“I never thought that I would give birth while living in a tent, in such cold and freezing conditions, with water dripping on us. Water seeps into the tent, pouring over us. Sometimes we had to run to save ourselves from the water – for the sake of the child,” says Nariman.
Nevertheless, the Force was born without complications.
“Her health, thank God, was good. Suddenly, the cold began to affect her,” says Nariman. “I noticed she was sneezing and seemed to be sick with a cold, but I never expected her to die because of it.”
Silah was admitted last Wednesday to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where Dr. Ahmad al-Fara, director of the pediatric department, said she suffered from “severe hypothermia that led to the cessation of vital functions, cardiac arrest, and eventually death”. .
“(The day before) two cases were also delivered, one was a three-day-old baby and the other was less than a month old. Both cases involved severe hypothermia that resulted in death,” says Dr. Farah.
Babies do not have a sufficiently developed mechanism to maintain their own body temperature, and hypothermia can easily develop in a cold environment. Premature babies are particularly vulnerable, and Dr Farah says doctors in Gaza have seen an increase in premature births during the war.
Mothers also suffer from malnutrition, as a result of which they are unable to breastfeed their children. According to Dr. Farah, there is also a shortage of infant formula due to limited humanitarian aid supplies.
