Cold weather in Gaza has claimed the life of an infant, the sixth death in a week, according to medical sources, as Israel continues to attack hospitals across the strip.
One-month-old Ali al-Batran died on Monday at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported, citing doctors who said he died of heatstroke.
The day before, his twin, Friday al-Batrandied of cold in a flimsy tent of the displaced family in Deir el-Balah, also in the middle of the barn, his father said, describing how Jumaa emerged with his head “cold as ice”.
The babies were born a month premature.
The Israeli army has evicted nearly all of the 2.3 million residents of Gaza, forcing thousands of them to enter. temporary tents in open camps on a rainy, wind-swept beach.
Three of the six Palestinian children who died of hypothermia last week live in a beach “safe haven” al-Mawasinear the southern town of Khan Younis.
Gaza's media office said on Monday that “bitter cold and frost” hit “devastated tents” in the camps, killing seven people, including a senior medical worker.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Monday that 27 people had been killed in the past 24 hours.
According to Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudari said: “You can't imagine the situation here. We are all cold and shaking because of the cold weather. … Especially those who are in al-Mawasi very close to the sea are suffering from cold.
“We are talking about Palestinians who have been displaced for more than 14 months. They still have the same tent. There are (no) tent covers. It is very expensive to buy any nylon or any materials or equipment to cover your tent and winter clothes (and) warm. “
Hospitals are on fire
Similarly, Israel has attacked two hospitals – al-Wafaa and al-Ahli – in Gaza City. A bomb blast in al-Wafaa on Sunday killed seven people and seriously injured others, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.
A witness at the site of the al-Wafaa bombing described seeing bodies “torn apart”. The Israeli military said the attack hit Hamas' “command and control center”, but did not provide evidence to support this.
Israeli forces have also arrested hundreds of Palestinians, including many expatriate medics Kamal Advan A hospital in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza on Friday. Among them was its leader, Dr Hussam Abu Safia.
The military did not reveal Abu Safia's whereabouts. However, CNN reported on Monday that they are being held at the Sde Teiman military base, which is also a civilian detention center in the Negev desert in southern Israel. It quoted two recently released Palestinian prisoners who saw him and heard his name read.
On Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, called for Abu Safia's immediate release.
Tedros, who last week escaped Israel strike at the main airport in Yemen that he said was hit meters away from him, he said in X's letters that hospitals in Gaza have become “war zones” and health workers are “in grave danger”.
“We repeat: stop attacking hospitals. People in Gaza need medical care. Humanitarians need access to medical care. Cease fire!” he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli media released a video of the time before Abu Safia was arrested by Israeli soldiers. The footage showed his efforts to move hundreds of patients and medical staff to safety after Israeli soldiers gave a 15-minute warning to evacuate the hospital.
According to Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum said the military released the photo to show what they are doing “directly, accurately and humanely”.
“But later, we heard from eyewitnesses… very different from the humiliation (and) ill-treatment they received at the hands of the Israeli soldiers (and) brutal beatings they witnessed during the war,” he said. he added.
Since the start of Israel's war in October 2023, residents of Gaza have endured a lack of electricity, drinking water, food and medical care as many of them have been driven from their homes and displaced – many repeatedly.
Israel the massacre in Gaza They have killed at least 45,541 Palestinians and injured 108,338. More than 1,100 people were killed in Israel during the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and many were taken into captivity.