Agonising heat wave hits Gaza amid widescale dehydration and famine

As temperatures in the Gaza Strip surpass 40 degrees celsius, health authorities and rights organisations have sounded the alarm over increasing dehydration cases and the spread of diseases.

The United Nation's agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) warned in a post on X that the scorching heat is "making an already desperate situation far worse".

The agency noted the limited water supply across the besieged enclave, as Israel continues its months-long blockade on the territory.

"Bombardments and forced displacement continue. With limited electricity and fuel, there is no relief from the extreme heat," it said. "There must be a ceasefire."

Gaza is facing severe water shortages due to months of Israeli attacks targeting water and sanitation infrastructure, including desalination plants and sewage systems.

The blockaded enclave - which was already suffering from a water crisis before the nearly 700-day genocide - now has less than four percent of the fresh water in needs, with surrounding sea water polluted by sewage.

The Gaza government press office has previously said that such Israeli attacks are aimed at "turning water into a tool of genocide and a weapon of slow killing".

Moreover, expulsion orders issued in recent weeks have left displaced Palestinians vulnerable to dehydration.

The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned in late July that these displacement orders target sources of clean water, as they have concerned zones hosting vital water infrastructure.