there is more debris to clear in Gaza than in Ukraine, according to the UN

Relentlessly shelled by the Israeli army for six months, the Gaza Strip continues to destroy itself. So much so that there is now more debris and rubble to clear in the Palestinian enclave than in Ukraine, according to calculations by the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS). “To put that in perspective, the front in Ukraine is 600 miles long (just under 1,000 km) and Gaza is 25 miles long (or 40 km)”explained manager Mungo Birch, Wednesday May 1, during a press briefing in Geneva.

But the mass of debris (37 million tonnes, or 300 kilograms per square meter, according to an estimate made in mid-April by the UN), is not the only problem. “This rubble is likely heavily contaminated with UXO (unexploded ordnance), but cleaning it up will be further complicated by other hazards present in the rubble.”, continues Mungo Birch, who manages in particular UN demining operations for the narrow Palestinian territory. So, “It is estimated that there are more than 800,000 tonnes of asbestos in the rubble of Gaza alone”. This very dangerous product for health requires special precautions.

Mungo Birch hopes that UNMAS will ultimately be able to “to be the coordinating body for mine action in Gaza and to establish our own explosive ordnance disposal teams.” But “To continue our work over the next 12 months, we need $40 million” additional. According to the manager, “The sector as a whole will need hundreds of millions of dollars over several years to make Gaza safe for the population again.”