The Israeli army reiterated on Saturday that it forbids the people of the Gaza Strip from entering the sea, and Zionist troops will punish any access to the water, while much of the enclave’s population remains displaced along the coast, living in tents under the intense summer heat. This order has been in effect since October 7, 2023.

RELATED: Israeli Settler Attacks in Sinjil Result in Deaths of Two Palestinians, One from U.S.

“Entering the sea is prohibited. Army troops will enforce any violation of these restrictions. We urge fishermen, swimmers, and divers to avoid entering the sea,” warned Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military spokesperson in Arabic, in a statement on the social network X.

Israel’s news outlets added that the army attacks those who enter deeper into the sea under this prohibition, not beachgoers, although the military order is general. Adraee also threatened that “entering the sea along the entire coast of the Gaza Strip” endangers those who do so.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported on Saturday that children in Gaza are unable to bathe properly due to a lack of soap and drinking water caused by the ongoing siege. They warned that this situation, combined with overcrowded shelters and the summer heat, could lead to serious health problems. Temperatures throughout the Strip currently exceed 30 ºC daily.

The Zionist regime’s order, whose motivation was not detailed in the announcement, comes as the Gaza beaches of Mawasi (south) are the main area where the armed forces direct the population daily.

More than 425,000 people crowd there, according to the United Nations, living in a network of tents on the sand under poor humanitarian conditions, including lack of potable water and hygiene products, accumulation of garbage and sewage, and lack of electricity. Furthermore, in Gaza City (north), where around one million people are estimated to live, many also gather on the beach.

IN THIS ARTICLE