Gaza Strip still littered with unexploded ordnance from Israel’s 2014 offensive

Almost 18 months since the ceasefire that ended ‘Operation Protective Edge’, there are still more than 7,000 explosive remnants of war (ERW) across the Gaza Strip.

According to Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, only 30 percent of the ERW have been identified and removed, while the remaining 70 percent “pose a threat to the population of Gaza, especially children and adults who work on agricultural land littered with ERW.”

Also read: Gaza destroys five tonnes of unexploded Israeli bombs

As of January 2016, 16 people have been killed and 90 wounded, including 38 children, due to contact with unexploded ordnance in the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA is responding to the ongoing dangers posed by ERW with an Italian government-funded initiative in co-operation with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), which will carry out “conduct a wide-range of outreach activities on safety and risk education.”