Gaza Unexploded Ordnance: UN Mine Action Press Conference

Ceasefire and Explosive Risks

• ⚠️ Despite the welcomed ceasefire in Gaza, the risk from unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains incredibly high for civilians and humanitarian personnel.
• 💔 Reports indicate children are frequently victims, with hundreds killed or suffering life-changing injuries from UXO since October 2023.
• 📈 UNMAS estimates that the reported figures are significantly underreported, with potentially many more casualties from ordnance littering Gaza over the past two years.

UNMAS Response and Operations

• 🔍 UNMAS has identified 560 explosive ordnance items in accessible areas since October 2023, but a comprehensive survey is needed to understand the full extent of contamination.
• 📢 UNMAS has reached an estimated 460,000 people with in-person risk education and distributed over 400,000 risk education materials.
• 🛠️ Experts conduct technical assessments of roads and sites to enable humanitarian partners to safely deliver aid, rehabilitate facilities, and clear debris potentially contaminated with UXO.
• 🤝 Nearly 100 requests for mine action support have been received from partners since the ceasefire, averaging 10 new requests daily.

Challenges and Needs

• 🚧 Access to critical disposal equipment and technical personnel is crucial for UNMAS to scale up its response and mitigate risks.
• 💰 The humanitarian mine action sector requires significant funding, with an estimated need of 14-15 million to bring on additional operators for six months.
• 🗺️ While cooperation is ongoing, specifics on information sharing from conflict parties, including potential sources of ordnance, are not disclosed.
• 🌍 UNMAS is committed to mitigating the risk of explosive ordnance and supporting the people of Gaza for safe movement and recovery, emphasizing that this is a long, dangerous, and tedious process.

Donor Support and Future Outlook

• 🇪🇺 Donors include the European Union, Poland, Portugal, Italy, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, and Switzerland, providing generous and long-standing support.
• 🚀 The current ceasefire provides improved conditions for NGOs to enter Gaza and address the needs, but significant resources and time are required for comprehensive clearance and recovery efforts.