AhlulBayt News Agency: Julius van der Vaart, Head of the UN Mine Action Program in the Palestinian Territories, warned that children are the most vulnerable to explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance in Gaza, stressing that these dangers are preventing normal life from resuming in the region.
On Wednesday, Van der Vaart told reporters that unexploded ordnance poses a grave risk to civilians, particularly as hundreds of thousands of people move around following the ceasefire.
He explained that more than two years of heavy Israeli bombardment on Gaza have left widespread contamination with explosive materials, obstructing humanitarian aid delivery and slowing the territory’s recovery.
This situation, he added, makes reconstruction in Gaza extremely hazardous and poses a direct threat to civilian lives.
Van der Vaart noted that the UN Mine Action Service has been active in Gaza since October 2023 and has already identified over 650 dangerous items in the areas they have reached, most of them unexploded ordnance or improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
He emphasized that UN teams face daily risks from explosives across the Strip, while families moving within Gaza are constantly exposed to danger.
The UN official highlighted that children are the most at risk, as in other conflict zones, because of their curiosity and tendency to touch unfamiliar objects without understanding the danger.
He cautioned that although there is no precise data on the full extent of explosive contamination in Gaza, strong evidence suggests widespread presence across most areas.
Van der Vaart explained that Gaza’s small size and dense population make the situation even more complicated compared to other war zones such as Syria or Lebanon.
He stressed that avoiding explosive remnants is nearly impossible under these conditions, where even small fragments can cause severe harm. He urged residents to exercise extreme caution when returning to damaged homes and to report any suspicious or unexploded objects immediately.
“These devices are highly sensitive and could detonate at any time,” he warned. “Such explosions may cause fatalities, serious injuries, or release toxic substances.”
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