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UNICEF Says Deaths of More Gaza Children 'Tragically Foreseeable' as Israeli Assault Continues
"These preventable deaths lay bare the desperate and deteriorating conditions facing families and children across Gaza," said the humanitarian aid organization.
Dec 27, 2024
UNICEF, the United Nations agency tasked with providing humanitarian aid for children, released a statement Thursday decrying the recent deaths of Gazan children, particularly those who have perished because of cold and lack of adequate shelter.
"Cold injuries, such as frostbite and hypothermia, pose grave risks to young children in tents and other makeshift shelters that are ill-equipped for freezing weather. For newborns, infants, and medically vulnerable children, the danger is even more acute," said UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa Edouard Beigbeder.
"With temperatures expected to drop further in the coming days, it is tragically foreseeable that more children's lives will be lost to the inhumane conditions they are enduring, which offer no protection from the cold," he added.
The Quds News Networkreported Thursday, citing the head of pediatrics and obstetrics at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, that four Gazan newborns have died in the past few days because of low temperatures and lack of shelter.
"These preventable deaths lay bare the desperate and deteriorating conditions facing families and children across Gaza," said Beigbeder.
One of those babies was Sila Mahmoud Al-Faseeh, a 3-week-old girl, who died Sunday "from the extreme cold" in a tent where her forcibly displaced family is sheltering on a beach in al-Mawasi, an Israeli-designated "safe zone" for displaced Palestinians that has repeatedly come under attack.
Sila's father, Mahmoud al-Faseeh, told The Associated Press that the family attempted to keep the baby warm as the temperatures fell to 48°F (9°C)—below the fatal threshold for hypothermia—in their unsealed tent on cold ground.
"It was very cold overnight and as adults we couldn't even take it," al-Faseeh said. "We couldn't stay warm."
Over 14,500 children have reportedly been killed since October 7, 2023 as of mid-December, according to UNICEF, though the Gaza Government Media Office cites a higher figure.
The U.S. government successfully sought the retraction of a report from an organization monitoring food crises that warned of looming famine in north Gaza under what the report called Israel's "near-total blockade," according to Thursday reporting from The Associated Press. The move drew concern from aid groups, per AP.
In November, more than two dozen international relief groups operating in Gaza warned that humanitarian assistance entering the enclave had "fallen to an all-time low" due to Israel's continued blockade.
The situation has also exacted a punishing psychological toll on the children of Gaza. A report from the Community Training Centre for Crisis Management released in November found that, of the more than 500 Palestinian children it surveyed in Gaza last summer, 96% of them fear imminent death, 92% are not accepting of reality, 79% suffer from nightmares, and 49% wish to die because of the war, and many more "show signs of withdrawal and severe anxiety, alongside a pervasive sense of hopelessness."
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This Ramadan, We Are Fasting From Everything in Gaza
I desperately waited for Ramadan in the hope that this sacred month would be different from its predecessors; however, the violence and brutality of the situation have not ceased or lessened with the arrival of Ramadan.
Mar 26, 2024
For the 2.2 million Muslims in Gaza, Ramadan has historically been a time of joyous social gatherings, spiritual reflection, faith renewal, and cherished family reunions.
However, over the past decade, recurring Israeli wars on the strip have cast a dark shadow over this once-vibrant tradition. The ongoing genocidal assault, which has claimed more than 32,000 Palestinian lives and has laid waste to Gaza, made this a most devastating month.
Even when I encounter passersby on the street, I am unable to politely wish them, "Ramadan Kareem."
The once-colorful lights and lanterns that used to adorn the roads have been replaced by the harsh flashes of bombs and utter destruction.
Such greetings feel inappropriate and almost shameful, as all the jubilant celebrations of Ramadan have been replaced by quiet mourning—punctuated only by the echoes of war, grief, and hardship.
Last year, I was delighted to secure a job with a decent salary for the first time in my career. Filled with a sense of abundance, I surprised each of my 22 nieces and nephews with a colourful lantern, or "fanoos," to usher in the holy month.
