Gaza tent fire kills a grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson as Angelina Jolie visits Rafah crossing

A nylon tent in Yarmouk caught fire during cooking, killing a grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson; Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing and met Red Crescent staff and patients.

A grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson were killed when their nylon tent in Yarmouk, Gaza, caught fire during cooking, officials and neighbors reported. Thousands of Palestinians continue to live in makeshift tents amid cold, rainy winter weather and a strained humanitarian response. Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing and met with Red Crescent members and patients in a nearby Egyptian hospital. Reopening the Rafah crossing remains contested between Israel and Egypt and has been the focus of diplomatic discussion. What is known: - A nylon tent in Yarmouk caught fire Thursday night during cooking, and a grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson burned to death, neighbors said. - Thousands of people in Gaza are sheltering in flimsy tents and have faced repeated winter rains, flooding and mud in tent cities. - UNICEF reported at least six children have died of weather-related causes, and Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least three children died of hypothermia. - Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah crossing, met Red Crescent personnel on the Egyptian side, and visited a hospital in Arish to speak with Palestinian patients, according to Egyptian officials. - The Rafah crossing remains closed to regular entry and exit requests; Israel says it will only allow Palestinians to exit with security approvals, while Egypt has called for reopening in both directions. - Since the ceasefire began, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 416 people killed and 1,142 wounded in Gaza, and the overall Palestinian death toll from the war is reported at least 71,271. Summary: The deaths underline risks faced by people living in fragile shelters during winter and the continued pressures on humanitarian access in Gaza. Disputes over reopening the Rafah crossing and the pace of aid deliveries remain central to discussions among governments and relief groups. Undetermined at this time.