NEW YORK CITY: The UN Mine Action Service has warned of the severe threat posed by unexploded ordnance in Gaza, as displaced communities and aid workers begin to return to areas ravaged by two years of relentless Israeli bombardment.
Luke David Irving, the chief of UNMAS in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, highlighted the ongoing dangers posed by these explosive remnants of war.
“As communities and humanitarian personnel now move through affected areas, the explosive risk is incredibly high,” said Irving, speaking in Jerusalem.
“We know from decades of experience that when many other conflicts end, explosive ordnance continue to maim and kill. Gaza is no exception.”
His team has documented many cases of injuries when people encountered unexploded ordnance, he added, including five children who were hurt last week, two of them seriously.
“It is one of hundreds of stories of people, often children, killed and suffering life-changing injuries at the hands of these dangerous items.”
Since October 2023, UNMAS has recorded 328 incidents in Gaza in which people were injured or killed by unexploded ordnance. However, the actual number is likely much higher.
“We expect that this figure is significantly underreported,” Irving said. “More, and many more, people have been injured or killed by ordnance littering Gaza over the past two years.”
UNMAS teams have so far identified 560 items of explosive ordnance in accessible parts of Gaza but warned the full extent of the contamination will remain unknown until more comprehensive surveys can be conducted.
“We expect to find many more items in the coming weeks as we can access more areas under the ceasefire,” Irving added.
The threat posted by unexploded devices is expected to persist for months and years to come, posing risks to residents as they return to their neighborhoods to salvage whatever belongings they can, and children play in affected zones.
Humanitarian workers also face significant danger as they venture into previously inaccessible locations, and Irving stressed the important need to remove explosive devices.
“Humanitarian mine action is indispensable to pave the way for aid delivery and any recovery and reconstruction,” he said.
UNMAS has already reached an estimated 460,000 people in Gaza in its efforts to help communities remain safe, through in-person risk-education campaigns in shelters, health centers and within areas affected by the conflict. Its workers have distributed more than 400,000 flyers, stickers and other awareness materials since March 2025. But much more remains to be done.
“We need to reach the entire population of Gaza with these messages to mitigate the risk,” Irving said.
UNMAS also carries out technical assessments of critical infrastructure, including roads, health centers, water facilities, bakeries and agricultural areas, to help ensure the safety of humanitarian operations. These assessments have also assisted with early recovery efforts, including the clearance of an estimated 50 to 60 million tonnes of debris potentially harboring explosive devices.
Since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, UNMAS has received nearly 100 requests for explosives-clearance support, about 10 a day on average, as a result of which efforts are being made to bring more technical personnel into Gaza to scale up operations.
However, longer-term recovery will depend on securing approval for the widespread deployment of critical disposal equipment, Irving said.
“We ask that this equipment gets brought in for the wider sector, and this will enable the longer-term recovery of Gaza,” he added.
Irving thanked donors for their ongoing support for his agency, and emphasized the urgent need for the expansion of humanitarian explosives-clearance action as Gaza moves towards recovery.