CAIRO, October 15. /TASS/. The Israeli army has used about 70,000 tons of explosives in the Gaza Strip after launching a military operation there in October 2023, said a member of the Handicap International non-governmental organization working to defuse explosive devices and provide assistance to those injured by landmines.
"According to preliminary estimates, Israeli forces have dropped about 70,000 tons of projectiles and bombs since military operations in Gaza began in October 2023," the organization member working in Palestine said, as cited by the Palestinian news agency Maan. She pointed out that unexploded ordnance, left on the ground and in the rubble of destroyed buildings, "poses an enormous danger to the Palestinians who are now returning to their homes across almost all Gaza."
The Handicap International member believes that multi-meter layers of rubble, along with limited space in the enclave’s populated areas, "are creating an extremely risky situation for urban residents." Besides, in her words, over the past two years, experts haven’t had an opportunity to visit Gaza "to identify the most dangerous places where there are unexploded ordnance."
The organization’s employee also said that despite repeated requests and appeals, the Israeli authorities "still haven’t issued permission for the delivery of the necessary equipment to the enclave in order to detect and defuse unexploded bombs, mines and artillery shells." Meanwhile, according to her, "three special demining systems remain just outside Gaza and can be brought to the enclave quickly."
According to a UN assessment, five to ten percent of the projectiles dropped on Gaza by Israeli forces did not explode.
On October 6, the delegations of Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas resumed indirect talks to resolve the situation in the Gaza Strip through the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, the US and Turkey. On October 9, the parties to the conflict signed an agreement on the first phase of a peace plan floated by US President Donald Trump. The Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10.