Gaza / PNN /

A nine-month-old Palestinian infant has died from extreme cold in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, medical sources reported Friday, marking the first cold-related death recorded in the Gaza Strip this winter.

The infant, identified as Kinan Ahmad Ariqeq, died after suffering a severe drop in body temperature, the sources said.

He was brought dead to Nasser Medical Complex on Thursday from a displacement tent in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, after being transferred from the Kuwaiti Hospital. A forensic examination confirmed that severe hypothermia was the cause of death.

Gaza recorded 10 cold-related deaths during last winter, according to available figures.

Palestinians across the Gaza Strip are facing severe shortages of shelter, medical care and heating supplies, compounded by a lack of fuel, as a cold, stormy and rainy weather system sweeps across the territory.

More than 2.4 million people are living in approximately 30% of Gaza's territory, amid deteriorating living conditions in overcrowded displacement tents and shelters.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to delay the entry of humanitarian aid, with the quantities reaching Gaza falling far short of the population's growing needs. Supplies cover only a fraction of the urgent requirements of displaced families, amid persistent shortages of tents, blankets and winter clothing.