7,500 tons of unexploded ordnance scattered across the Gaza Strip

AA / Istanbul / Mohammed Hamood Ali Al Ragawi

The United Nations said on Thursday that about 7,500 tons of unexploded ordnance are currently strewn across the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s war and that it will take about 14 years to clear it.

The United Nations Mine Action Service explained in a statement that “approximately 7,500 tons of unexploded ordnance are scattered across Gaza, which could take up to 14 years to clear.”

In the same context, in order to mitigate the risks to civilians and aid teams, the department has launched urgent appeals to the international community for help in removing unexploded ordnance, according to the United Nations United website.

The UN Mine Action Service is conducting awareness campaigns about the dangers of these munitions through social media and phone text messages, as well as handing out leaflets to around 1.2 million people in Gaza.

The UN website says the area contains about 37 million tons of waste, likely containing about 800,000 tons of asbestos, among other contaminants.

The term asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are used for insulation purposes in buildings and in components of roof elements, water pipes, fire blankets, plastic fillers, medical packaging, etc.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and can cause lung, larynx, and ovarian cancer, among other cancers.

Following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the town of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip last April, a UN assessment team mission reported that “streets and public places were littered with unexploded ordnance, in addition to thousands of pounds of bombs lying at major intersections and inside schools .

The United Nations said its efforts were still continuing to secure areas in Khan Yunis and prepare them for the return of residents, including damage assessments of facilities linked to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees (UNRWA) and high-level mapping. risk areas containing shrapnel and unexploded ordnance.

Israel’s ongoing war in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023 has left more than 112,000 dead and wounded, most of whom are women and children, and about 10,000 missing in the context of famine and epidemics.

Israel continues this war despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities and an order by the International Court of Justice providing for interim measures to prevent genocide and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

* Translated from Arabic by Mounir Bennour.

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