Weather & Science
A Long, Hot Summer Is Set to Worsen Conditions in Gaza
Nighttime heat is especially dangerous for displaced Palestinians with no way to cool down.
Displaced Palestinian children wait for a water supply tank amid soaring temperatures in Rafah.
Photographer: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
As the US tries to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas before another major attack on Gaza, a quieter, long-term threat has begun to worsen conditions for Palestinians already displaced by war.
The temperature in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, rose to 39.1C (102F) on April 24, 14C higher than the 30-year average for the same date. The temperature fell after two days and has remained seasonally normal. The problem is, the season is changing, and summer may bring temperatures much higher than the anomalous April heat spell.