Gazans seek refuge from heat in polluted sea

Residents of the Gaza Strip are flocking to the polluted Mediterranean shore to bathe and wash their clothes as summer temperatures rise and fresh water remains scarce. Displaced Gazans, crammed into tents and damaged buildings along the coast, are finding the sea to be their only refuge from the suffocating heat and unsanitary living conditions. The sea, however, is heavily contaminated with sewage and waste due to the collapse of infrastructure following years of war and bombardment. Water pumps, sewage stations, and treatment plants have been severely damaged, leaving families with little choice but to use the unsafe water. Temperatures in Gaza can reach 31 degrees Celsius, making the makeshift tents unbearable.