Explosive weapons threaten Gaza residents long after war ends

A Danish NGO on Monday warned that explosive weapons used in densely populated areas such as the Gaza Strip would continue to pose a threat to civilians even after fighting stops.

“Remnants of war that did not explode immediately, or left behind during the fighting, represent a permanent danger,” said Corinne Lenkar of the Danish Refugee Council, noting that these remnants often cause long-term injuries and deaths after conflicts end.

After an investigation that lasted several weeks, the NGO, which operates in the Gaza Strip, assessed that explosive ordnance, whether exploded or not, was scattered in several residential areas in the devastated Palestinian enclave.

The report indicated that 70 percent of the population surveyed are returning to areas where there has been fighting, where they face the risk of injury from these explosive ordnance, which includes remnants of bombs and unexploded rockets.