A three-week-old infant perished from hypothermia overnight in Gaza, amidst mutual accusations between Israel and Hamas regarding the obstacles hindering ceasefire negotiations to conclude the 14-month conflict.
Medical professionals reported this as the third infant fatality due to cold weather in Gaza’s tent camps within recent days. These deaths highlight the dire living conditions faced by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians residing in often dilapidated tents after fleeing Israeli attacks and offensives.
Israel’s military operation in Gaza, involving bombardment and a ground invasion, has resulted in the deaths of over 45,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians in its figures.
The offensive displaced approximately 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants, many repeatedly. Hundreds of thousands are crowded into coastal tent camps. Aid organizations struggle to deliver essential supplies, citing shortages of blankets, warm clothing, and firewood.
Israel has increased its aid deliveries, averaging 130 trucks daily this month, compared to roughly 70 in October and November. However, this remains significantly lower than previous months. The U.N. reports that over half of the aid remains undistributed due to Israeli restrictions on movement within Gaza or widespread lawlessness and theft.
Sila Mahmoud al-Faseeh, a three-week-old, succumbed to the cold despite her father’s attempts to keep her warm with a blanket in their Muwasi tent outside Khan Younis. He described the tent as inadequately sealed, the ground cold, and temperatures dropping to 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit) Tuesday night. Muwasi is a sparsely populated area of dunes and farmland on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast.
“The night was exceedingly cold; even we adults couldn’t stay warm,” he stated. Sila woke crying three times during the night, and was found unresponsive and stiff in the morning.
“She was like wood,” al-Faseeh said. They rushed her to a field hospital, where resuscitation attempts failed due to lung deterioration. AP images showed the infant with purple lips and blotchy pale skin.
Ahmed al-Farra, director of the children’s ward at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirmed the baby died of hypothermia. He added that two other infants—one three days old, the other one month old—had died from hypothermia in the preceding 48 hours.
Meanwhile, prospects for a ceasefire appeared complicated Wednesday, with Israel and Hamas trading accusations of delaying an agreement.
Recent weeks showed progress towards a deal for the return of hostages held in Gaza, but disagreements have emerged.
Despite expressed optimism from both Israel and Hamas regarding progress, sticking points remain concerning hostage exchanges for Palestinian prisoners and the Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, according to sources involved in the talks.
Hamas accused Israel of introducing new conditions related to withdrawal, prisoners, and the return of displaced persons, claiming this was delaying the deal.
Israel’s government countered by accusing Hamas of violating prior understandings. However, both sides confirmed ongoing discussions.
Israel’s negotiating team, including members of its intelligence agencies and military, returned from Qatar Tuesday evening for internal consultations after a week of what it termed “significant negotiations.”
During their October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, Hamas and other groups took approximately 250 hostages to Gaza. A November 2023 operation freed over 100 hostages, while others were rescued or their remains recovered since.
Israel states that about 100 hostages remain in Gaza—at least a third of whom it believes were killed during the October 7 attack or died in captivity.
Sporadic talks continued for a year, but recent weeks saw renewed efforts to reach an agreement.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to assume office next month for his second term, demanded the immediate release of the Israeli hostages, stating on social media that failure to do so before his inauguration would result in “HELL TO PAY.”
Hostage families are increasingly frustrated, urging the Israeli government for a ceasefire before Trump’s inauguration.
Following the return of Israel’s high-level negotiation team from Doha, hostage families held an emergency press conference in Tel Aviv, pleading for a ceasefire and an end to the war.
Shir Siegel, daughter of Israeli-American Keith Siegel, whose mother was released after over 50 days in captivity, emphasized that delays could endanger lives. “There are moments when every second is critical, and this is one of them,” she stated.
The agreement would be implemented in phases, including a cessation of hostilities, an exchange of prisoners, and increased aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, according to Egyptian, Hamas, and American officials. The final phase would involve the release of remaining hostages, an end to the war, and reconstruction talks.
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