Gaza, MINA – Julius van der Vaart, Head of the UN Mine Action Program in the Palestinian Territories, warned on Wednesday that children in Gaza are facing an extreme and growing risk from explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance, stressing that these hidden dangers are preventing life from returning to normal even after the ceasefire.
Speaking to the press, Van der Vaart said unexploded ordnance remains a serious threat to civilians, particularly as hundreds of thousands of people move across the Strip following the truce.
He noted that over two years of intense Israeli attacks have left Gaza heavily contaminated with explosive materials, obstructing humanitarian aid delivery and slowing reconstruction efforts.
According to Van der Vaart, the UN Mine Action Service, which has been operating in Gaza since October 2023, has so far identified more than 650 hazardous items, most of them unexploded ordnance or improvised explosive devices (IEDs), in the limited areas its teams have been able to access.
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He stressed that UN teams face daily risks from explosive devices across the Strip, while families moving between neighborhoods are constantly exposed to danger.
Children, he emphasized, are the most vulnerable, as in other conflict zones due to their natural curiosity and tendency to touch unfamiliar objects without understanding the danger.
Van der Vaart cautioned that although no precise data exists on the full extent of explosive contamination, strong indicators show that such devices are widespread in most areas of Gaza.
He added that Gaza’s small size and dense population make the situation more complex than in war zones like Syria or Lebanon.
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Avoiding explosive remnants is nearly impossible, he said, and even small fragments can cause severe harm.
He urged the public to exercise extreme caution when returning to damaged homes and to report any suspicious or unexploded objects immediately.
“These objects are extremely sensitive and may detonate at any moment,” he warned. “That could lead to loss of life, severe injuries, or the release of toxic substances.”[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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