Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have issued a warning regarding the increasing number of deaths in Gaza due to plummeting temperatures and severe winter storms. This announcement was made during a joint press briefing in Geneva by WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian Territory, Rick Pepperkorn, and UNICEF spokesperson, Ricardo Pires, who emphasized the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the press briefing highlighted the "near total collapse" of health services in Gaza, exacerbated by ongoing restrictions imposed by occupation forces on humanitarian aid. Pepperkorn confirmed that ten people have died in the last 24 hours due to the cold. He noted the prevalence of acute respiratory infections, influenza, hepatitis, and diarrheal diseases, which are spreading rapidly due to "winter conditions combined with poor water and sanitation."
Pepperkorn explained that these illnesses are particularly affecting children under five living in inadequate shelter conditions. He stated that the Early Warning and Alert Response System, implemented by WHO on January 24, has recorded "1.47 million cases of acute respiratory infections and over 670,000 cases of acute diarrheal diseases." He criticized the Israeli occupation's repeated refusal to allow testing equipment into Gaza, labeling it as "unjustified." Pepperkorn also confirmed that "379 Palestinians have been killed and 992 injured since the ceasefire," with "627 bodies retrieved from under the rubble." The total death toll has "exceeded 70,000," and the number of injured has surpassed "171,000."
Pires warned that "800,000 Gazans are at risk from flooding, many of them children," and described the situation for children as "extremely dire." He confirmed reports of "two babies or under-fives who died from hypothermia this week," similar to incidents from the previous year. Pires emphasized the need for faster aid delivery to prevent further child deaths during winter.
Pires also criticized the ongoing Israeli occupation's restrictions on humanitarian access, stressing that essential supplies remain stuck outside Gaza, awaiting approval. He called for the opening of more humanitarian crossings to protect children, as storms and floods continue to impact nearly every person in Gaza.