If you check your “For You” page today, you’ll see tech reviews, travel vlogs, and maybe some news about the US raid in Venezuela or Iran. What you won’t see is that Gaza is freezing and children in Rafah are freezing to death.
The world has decided to “move on.” The news cycle has shifted. But for the 1.9 million displaced Palestinians, January 2026 is becoming the deadliest month of the entire war. It isn’t just the bombs anymore. It’s the cold.
Here is the update from the ground that isn’t making the headlines.
1. The “Winter Siege” (Jan 12 – Jan 15)
Over the last 96 hours, a severe winter storm has battered the coastal strip. In normal cities, rain is an inconvenience. In Gaza, where “homes” are now just plastic sheets held up by wooden poles, rain is a death sentence.
- The Damage: Reports from UNRWA confirm that 7,000 tents in Rafah and Deir el-Balah have been completely flooded or destroyed by high winds.
- The Hypothermia Crisis: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported 7 child deaths from hypothermia in just three days. These weren’t shrapnel wounds. These were babies who simply froze because their parents couldn’t keep them dry.
2. The “Yellow Line” Blockade Continues
While the storm rages, the Israeli military has tightened the “Yellow Line” (the buffer zone separating North and South Gaza). Aid trucks carrying winter blankets, heaters, and tarpaulins are being turned back at the Kerem Shalom crossing. The reason? “Dual-use items.” Apparently, a thick blanket is considered a security threat in 2026.
- The Reality: There is no fuel for heating. People are burning plastic bottles and trash to stay warm, leading to a spike in respiratory diseases among children.
3. The Media Blackout
Why aren’t you seeing this on TV? Because the witnesses are gone. Following the expulsion of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) earlier this month, the few remaining freelance journalists are struggling to upload footage due to the near-total internet blackout imposed since Jan 10th. Israel has successfully turned Gaza into a “Black Box.” They can starve and freeze a population, and the world doesn’t even get a notification.
4. The “Comfortable” Silence
The most painful part isn’t the cold; it’s the silence. We have normalized the suffering. We scroll past the images of blue-lipped children because it makes us uncomfortable. But “scrolling past” is exactly what allows this siege to continue.
Don’t look away. The bombs might have slowed down for a few days, but the winter is doing the job for them. Peace is a farce.
Share this. Talk about it. Do not let them freeze in the dark.