Their happiness was infectious, and I vowed to make this gift a yearly ritual. Little did I know that circumstances beyond my control would brutally crush this promise of joy.
Today, the reality of life in Gaza has drastically changed. Many of my nieces and nephews find themselves living in tents, facing hunger, and displaced by the ravages of war. Others have left Gaza entirely, seeking refuge elsewhere.
Reduced to Ruins
Under "normal" conditions—as normal as they could be during a blockade—the weeks leading up to Ramadan are filled with anticipation and preparation.
The streets of Gaza would come alive as households and businesses adorned their balconies and storefronts with lanterns to welcome the holy month. I remember my sisters-in-law helping me decorate the balcony of our home with these small lanterns.
This cherished tradition, led by young mothers and enthusiastic youth, created a vibrant atmosphere throughout the neighbourhoods. The sight of Gaza's illuminated streets, powered by generators, solar panels, or even sporadic electricity, would fill my heart with joy.
But this year, Ramadan is a sad month.
While most people fasting around the world may experience headaches and fatigue from the lack of food and caffeine, this year we did not feel the exhaustion from that first day of Ramadan since we have already been enduring food deprivation and a lack of basic necessities for months.
The vibrant nighttime streets of Gaza have fallen into sombre silence. Where there was once life, there is now rubble. The joyous sounds of children playing have been replaced by the heart-wrenching cries of those trapped beneath it.
On the first day of Ramadan, I ventured through the streets in search of some semblance of the past. The scant hope I had instead became a painful realization of just how much we have lost.
Only a few stalls remained in what used to be lively outdoor markets—offering meager quantities of lemons, eggplants, tomatoes, and homemade laundry soap. The faces I encountered were filled with grief and despair. At that moment, I couldn't help but weep for the loss of those cherished memories.
The once-colorful lights and lanterns that used to adorn the roads have been replaced by the harsh flashes of bombs and utter destruction.
Mosques, once crowded with worshippers, either stand empty or lie in ruins. Imams now appeal to individuals to worship within the confines of their own homes or makeshift tents.
And yet the devastation extends beyond the visual landscape.
The atmosphere of Ramadan nights, filled with Tarawih prayers in mosques and Quranic recitation, has been replaced by the sounds of explosions from Israeli bombs.
The aromas that permeated Gaza's streets and shops are now distant memories. The bustling markets, like al-Zawya, Gaza's oldest market, were stocked with buckets of sour pickles and olives, cartons of various dates, pyramids of spices, dried fruits, jams, and other colourful food items.
Everything has been reduced to ruins.
'Even in Ramadan'
When I was young, I used to navigate the narrow and cramped alleys of the Deir al-Balah refugee camp on my walk home from school.
The air was filled with the sounds of women cooking, accompanied by the clattering of spoons and cooking utensils. Each house emitted a distinct aroma unique to the meals being prepared inside.
My dear friend, Hamda, who recently was tragically killed in an air strike on her home along with her husband, could identify dishes based on the fragrance that each home was emitting during the preparations, as we walked together toward our homes. I cherished the hour leading up to sunset and the Maghrib prayer.
The spirit of Ramadan in Gaza has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self. Sprawling banquets and gatherings have given way to canned meals.
When the first day of Ramadan would come, many of us never had to think of what to cook for iftar, as the answer was evident: molokhia. This thick and flavorful stew, made from the leaves of the jute mallow plant, had always served as the traditional "opener" for Ramadan meals in Gaza. Like other Palestinian mothers and grandmothers, my mother believed that the vibrant green colour of molokhia instilled optimism and brought good fortune during the month.
This year is different. We no longer have the luxury of choice when it comes to our meals. Instead, we rely on a few cans of food received in aid parcels.
While most people fasting around the world may experience headaches and fatigue from the lack of food and caffeine, this year we did not feel the exhaustion from that first day of Ramadan since we have already been enduring food deprivation and a lack of basic necessities for months.
Today, people in Gaza fast through iftar not out of choice, but because they lack food and water.
