9-month-old baby dies from severe cold in Gaza, 1st cold-related death this winter: Health Ministry

A 9-month-old Palestinian baby died from severe cold in the Gaza Strip, marking the first recorded cold-related death in the enclave during the current winter season, the Health Ministry said Friday. In a statement carried by the Gaza Media Office, the ministry identified the infant as Kinan Ahmed Arqiq, saying he died after suffering a sharp drop in body temperature. The baby was transferred from the Kuwaiti Hospital to Nasser Medical Complex on Thursday, where he arrived dead, the ministry said.

A forensic examination confirmed that severe hypothermia was the cause of death, it added. The ministry said 10 people died from cold exposure in Gaza during the 2025 winter season. The latest death comes as hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians face deteriorating living conditions amid heavy rainfall, flooding and shortages of adequate shelter. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), heavy rainfall between Nov. 6 and 8 caused widespread flooding across Gaza, damaging thousands of tents and makeshift shelters.

The agency said about 1.4 million people, or 65% of Gaza's population, are living in tents or temporary shelters. Israel’s genocidal war has left much of Gaza in ruins, forcing displaced families into tents and damaged buildings. Israeli restrictions on shelter and repair supplies continue to hamper recovery despite a ceasefire in effect since October 2025.