At least eleven children in the Gaza Strip have died from hypothermia since the start of the winter season, the United Nations warned on Friday, as families continue to face harsh and life-threatening conditions.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that “on Tuesday, another child reportedly died from hypothermia,” citing figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Despite large-scale aid deliveries, shelter conditions remain dangerously inadequate for children and families.

“Since October, the UN and our partners have distributed tens of thousands of tents, providing shelter to over half a million people,” the UN said. However, officials cautioned that “tents provide limited protection, especially during the rainy season.”

Children are also bearing the brunt of food insecurity and economic collapse. While prices for most food items are currently “38 to 96 per cent lower than prices in the first week of October 2025,” they remain far higher than before October 2023, with “some items more than 230 per cent,” according to the World Food Programme.

Even where food is available, families cannot afford it. “Unemployment in Gaza stands at over 80 per cent,” the UN said, adding that households “lack purchasing power to buy many of these items.”

Fuel shortages are forcing families into dangerous coping mechanisms that further threaten children’s health. “More than half the population is still resorting to using waste as fuel for cooking,” the UN warned, exacerbating health and environmental risks.

To address growing malnutrition among children, humanitarian partners have expanded services across Gaza. “More than 190 centres are currently distributing infant formula, providing blanket feeding, and other critical support to children.”

The UN stressed that these efforts will not be enough without sustained access. “Humanitarians stress that the entry of aid and commercial supplies must be sustained and further diversified,” the briefing said.

The situation for Palestinian children is also worsening elsewhere. In East Jerusalem, UNRWA reported that “electricity and water have been cut off in schools and health centres… that provide critical services to thousands of people.”

The UN renewed its call for an end to restrictions that hinder lifesaving assistance. “Restrictions on humanitarian operations must be lifted,” including “ending the ongoing ban on UNRWA,” the spokesperson said.

“All of our humanitarian partners should be allowed to bring in supplies and operate without hindrance across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the UN added.