Gaza's children dying of cold and trapped in war
By Félicité Maymat and Linda Bordoni
“The suffering is truly immense.” Decrying the fact that “All families are affected, but children are much more vulnerable,” Rosalia Bollen, UNICEF’s communications head in Gaza pointed out that “They cannot protect themselves, and their fragility puts them particularly at risk.”
In recent weeks, the harsh winter has brought temperatures as low as 4°C at night, coupled with severe storms, strong winds, and relentless rain. Tragically, eight children, some of them newborns, have already succumbed to hypothermia.
Surviving against all odds
In an interview with Vatican News, Bollen said that in Gaza, families are struggling to meet even their most basic needs. Food, medicine, and shelter are in critically short supply. Premature babies and the more fragile children are particularly vulnerable. Without access to medical care, they face impossible odds.
“These children were not suffering from specific medical conditions,” Bollen said, “They were simply newborns, vulnerable to the cold. But their parents have no way to keep them warm.”
She pointed out that many children in Gaza lack essential winter clothing and shoes. “When I walk through Gaza, I see children wearing summer clothes in the middle of winter. Many of them don’t even have shoes,” she added.
The psychological toll of violence
The suffering, Bollen continued, is not just physical. The ongoing violence has left deep psychological scars. “Children freeze in terror whenever they hear the sound of planes or drones. They scream, they cry. Some have stopped speaking altogether, retreating into themselves.”
Even as children endure physical wounds—burns, spinal injuries, and amputations—their mental health deteriorates. For example, she noted, five-year-old Saad, who lost his sight after his home was bombed.
“There is no psychological support available for children like Saad. When even basic medical care is inaccessible, psychological care becomes a distant dream,” she said.
A daily struggle for survival
In Gaza, children’s daily lives are consumed by the struggle for survival. Many spend their days fetching water, scavenging through garbage for food, or collecting materials to burn for warmth.
“These children dream of returning to school, seeing their friends, and sleeping in their own beds,” the UNICEF official said.
These children dream of returning to school, seeing their friends, and sleeping in their own beds.
However, such dreams remain out of reach. With the education system in shambles and families focused solely on survival, the future for Gaza’s children looks increasingly bleak.
The need for action
The crisis in Gaza is compounded by ongoing bombings and blockades. In the first six days of 2025 alone, at least 74 children were killed—an average of nearly 10 children per day. Many more were injured, with injuries ranging from severe burns to life-altering spinal cord damage.
“The attacks must stop,” Bollen reiterated, “We are trying to distribute warm clothing and other essentials, but it is not enough. The international community must act to end this cycle of violence.”
Without immediate intervention, she explained, the situation in Gaza will only worsen. The lack of hygiene, insufficient food, and contaminated water are breeding grounds for disease, leaving children even more vulnerable.
Call for humanity
The plight of Gaza’s children is a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict. The head of UNICEF in Gaza concluded with an appeal:
“These children deserve more than survival. They deserve a chance to live, to grow, and to dream. We must do everything in our power to make that a reality.”
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