Gaza Under Siege: A Humanitarian Catastrophe Amid Bitter Cold
The Gaza Strip is witnessing a tragic escalation of humanitarian conditions as the Zionist aggression continues since October 2023, resulting in more than 71,000 martyrs and 170,000 injured, the majority of whom are women and children.
The crisis has worsened with the arrival of severe cold weather systems, while the occupying forces continue to violate the ceasefire agreement, targeting civilians and civilian property. At the same time, a suffocating blockade remains in place, preventing the entry of essential aid, including food, medicine, and heating supplies.
Death and Injury Toll
Since the start of the aggression, the death toll has risen to 71,412 martyrs and 171,314 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Over the past 48 hours alone, hospitals received three martyrs and nine injured, amid severe difficulties faced by ambulance teams in reaching victims trapped under the rubble.
As freezing temperatures persist, a two-month-old infant died, bringing the number of children who have died from cold exposure in recent days to four. The total number of deaths caused by cold weather since the beginning of the aggression has reached 21, most of them children.
Daily Violations
Despite the ceasefire agreement, the occupying forces continue daily violations, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, demolition of residential buildings, and gunfire from naval vessels.
Zionist attacks targeted areas east of Rafah, Khan Younis, Al-Bureij refugee camp, southern Al-Mawasi in Rafah, Al-Tuffah east of Gaza City, and Abu Zeitoun in Jabalia camp. These attacks resulted in the martyrdom of four Palestinians, including children, widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure, and heightened fear among civilians.
Humanitarian Crisis
Displaced families are living in temporary camps that lack even the most basic necessities, including heating, food, and safe shelter.
Relief agencies, led by UNRWA, have warned of a worsening humanitarian situation, emphasizing that children are the most affected, and have called for the immediate lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid entry.
Calls for Action for Gaza
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine called on the international community to take a decisive stance to force the Zionist entity to lift the blockade and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. It warned that continued international silence is exacerbating the humanitarian disaster and threatening the lives of civilians—particularly children, women, and displaced persons—amid harsh winter conditions.
Zionist Escalation
Since October 2023, the Zionist aggression against Gaza has included killing, starvation, destruction, forced displacement, and mass arrests, in blatant disregard of international resolutions and orders issued by the International Court of Justice.
The assault has displaced hundreds of thousands and caused massive destruction to homes and cities. The United Nations estimates the cost of reconstruction at approximately $70 billion.
An Ongoing Tragedy
The Gaza Strip continues to suffer under relentless siege and systematic attacks, with the humanitarian crisis intensifying due to the harsh winter and rising child mortality rates. This catastrophe demands urgent intervention by the international community and humanitarian organizations to provide shelter and essential aid, ensure the protection of civilians from daily ceasefire violations, and save what remains of lives amid an ongoing tragedy.