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The Day · Wednesday 17 December 2025

Filed 00:18 · Palestine time (UTC+2) · Gaza

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UN Warns Newborns in Gaza Face Freezing Risk Amid Israeli Aid Restrictions

The United Nations has warned that newborns in Gaza are at risk of freezing as a winter storm hits the besieged territory. The warning comes in light of Israeli restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Conditions on the ground continue to deteriorate, with critical shortages reported. The alert underscores urgent humanitarian concerns.

GAZA CITY, GAZA – DECEMBER 15: Newborns and premature babies receiving treatment under limited conditions at Al Helou International Hospital in western Gaza on December 15, 2025. As the medicine crisis and shortage of medical equipment persist in the besieged Gaza Strip, the lives of newborn babies are at risk due to insufficient infant formula supplies. Newborns and premature babies are fighting for survival amid closed border crossings and severe shortages of heating systems, incubators, and pediatric intensive care equipment. ( Khalil Ramzi Alkahlut – Anadolu Agency )

The United Nations has issued a warning that newborns in Gaza are facing the risk of freezing as a result of a winter storm, citing Israeli restrictions on the flow of humanitarian aid into the territory. The warning highlights a deepening humanitarian crisis unfolding amid tense conditions across the besieged region.

According to the UN’s latest statement, the incoming winter storm poses severe threats to newborns who are especially vulnerable to the cold. The implication of the warning is that without immediate and unrestricted access for aid deliveries, the survival of infants may be severely endangered. The combination of low temperatures and a lack of essential supplies is placing extreme pressure on already strained health and shelter systems.

Gaza’s residents continue to face mounting challenges, with aid restrictions affecting the delivery of heating supplies, shelter materials, and immediate medical assistance for the most vulnerable, including newborns. The UN emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent what it describes as ‘avoidable suffering’ caused by preventable exposure to cold.

From its side, the UN reiterated the critical role that unfettered humanitarian access must play in ensuring the protection of civilians, particularly infants. It stressed that the current restrictions put in place by Israeli authorities are obstructing the delivery of the most basic items required to maintain life and ensure the health of Gaza’s youngest residents.

Meanwhile, as the winter storm continues to move through the region, humanitarian agencies have raised their voices in urging for the immediate removal of limits placed on aid. They point to the compounding effect of freezing temperatures and blockages at crossings, warning that the convergence of these factors creates a life-threatening situation for newborns and their families.

The situation remains critical, with field observations indicating that shelters are ill-equipped to handle the sudden drop in temperature. Health workers operating on limited supplies are reporting increased difficulty in maintaining appropriate care for infants, with a lack of incubators, clothing, and heating posing immediate threats to safety and survival.

In addition, reports from within various parts of Gaza show families attempting to insulate their makeshift homes with plastic sheeting and other inadequate materials. The reliance on such temporary fixes highlights what the UN views as a direct consequence of ongoing restrictions on material aid.

The UN’s warning aims to draw attention to the immediate humanitarian needs triggered by the winter storm. The emphasis remains on the infants, whose survival depends on rapid alleviation of aid barriers. Field teams continue to monitor the evolving crisis closely, reporting that without an urgent resolution, the risk of loss increases with every hour of delay.

The call for lifting the restrictions remains central to the UN’s message, as weather conditions are expected to worsen. The alert sent a clear signal to all involved parties that the current limitations on assistance contribute to risks that could otherwise be mitigated, if not prevented entirely.

As the situation unfolds, the UN’s warning adds to the rising concerns already voiced by humanitarian groups operating in the field. The winter storm sharpens the focus on aid restrictions, placing newborns in Gaza at the center of a growing humanitarian emergency.

17 Dec, 00:18

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