Gaza City – The director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, has issued a stark warning regarding the escalating risk of child mortality due to the severe cold wave gripping the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that the situation is dire and requires immediate intervention to prevent a catastrophic loss of young lives.
Dr. Abu Salmiya stated that the failure to allow the entry of caravans, safe heating supplies, and essential medicines poses an imminent threat to vulnerable children, particularly newborns and premature infants. He explained that their fragile bodies are ill-equipped to withstand the extreme cold, making them highly susceptible to hypothermia and related complications.
Earlier today, Nasser Medical Complex reported the death of a child due to the intense cold in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, adding to the growing number of fatalities attributed to the harsh weather conditions. Dr. Abu Salmiya fears that many more premature and newborn babies could perish in the coming days if urgent assistance is not provided.
“Hospitals have limited options to deal with these children who live in flooded tents and have no clothes, blankets or medicine to help them face the cold,” Abu Salmiya said, stressing that the situation in the Strip has exceeded all international conventions related to children’s rights.
He further highlighted the critical shortages plaguing Gaza’s healthcare system, noting that hospitals are lacking 55% of essential medications and between 70% and 90% of necessary medical supplies. He warned of a potential catastrophe among premature infants, who are simultaneously battling the cold, disease, and the ongoing conflict.
The Civil Defense in Gaza has reported that at least four children have already died as a result of the freezing temperatures, and that approximately 90% of shelter centers have been flooded due to heavy rains and flooding. DZWatch will continue to monitor this developing crisis.
