Unexploded ordnance in Gaza presents “enormous” dangers for displaced residents returning home under the US-brokered ceasefire, Handicap International has warned, urging the entry of demining equipment into the enclave.
“The risks are huge — roughly 70,000 tonnes of explosives have been dropped on Gaza since the war began,” said Anne-Claire Yaeesh, the organisation’s director for the Palestinian territories, as reported by AFP.
Handicap International, which focuses on mine clearance and supporting victims of landmines, said unexploded munitions — from bombs and grenades to bullets — now litter Gaza after two years of relentless Israeli bombardment.
“The layers of debris and accumulation are massive,” Yaeesh noted, adding that Gaza’s dense urban setting and scarcity of open areas make the situation “extremely complex.”
In January, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimated that 5–10% of the munitions fired on Gaza had failed to detonate.
The latest truce — the third since the war began — came into force on Friday.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, UNMAS said, calls for technical support “have surged,” with the agency assisting various humanitarian missions in areas that were previously unreachable.
It added that three armoured vehicles are currently stationed at the border awaiting Israeli clearance to enter Gaza so that large-scale and safer demining operations can begin.
