Gaza Demining Could Take 30 Years, Says NGO, Describing the Strip as an "Open-Air Minefield"
A representative of the humanitarian organization Humanity & Inclusion (HI) stated that clearing Gaza of unexploded munitions could take between 20 and 30 years, describing the strip as an "open-air minefield." Nick Orr, an expert in explosive munition removal for the organization, said: "The total removal of debris will never happen, as it's underground. We will continue to find it for generations to come," comparing the situation to that of British cities after World War II. He added that surface clearance is achievable within a generation – "I think between 20 and 30 years" – while specifying that it "would only be a solution for a very small part of a very big problem." Orr, who has traveled to Gaza several times during the war, is part of a seven-person team from the organization. The team is set to begin identifying war remnants within essential infrastructure, such as hospitals and bakeries, next week. However, Orr explained that humanitarian organizations, including his own, have not yet received permission from Israeli forces to start removing or destroying munitions, nor to import the necessary equipment. Orr indicated that he is seeking permission to import materials used to burn bombs rather than explode them, in an effort to alleviate concerns that they could be reused by the Hamas movement, according to Reuters. He also expressed support for the formation of an interim force, similar to the one proposed in the ceasefire plan, stating: "If Gaza is to have a future, there must be a security force that allows humanitarian workers to operate." According to a United Nations database, over 53 people have been killed and hundreds injured by explosive remnants of the two-year war of extermination in Gaza. However, humanitarian organizations estimate that the actual number could be much higher. The ceasefire in the strip has raised hopes that it may be possible to begin the massive task of removing these remnants from among the millions of tons of rubble. Last week, Louk Irvine, head of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) mission, warned that the risks associated with unexploded munitions in the Gaza Strip are increasing after the ceasefire. The UN official emphasized that removing munitions in Gaza will take a long time, but it is essential for a gradual return to normalcy in the strip, after two years of devastating war.
