CNN — A newborn baby died from the cold in a tent encampment in Al-Mawasi, in southern Gaza, a health official said Wednesday, highlighting the stark challenges to survival faced by Palestinian children displaced from their homes amid Israel’s ongoing assault on the strip.

Sela Mahmoud Al-Fasih “froze to death from the extreme cold” in Al-Mawasi, Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, the director general of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, posted on X on Wednesday.

In the past week, at least four infants have died of hypothermia from low temperatures and a lack of access to warmth while living in tents, Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, the head of pediatrics and obstetrics at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, said on Thursday. Among them were a three-day-old and a one-month-old who also died in Al-Mawasi, he said.

  • @[email protected]English
    2•19 hours ago

    The case of the Palestinians now pretty neatly fits into “give up the chance of ever getting back”

    No, individuals having to watch this on the border have it rough and the entire situation is shit, but Cairo playing realpolitik on the matter of refugees is not something I can reasonably fault them for: they are elected to prioritize Egypt’s interest, and allowing a group that may reasonably become a southern Hezbollah is in direct conflict with that mission.

    Allowing mothers and children is the human thing to do, but with no actionable plan to return them, they become a liability with a fuse of some 16-20 years.

    • Flying Squid
      1•19 hours ago

      Now you’re arguing that Egypt shouldn’t have let them out because they would have no chance of getting back what they aren’t going to get back anyway.

      Allowing mothers and children is the human thing to do, but

      The fact that you think there should be a ‘but’ after that does not speak highly of you.

      • @[email protected]English
        3•18 hours ago

        I’m arguing (and have been) that Egypt is looking out for Egypt only. Allowing Palestinian refugees introduces a possible liability for the Egyptian government to deal with down the line.

        You’re right. I’m a monster for allowing myself to try and rationalize the actions of a government instead of assuming all they do comes from a place of humanity.

        Governments are not people, they do not act as such. At best they are corporations with the endgoal of “stay in power” instead of shareholder value.