Gaza enters 2026 with more deaths and Israeli attacks More deaths, including Israel 's killing of a Palestinian man, have tainted Gaza 's start to the year, as uproar against Israel's aid restrictions grows. In one instance, a displaced grandmother and her grandson died after their tent caught fire on Thursday nearby the Yarmouk Stadium, located west of Gaza City. The flames were sparked by a cooking mishap and fanned by strong winter winds. The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza identified the two victims as Amal Hamed Abu al-Khair, 65, and Saud Muhammad Abu al-Khair, five. The father of the child sustained serious burns. Another displaced child, identified as Malak Rami Ghneim, froze to death on Thursday as a result of the severe drop in temperature and lack of proper shelter in Nuseirat, central Gaza. Read more: Gaza enters 2026 with more deaths and Israeli attacks Sarah Saada, a 15-year-old displaced Palestinian, paints '2026' on her tent in Gaza City on 30 December 2025 (Omar al-Qattaa/AFP)