The head of the United Nations Mine Action Program in the occupied Palestinian territories, Julius van der Walt (also reported as van der Vaart), has warned that remnants of war and unexploded ordnance (UXO) are severely obstructing the return of normal life in Gaza, placing civilians—and especially children—at grave risk.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, van der Walt stressed that unexploded munitions scattered across Gaza pose a deadly threat to the population, particularly as hundreds of thousands of displaced residents attempt to move back following the ceasefire.
He explained that more than two years of intensive Israeli attacks on the Strip have left widespread contamination with explosive remnants of war (ERW).
This, he said, hampers the delivery of humanitarian aid, slows recovery efforts, and makes reconstruction perilous, while directly endangering civilian lives.
UN teams, he noted, encounter explosive hazards almost daily in different parts of Gaza. Families moving through the territory are exposed to these risks, with children being the most vulnerable.
“As in most conflict zones worldwide, children’s curiosity often leads them to touch unexploded ordnance without realizing the danger,” he said.
Although precise data on the scale of contamination is not yet available, van der Walt pointed to strong indications that explosive remnants are widespread across most areas of Gaza. He confirmed that the UN Mine Action Service has been operating in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
“Since then, we have identified more than 650 hazardous items in areas we were able to access,” he said, noting that the vast majority were unexploded munitions and improvised explosive devices.
The official emphasized that Gaza’s small geographic size and extremely high population density make the situation far more complex than in other conflict zones such as Syria or Lebanon.
Avoiding explosive remnants, he warned, is nearly impossible under such conditions. Even small fragments can cause devastating consequences, and residents returning to their homes—or their ruins—must exercise extreme caution.
Van der Walt urged civilians to immediately report any suspicious or unfamiliar objects. “These devices are highly sensitive and can detonate at any moment, causing fatalities or severe injuries, and in some cases releasing toxic substances,” he cautioned.
This account underscores the mounting dangers facing Gaza’s population as they attempt to rebuild their lives amid the ruins of war, with unexploded ordnance adding yet another layer of risk to an already dire humanitarian crisis.
