Gaza plight: Death of infant shows cold, destruction a lethal combination

Health authorities have reported that another child has died in Gaza from hypothermia. It’s important to be precise about why this keeps happening. This baby simply did not die because of an extreme cold wave. Winters here are predictable and known. What has changed this time is that Gaza’s basic protection system has been systematically dismantled. Families are living in tents on wet ground without heating, electricity or sufficient clothing. When food, fuel, shelter and aid are banned, cold absolutely becomes lethal. The rising death toll is raising serious concerns among Palestinian families who have no place to take refuge as Israel is still banning the entry of mobile houses to shelter thousands of families.