Winter death toll in Gaza reaches 17 as calls on Israel to lift aid blockade grow Submitted by Mera Aladam on Thu, 12/18/2025 - 09:14 Meanwhile, 90 percent of shelters across the besieged Palestinian territory have been submerged by rain waters A displaced Palestinian boy waits with his container to receive food at a charity kitchen in Khan Younis, south Gaza, on 17 December (AFP/Bashar Taleb) Off At least 17 Palestinians have died due to severe winter conditions in Gaza , prompting renewed demands for Israel to allow in humanitarian relief. The latest death is that of Saeed Asaeed Abdeen, a one month-old infant who died as a result of severe hypothermia. Abdeen is one of four children who have died from the significant drop in temperatures since the start of Storm Byron last week, which has swept the territory into a torrent of rain, floods and destruction. The director of al-Shifa Medical Complex, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, warned of the difficult humanitarian conditions in the besieged enclave, stressing that children are at great risk from the ongoing Israeli bombardment, freezing temperatures and spread of diseases. Salmiya noted that there is a stark shortage of medicine, with over half of vital medications unavailable. The conditions double the risk of disease outbreaks amongst Gaza's population, especially amid the already dire environmental and humanitarian situation, he added. Alarm bells were also rung by the Gaza City municipality, which highlighted the worsening waste crisis in Gaza, which poses a great danger to the health of residents in the territory. Waste collection services have been severely decreased due to the lack of fuel entering the blockaded territory. Gaza’s destroyed buildings are turning winter storms into a deadly threat. Flooding, collapsing shelters and blocked aid are killing children. @mayanoraa gives you an update pic.twitter.com/X2RHhxNbxJ — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) December 17, 2025 For over two years, Israel has restricted the provision of goods into Gaza, with only limited supplies entering as part of international aid and even those after heavy diplomatic pressure. Israel has repeatedly targeted much of the Strip's infrastructure and buildings, leaving nearly 80 percent of structures destroyed. This has rendered Gaza's population of over two million without proper access to clean water supplies, food, shelter, health care, clothing and fuel. Growing demand for Israel to end aid blockage A joint statement made by leading United Nations agencies and over 200 NGOs on Wednesday called on the international community to take "immediate and concrete actions" to push Israel into halting its obstruction of aid. "The ongoing re-registration process and other arbitrary hindrances to humanitarian operations have left millions of dollars’ worth of essential supplies - including food, medical items, hygiene materials, and shelter assistance - stuck outside of Gaza and unable to reach people in need," the statement read. It warned that the relief blockade will have "far-reaching consequences" on the future of the territory, particularly during winter. "UN agencies and NGOs reiterate that humanitarian access is not optional, conditional or political," it added. "It is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law, particularly in Gaza where Israel has failed to ensure that the population is adequately supplied." According to the latest situational report from the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees (Unrwa) on Wednesday, Israeli authorities continue to block the agency from directly bringing humanitarian personnel and aid into the Gaza Strip. Gaza genocide: How the policy of 'nowhere home' strips Palestinians of their identity Read More » Over a dozen already-fragile buildings have collapsed since last week's heavy rainfall began, according to Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal. He noted that teams have responded to damage sustained by over 90 buildings, many of them partially crumbling, and have received over 5,000 distress calls in less than a month. Around 90 percent of shelters across the Gaza Strip have been submerged and in some cases swept away by currents or winds, leaving thousands of families without their belongings. In several clips circulating on line, tents can be seen being blown away while Palestinians struggle to keep them in place. Other footage show nearly fully flooded tents, shelters, hospitals, vehicles and streets. One video shows the collapse of a concrete wall on a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City, a reoccurance that has caused the death of a number of people since last week. Rainwater accumulation exacerbates the suffering of displaced Palestinians residing in tents or dilapidated buildings, as a notable lack of drainage systems and a decimated sewage network poses humanitarian risks to the environment and health sectors. Israeli shelling and demolitions remain ongoing, despite the ceasefire. Unrwa has noted that multiple installations have been hit, causing several deaths and injuries amid the ongoing Israeli military operations. Israel's two-year genocidal war has killed over 70,669, more than 20,000 of them children. Thousands more are missing and presumed dead. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0