinian Health Official Calls Tent Camps 'Fridges of Death' After Three Babies Freeze in Gaza

Multiple Palestinian infants died as a result of the harsh winter weather conditions, as a Palestinian health official stated that their parents do not have the resources to protect against the cold as Israel's war in Gaza continues against Hamas.

Dr. Munir Alboursh, director general of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, stated that two infants had passed away due to weather conditions and voiced how tents pitched to house Gaza's residents are insufficient in protecting against the cold.

"These are not tents but refrigerators of death... Two infants passed away within a single week due to the bitter cold in displacement tents in the Gaza Strip, and we are still in the early days of winter," he wrote.

On Wednesday, doctors on the ground reported the death of a three-week-old who had frozen to death overnight as a result of decreasing temperatures due to her tent not being correctly sealed to protect against wind, as reported by the Middle East Eye.

The death of another child, Sila Mahmoud al-Faseeh, was reported by medical professionals on Thursday after the infant's lungs deteriorated and she, too, was declared deceased due to hypothermia.

"In the morning, when her mother was going to breastfeed her again, we found her blue, with blood coming from her mouth due to the cold," her father said in a video shared online by Alboursh, holding her in a white shroud with her purple lips visible against her pale face.

"She had bitten her tongue and was frozen," the father continued.

The baby "froze to death from the extreme cold" in al-Mawasi, reiterated Alboursh on X.

A third infant was also declared dead with the cold cited as their cause of death, as reported by CNN.

Phillip Lazzarini, head of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, noted that a child dies in Gaza every hour, according to UNICEF. According to UN reporting, more than 14,500 children have been killed in the war.

"For over 14 months, children have been at the sharp edge of this nightmare... In Gaza the reality for over a million children is fear, utter deprivation and unimaginable suffering," Rosalia Bollen, a UNICEF communications specialist, said in a statement on Dec. 20.

"The war on children in Gaza stands as a stark reminder of our collective responsibility. A generation of children is enduring the brutal violation of their rights and the destruction of their futures," Bollen continued.

The Israel Defense Forces have not publicly commented on the infants' deaths.