Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian physician who previously worked in Gaza, tells Al Jazeera that winter will bring “an unbearable avalanche of human suffering” to the enclave.

“The combination of winter cold, wind, and precipitation will make the risk of hypothermia overwhelmingly dangerous,” says Gilbert, who specialises in treating hypothermia.

“This is particularly true for those who are small and those who are already starving or sick — which a large portion of the people.”

“A small child will very quickly become cold and when your body temperature drops below 35 degrees Celsius it reaches hypothermia. This weakens the body, weakens the immune system, and if there is a bleeding injury, causes bleeding to occur more quickly. Hypothermia is a death trap,” he said.