# Winter threatens 540,000 children in Gaza and West Bank

> UNICEF launches emergency appeal as freezing temperatures and damaged shelters put vulnerable children at risk of hypothermia and disease.
- Title: Winter threatens 540,000 children in Gaza and West Bank
- Summary: UNICEF launches emergency appeal as freezing temperatures and damaged shelters put vulnerable children at risk of hypothermia and disease. Winter conditions…
- Keywords: gaza, west bank, unicef, children, winter emergency, humanitarian crisis, displacement, hypothermia, shelter, palestine, religion, world
- Source: Vaticannews — https://vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2026-09/gaza-west-bank-unicef-appeal-winter-children-vulnerable.html
- Author: Vatican News
- Published: 2026-09-18T13:50:30.526+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gaza, west bank, unicef, children, winter emergency, humanitarian crisis, displacement, hypothermia, shelter, palestine, religion, world
## Winter emergency in Gaza
UNICEF launched a 97.5 million dollar appeal to help 540,000 children and families survive the coming winter in Gaza and the West Bank.

> For hundreds of thousands of children, winter is not just a seasonal hardship; the winter months pose an additional threat to their survival, safety, and well-being.
## Dangerous living conditions
Nearly 84 percent of Gaza's population lives in overcrowded displacement sites or damaged shelters with minimal protection from cold weather and heavy rains.
## Children face deadly risks
Infants and children with chronic conditions are especially vulnerable to hypothermia, respiratory infections, and waterborne diseases from cold exposure and poor living conditions.
## Last winter's death toll
At least 11 children, including infants, died from hypothermia in Gaza during the previous winter. Timely assistance could prevent further deaths.
## Building collapse hampers rescue
A war-damaged residential building collapsed in Gaza City this week, killing or missing children. Rescue efforts were blocked by lack of heavy machinery and equipment.
## West Bank families also vulnerable
In the West Bank, violence, displacement, movement restrictions and financial crisis are leaving children increasingly exposed to harsh winter conditions.
## Key takeaway

Winter conditions in Gaza and the West Bank pose life-threatening risks to children living in damaged shelters and displacement camps, requiring urgent humanitarian funding.