Unexploded Ordnance Threatens Gaza Strip Residents with Deadly Consequences

Strategic Insights -

Six-year-old twins Yahya and Nabila Shorbasi were playing among the rubble of their destroyed home in Gaza City when a sudden explosion shattered the silence of a fragile ceasefire. The tragedy of the Shorbasi twins reflects the growing threat of unexploded ordnance (UXO) scattered across the Gaza Strip. Although calm has prevailed since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect more than two weeks ago, the remnants of war remain buried under debris, turning neighborhoods into potential minefields.

Key Takeaways:

  • At least 320 Palestinians have been killed and injured by unexploded ordnance across the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict in October 2023, according to data from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS).
  • Around 20,000 unexploded bombs and missiles remain scattered across Gaza, estimated by the Gaza Center for Human Rights.
  • The total rubble resulting from the destruction of homes and vital infrastructure had reached between 65 and 70 million tons, containing about 71,000 tons of explosives and remnants of war, by mid-October.
  • The clearance operations are coordinated with the United Nations, which has launched community awareness programs to educate residents, especially children, about the dangers of suspicious objects.
  • Environmental experts warn that unexploded ordnance and other remnants of war are also threatening Gaza's already fragile environment, contaminating soil and groundwater, and affecting farmland.
  • Without international support, advanced equipment, and safe access to affected areas, the task of removing explosive remnants will remain incomplete for a long time.

Statistics:

  • At least 320 Palestinians have been killed and injured by unexploded ordnance across the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict in October 2023.
  • Around 20,000 unexploded bombs and missiles remain scattered across Gaza (Gaza Center for Human Rights).
  • The total rubble resulting from the destruction of homes and vital infrastructure had reached between 65 and 70 million tons, containing about 71,000 tons of explosives and remnants of war, by mid-October (Gaza Center for Human Rights).

Sources:

  • XINHUA NEWS AGENCY, October 26, 2025
  • United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)
  • Gaza Center for Human Rights