Khan Younis:Gaza A tragic fire in a displacement tent in the southern Gaza Strip has claimed the lives of two infant girls. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, as families gathered in the tent. The fire resulted in severe burns to the infants, who were later admitted to intensive care and succumbed to their injuries on Saturday morning.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the infants have been identified by the Nasser Medical Complex as Habiba Mohammed Zanoun, two months old, and Aseel Abu Suhayban, seven months old. It is reported that the fire began while food was being cooked inside the tent, highlighting the severe shortages of cooking gas and basic supplies due to Israel's blockade, which has forced families to cook over open flames.
The grandmother of the girls, who did not provide her name, recounted the events leading to the tragedy. She mentioned that her daughter was visiting when the fire suddenly broke out. Habiba was due for her two-month vaccinations on the same day she died. Aseel's mother attempted to rescue her daughter and suffered burns in the process, requiring hospitalization.
Friday's blaze was one of three fires reported in displacement tents in central and southern Gaza. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has previously warned about the dangers of cooking inside these tents, as they are often built with flammable materials. The agency also noted that Israeli authorities had denied entry to a shipment containing emergency shelter kits, which could have provided safer living conditions for the displaced families.
The Gaza Government Media Office has estimated that a significant number of the displacement tents are unfit for habitation and require immediate replacement. The grandmother, mourning her loss, has made an appeal to the global community to address the plight of Gaza's displaced families and alleviate their suffering.