​​​​​​​ISTANBUL

Soaring summer temperatures and water shortages are worsening conditions in war-torn Gaza and increasing dehydration among the territory’s population, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said Thursday.

“Temperatures in Gaza are soaring above 40°C (104°F), making an already desperate situation far worse,” the agency said on the US social media company X.
“With very limited water available, dehydration is increasing,” it added.

UNRWA noted that power cuts and fuel shortages are leaving people with “no relief from the extreme heat.” It renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire.

The warning comes as the besieged enclave endures an intense heatwave, with temperatures hovering in the high 30s to low 40s Celsius (86-104°F), and soaring even higher inside makeshift tents covered with plastic sheets that trap heat and block airflow. The suffocating conditions are driving many displaced families to abandon their shelters during the hottest hours of the day, despite the dangers outside.

After more than 22 months of relentless airstrikes and mass displacement, people in Gaza remain caught between scorching weather and the destruction of war. Persistent power outages, a shortage of clean water, and collapsing infrastructure are further increasing the risk of dehydration and other heat-related illnesses across the territory.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal war in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, killing more than 61,700 Palestinians.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.