ISTANBUL/GAZA CITY: Seven displaced civilians, including six children, have frozen to death in Gaza due to extreme winter cold after being forced to live in unhealthy conditions in tents amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught, a local official told Anadolu Agency (AA).
“Six children and a nurse lost their lives due to the cold wave in the past days,” Ismail Thawabteh, who heads Gaza’s government media office, said on Monday.
He warned that the death toll may rise due to the current tragic conditions in the enclave amid relentless Israeli attacks.
“The lives of displaced Palestinians are in a real danger amid heavy rainfall and cold waves as their tents are worn out and don’t protect them,” Thawabteh said.
The Gaza Strip has been hit by a cold wave and torrential rains since Sunday, bringing more misery to the territory’s 2.3 million population.
Many displaced civilians are living in makeshift tents amid worsening living conditions as temperatures drop. Families lack basic necessities such as clothing, bedding, and blankets, leaving many infants vulnerable to the cold.
The United Nations (UN) says that nine out of every 10 people in Gaza have been displaced due to the ongoing Israeli onslaught.
Thawabteh held the US, Israel and their backers responsible for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory.
He called on the international community and aid groups to urgently intervene to pressure Israel “to stop its genocidal war on Gaza and save the lives of civilians.”
Israel has killed more than 45,500 people in Gaza since Oct 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Tel Aviv has imposed a stifling blockade on Gaza, leaving the territory’s entire population on the verge of famine.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
