Gaza’s Civil Defense organization has issued a formal condemnation holding international bodies, Israel, and the United States accountable for civilian casualties resulting from unexploded ordnance in the conflict-ravaged territory. The statement characterizes the failure to protect residents from explosive remnants as a direct violation of the Geneva Convention and its additional protocols.
The organization specifically criticized the effectiveness of the US Coordination Center in Gaza, asserting that despite multiple high-level discussions, their interventions have yielded no tangible improvements on the ground. This indictment comes amid growing concerns about the lethal legacy of explosive contamination throughout the coastal enclave.
Julius van der Walt, Chief of the United Nations Mine Action Programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, recently emphasized the severity of the situation. He confirmed that more than two years of intensive Israeli military operations have created widespread contamination with explosive materials throughout Gaza.
Van der Walt further elaborated that this hazardous environment not only endangers Gaza’s inhabitants but also severely impedes humanitarian aid delivery and reconstruction efforts. The presence of unexploded ordnance transforms basic survival activities and recovery operations into potentially life-threatening endeavors, creating a complex emergency layered upon the existing humanitarian crisis.