My brother, who works at a hospital, remarked: "We have been fasting for five months, so I do not know if we will get a headache on the first day." We did not.
Our first suhour was accompanied by Israeli air strikes and artillery shelling in Deir al-Balah. My mother sighed: "Even in Ramadan."
We used to treat ourselves to qatayef, a beloved dessert popular in Ramadan that is no longer available. One kilogram of sugar, which used to cost only 8 NIS ($2), is now a staggering 85 NIS ($23).
The spirit of Ramadan in Gaza has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self. Sprawling banquets and gatherings have given way to canned meals.
Families no longer gather in celebration but in mourning.
The destruction of homes, markets, schools, the loss of loved ones, and the disruption of daily life have left us grappling with unimaginable pain and loss.
For more than five months, Gaza has endured massacres, disease, starvation, displacement, expulsion, and thirst. I desperately waited for Ramadan in the hope that this sacred month would be different from its predecessors. However, the violence and brutality of the situation have not ceased or lessened with the arrival of Ramadan.
We used to recite a prayer in which we would ask God for Ramadan to arrive without losing any of our loved ones.
However, this Ramadan, we have lost many, many friends, family members, and relatives. We lost homes. We lost our lives. We lost memories. We have lost everything.
This month, we are fasting from everything, whether it is food, talking, smiling, or spiritual experiences. Only grief and despair are in abundance.
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Israeli 'Use of Starvation' as Weapon in Gaza Would Be 'War Crime': UN Rights Chief
"The clock is ticking," said Volker Türk. "Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance."
Mar 19, 2024
A dire new report on mass hunger in the Gaza Strip prompted the United Nations high commissioner for human rights to declare Tuesday that Israel's persistent obstruction of humanitarian aid "may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime."
"Israel, as the occupying power, has the obligation to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population commensurate with their needs and to facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations to deliver that assistance," Volker Türk said in a statement after the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification (IPC) warned that half of Gaza's population is currently experiencing catastrophic hunger and at growing risk of starving to death.
Noting that Israel's 16-year blockade of Gaza "has already had a severe impact on human rights for the civilian population," Türk said Monday that Israel is required under international law to ensure the population of Gaza can access food, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance in a "safe and dignified manner."
"The clock is ticking," said Türk. "Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance and commercial goods to end starvation and avert all risk of famine. There needs to be full restoration of essential services, including the supply of food, water, electricity, and fuel. And there needs to be an immediate cease-fire, as well as the unconditional release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza."
Türk is not the first U.N. official to condemn Israel's deliberate withholding of food aid from Palestinians in Gaza. Last month, U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food Michael Fakhri said that "there is no reason to intentionally block the passage of humanitarian aid or intentionally obliterate small-scale fishing vessels, greenhouses, and orchards in Gaza—other than to deny people access to food."
"Intentionally depriving people of food is clearly a war crime," said Fakhri.
"The U.S. co-owns this outcome and now must apply real leverage ASAP to change course."
In violation of the International Court of Justice's January order, the Israeli military has systematically restricted ground-based aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip and violently attacked crowds seeking out the limited assistance that has been allowed to enter the enclave, fueling the rapid and deadly spread of malnutrition.
The IPC's new report put numbers to what aid groups on the ground in Gaza have been reporting in recent weeks as Israel's bombing and blockade continue with no end in sight. According to the IPC, Gaza's entire population is facing acute food insecurity and "famine is imminent."
Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International and a former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) official,
wrote on social media Monday that the IPC's report offers "the grimmest analysis" he has "ever seen."
"The famine is now starting," Konyndyk wrote. "Only question at this point is how much more momentum it will be allowed to develop. Every day without a cease-fire at this point will extend the famine further on the back end, costing more lives."
U.S. President Joe Biden "must begin pulling out all the stops to get this contained," Konyndyk added. "The Netanyahu government created this situation as the U.S. continued supplying them with arms and diplomatic cover. The U.S. co-owns this outcome and now must apply real leverage ASAP to change course."
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