53 countries demand unrestricted aid access to Gaza as baby dies from hypothermia
A group of 53 countries and organisations, including Türkiye, has called on Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip, as worsening weather conditions and flooding continue to threaten displaced Palestinians.
The appeal came on Thursday amid growing concern over the humanitarian situation, following the death of a nine-month-old baby from hypothermia in southern Gaza.
The joint statement was delivered at the United Nations headquarters by Sarah MacIntosh, the UK's permanent representative to the UN, on behalf of the signatories of the Gaza Call to Action on Humanitarian Access and Health, led by the UK, Qatar and Jordan.
MacIntosh said the comprehensive peace plan, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, provides for the immediate entry of humanitarian assistance at levels no lower than those agreed on January 19, 2025.
However, she stressed that these commitments had yet to be fully implemented.
She said the humanitarian situation could improve when political will existed, but warned that thousands of Palestinians remained without adequate shelter as winter approached, leaving them exposed to hypothermia, respiratory infections and waterborne diseases.
Countries urge Israel to open crossings
The 53 signatories called on Israel's incoming government to ensure rapid and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza through all available border crossings and land routes.
They also urged Israel to restore medical referral arrangements to hospitals in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, facilitate transparent investigations into attacks against healthcare and humanitarian workers, and allow senior international delegations and journalists to enter Gaza.
The countries pledged additional support for emergency winter preparations, including shelter, clean water, sanitation and medical supplies.
Nine-month-old baby dies in flooded displacement tent
Meanwhile, nine-month-old Kinan Ahmed Raqiq died from hypothermia inside his family's displacement tent in Khan Younis, according to his father and a doctor who spoke to AFP.
The child's father said he discovered his son had turned blue during the night and rushed him to Nasser Hospital, but doctors were unable to save him.
“I woke up only to see his skin had turned blue so I rushed him to Nasser hospital, but he had already died from hypothermia and frozen to death,” he told AFP.
The death came after days of heavy rainfall and flooding that affected thousands of displaced Palestinians living in makeshift shelters.
Last week, torrential rain flooded tens of thousands of tents. Five people, including three children, were killed the following day when a sandy embankment collapsed onto their shelters.
Hundreds of displaced families have since been forced to leave flooded camps in Gaza City and other areas of the territory.
UN warns of worsening winter conditions
James Elder, UNICEF's spokesperson on Gaza, warned that the recent flooding was only the beginning of the cold season.
He stressed that temperatures and rainfall were already creating severe conditions, even though winter had not officially begun.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 26,000 households had been affected by storms as of November 8.
Around 65% of Gaza's population continues to live in displacement tents or other temporary shelters, according to the agency.
Ceasefire fails to end humanitarian crisis
Israel and Hamas declared a ceasefire on October 10, 2025, but Israeli military strikes have continued in the territory, causing further civilian casualties.
Six civilians were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital on Thursday.
In an unusually critical statement, US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace said this week that Israel had not done enough to prepare for the cold weather and urged it to urgently allow additional humanitarian supplies into Gaza.
With thousands of families facing flooding, inadequate shelter and falling temperatures, international pressure is mounting on Israel to facilitate aid deliveries and prevent further deaths among the displaced population.
Source:DailySabah
