Key facts
- Gazan residents are seeking refuge from extreme heat by going to the Mediterranean coast.
- The sea is heavily polluted with sewage and waste due to damaged infrastructure.
- Lack of fresh water forces families to use the polluted sea for bathing and washing.
- Temperatures in Gaza range between 28-31 degrees Celsius, with tents feeling much hotter.
- Water pumps, sewage stations, and treatment plants have been damaged by Israeli bombardment.
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.