A UN official estimates that clearing the debris in Gaza could take 14 years

It may take up to 14 years to clear the enormous amount of debris, including explosive munitions, left behind by Israel’s destructive war in the Gaza Strip, a UN expert warned on Friday.

Due to Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, the ruling Palestinian organization in Gaza, most of the 2.3 million residents of this small coastal enclave now live in poverty and are at risk of becoming sick.

During a briefing in Geneva, Pehr Lodhammar, a senior officer at the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), stated that the war had left an estimated 37 million tons of debris in the heavily inhabited, highly urbanized area.

He claimed that while the precise amount of unexploded ordnance discovered in Gaza could not be determined, it was estimated that, in certain circumstances, clearing waste, including debris from demolished houses, might take up to 14 years.

He stated, “We know that at least 10% of land service ammunition that is fired, and malfunctions normally fails to function.” “We’re talking about one hundred trucks and fourteen years of work.”

Israeli counts indicate that 1,200 people were murdered by Hamas militants during their surprise foray into southern Israel, which started the war. Of the 253 hostages that Hamas captured on October 7, it is thought that 129 are still in their custody.

The health ministry of Gaza reports that since October 7, Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip has resulted in at least 34,305 Palestinian deaths and 77,293 injuries.