18/08/2024 Palestina, Striscia di Gaza, Gaza
“If you ever come across anything suspicious like this item, please do not pick it up, contact your local law and/or enforcement agency for assistance”.
Among the many urgent “day after” issues that have yet to be adequately addressed in discussions of Gaza are explosive remnants of war (ERW), a catchall term for “dud” munitions, emplaced mines, abandoned weapons caches, and other explosives left behind during a conflict. These remnants will pose major problems for reconstruction—according to a senior official with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), it could take as long as fourteen years to fully clear Gaza’s rubble because of ERW. The challenge is twofold: not only can ERW kill, dismember, or blind anyone who stumbles upon them, but they may enable Hamas to reconstitute its military capabilities if the group is able to recover surviving arms caches and unexploded Israeli ordnance. Until they are cleared, displaced persons cannot return to their neighborhoods to rebuild, and the flow of humanitarian aid, agricultural activities, and commerce will be interrupted. Experience also suggests that ERW will cause hundreds, perhaps thousands, more casualties even after combat ceases. Mitigation requires a comprehensive plan to educate the population about ERW, treat resultant injuries, and locate, detect, disarm, and dispose of explosives—all resource-intensive tasks for which there is no technological silver bullet. Thus far, however, no plans have been formalized for interim security in Gaza, let alone for clearing ERW.
Photo-Source: washingtoninstitute.org
Dear editors, Biography of a bomb is aimed at highlighting the danger caused by unexploded bombs. Moreover, the most important aspect is that we work completely non profit, what drives us is raising awerness about this topic. We make use of your pictures and articles, but we need them to put a context in how findings are done. We trust in your understanding. We will (and we always do) cite the source and the author. We thank you for your comprehension.
