The genocide in Gaza has left behind a staggering amount of debris, estimated at 37 million tonnes, much of which is contaminated with unexploded ordnance, The Guardian reported.
This hazardous debris could take more than a decade to clear, according to a senior UN demining official. So far, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as bombardment continues.
Pehr Lodhammar, a former chief of the United Nations Mine Action Service in Iraq, highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that there is an average of 300 kilograms of rubble per square meter of land in Gaza.
He explained that with the current volume of debris, it would require around 14 years of continuous work with 100 trucks just to remove it. However, ongoing genocide makes it uncertain how long this clearance effort could ultimately take.
The intensity of Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza has led to widespread destruction, particularly of residential buildings. Sixty-five percent of the destroyed structures were homes, adding significant challenges to the rebuilding process due to the risk posed by unexploded munitions buried within the debris.
