World News
Gaza City lifeguards operate with depleted gear along crowded beaches
Lifeguards face destroyed infrastructure, equipment shortages, and irregular pay while monitoring beachgoers.
The short version
- Approximately 120 lifeguards are patrolling Gaza City beaches using tents, whistles, flags, and hand signals after elevated watchtowers, boats, and sound systems were destroyed.
- Municipal officials report responding to 20 to 50 rescue incidents on an average day, with spikes up to 165 cases on crowded days.
- Lifeguards report working under financial strain with irregular pay of about 25 shekels per shift, alongside inflated costs for basic gear like whistles.
Key facts
- Gaza Municipality currently employs about 120 lifeguards along Gaza City beaches, down from around 140 before the war.[Al Jazeera]
- Lifeguards operate without former infrastructure like 3.3-meter watchtowers, rescue boats, and loudspeakers, relying instead on ground-level tents, flags, voice calls, and shared whistles.[Al Jazeera]
- According to Ibrahim Shamlakh, head of Gaza Municipality's marine rescue department, teams respond to 20 to 50 rescue incidents on average daily, with cases reaching up to 165 on peak days.[Al Jazeera]
- Two drownings have been recorded outside lifeguard-covered areas since the start of the current season.[Al Jazeera]
- Lifeguards earn about 25 shekels per six-hour shift, but payments are irregular and staff previously worked 75 consecutive days without pay.[Al Jazeera]
- Equipment prices have risen under import restrictions, with whistle prices increasing from 25 shekels ($8) before the war to 100 shekels ($34).[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- The long-term availability of funding and resources to supply lifeguards or repair infrastructure along the Gaza coast remains unknown.[Al Jazeera]