The ongoing war in Gaza, Palestine, has forcibly displaced over 1.9 million people, leaving families to face the harsh winter in makeshift tents that provide minimal protection from the cold. Children are particularly vulnerable, as dropping temperatures and inadequate access to essentials like water, food, and warm shelter put their lives at risk.
On December 25, three babies—all under one month old—were brought dead on arrival at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. According to the Ministry of Health, they succumbed to the cold. These infants were living in tents in Al Mawasi, southern Gaza, where thousands of forcibly displaced Palestinians endure overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
As winter takes hold, living conditions in these makeshift shelters have become unbearable. Most tents offer little protection against rain and cold winds. Families lack the means to stay warm, with essentials like firewood, gas, or blankets often unavailable or prohibitively expensive, costing up to $200 in local markets.
“Last winter, despite the displacement and harsh conditions, some buildings were still available for shelter,” says Pascale Coissard, MSF emergency coordinator. “Today, after 14 months of war and widespread destruction of infrastructure, most people in Gaza are confined to fragile tents that fail to protect them from the relentless cold and rain. In the past 12 hours alone, the rain hasn’t stopped.”
Extreme Challenges for Newborns
Newborn babies in Gaza face immediate and life-threatening challenges: they are displaced in freezing conditions, without proper warmth, shelter, or access to healthcare.
“The extreme conditions of the past 14 months, coupled with the recent drop in temperatures, have significantly worsened living conditions in the worn-out tents, making these babies more vulnerable to hypothermia,” says Dr. Mohammad Abu Tayyem, an MSF pediatrician at Nasser Hospital.
The health needs of children are overwhelming. The pediatric department, including the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Nasser Hospital, has been operating beyond capacity since July, with all 25 beds consistently full. Over a quarter of the patients are admitted for respiratory distress syndrome, a condition prevalent among premature infants, who are especially vulnerable in Gaza’s dire living conditions.
“Even before their lives have truly begun, babies in Gaza are at risk of disease and death,” adds Coissard. “Once born, they face extreme challenges: displacement in the cold of winter, inadequate shelter, and insufficient healthcare. Meanwhile, Israel continues to bomb Gaza, restrict essential supplies from entering, and the looting of aid trucks within the enclave exacerbates the situation. This makes it nearly impossible for the limited aid allowed by Israeli authorities to reach those in need.”
Calls for Immediate Action
MSF’s efforts in providing pediatric, neonatal, and obstetric care barely scratch the surface of the immense medical needs in Gaza. An immediate and permanent ceasefire is essential to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and ensure access to healthcare and humanitarian aid.
MSF urges the Israeli authorities to allow the rapid, unimpeded, and safe entry of humanitarian aid at levels sufficient to meet the population’s needs, including winter and medical supplies. The organization also calls on all parties to establish safe routes for moving humanitarian assistance within the Gaza Strip.
Only with these measures can the suffering of Palestinian families—and their most vulnerable children—be eased.