( IMEMC ) – A Palestinian child was killed by Israeli fire in northern Gaza on Thursday, as worsening winter conditions and unsafe displacement shelters led to the deaths of a woman, her daughter, and a three‑week‑old infant, underscoring the deepening humanitarian crisis across the Strip amid ongoing ceasefire violations.
In Gaza City, a woman and her young daughter died when a fire broke out inside a displacement tent in the Yarmouk Stadium camp.
Field reporters said the blaze spread rapidly through the makeshift shelter, injuring five others with severe burns.
Humanitarian agencies have long warned that overcrowded, poorly insulated tents—combined with unsafe heating methods pose deadly risks for displaced families.
Al Jazeera: Israel’s ban on 37 aid groups kicks in, Gaza starts 2026 with despair
Israel’s ban on 37 aid groups kicks in, Gaza starts 2026 with despair
In central Gaza, the three‑week‑old infant Malak Rami Ghneim died inside her family’s tent in the Nuseirat camp.
Medical staff attributed her death to extreme cold as a powerful winter storm continues to batter the Strip.
Aid groups and UN agencies have repeatedly cautioned that Israel’s restrictions on shelter materials, blankets, and heating supplies have left displaced families exposed to life‑threatening temperatures.
Humanitarian Conditions Worsen Under Severe Weather
Heavy winter rains and intense winds have devastated displacement camps, flooding tents and destroying the few possessions families managed to salvage.
Al‑Jazeera correspondents documented widespread flooding in camps across central and southern Gaza, where children were seen standing in knee‑deep muddy water inside their shelters.
Aid agencies warn that the combination of cold, flooding, and continued restrictions on shelter materials is creating a new wave of preventable deaths—particularly among infants, the elderly, and the injured.
UN officials have reiterated calls for Israel to lift all barriers on the entry of humanitarian supplies, including tents, blankets, and fuel, which remain critically scarce.
Photo of Gaza February 2025 by Mohammed Ibrahim on Unsplash
Rising Death Toll Amid Ceasefire Violations
The overall Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen to 71,271, with 171,233 wounded since October 7, 2023, the majority of whom are children, women, and elderly.
Medical officials reported that in the past 24 hours, hospitals received two fatalities—one newly killed and one recovered from under the rubble—along with one injury.
Dozens more remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings and in inaccessible areas, as emergency crews continue to face severe restrictions and repeated Israeli fire that prevents them from reaching affected zones.
Since the “ceasefire” announced on October 11, 2025, the number of Palestinians killed has reached 416, with 1,153 injured, and 683 bodies recovered from destroyed neighborhoods.
Al‑Jazeera’s latest reporting indicates that Israeli forces continue to conduct near‑daily violations of the ceasefire, including shootings, artillery fire, and airstrikes across multiple areas of the Strip.
Gaza’s Government Media Office has documented 969 Israeli ceasefire violations, resulting in hundreds of additional civilian deaths and injuries.
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