UN: Hundreds of Thousands in Gaza Face Environmental Risks and Unexploded Ordnance

UN: Hundreds of Thousands in Gaza Face Environmental Risks and Unexploded Ordnance
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The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that hundreds of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip continue to live in unsafe, makeshift shelters or damaged buildings, exposing them to harsh weather conditions, environmental hazards, and the risk of unexploded ordnance.

In a statement, OCHA explained that displaced residents in Gaza are sheltering in multiple locations along unstable coastal slopes, making them vulnerable to soil erosion, landslides, storm surges, flooding, and strong winds. The office noted that in one such location in Deir al-Balah, a recent landslide was reported to have caused multiple fatalities, while the United Nations and its partners continue to conduct on-the-ground assessments.

OCHA stressed that the resources required to address these risks are largely unavailable in Gaza. It added that opportunities for people to relocate voluntarily remain extremely limited due to the continued restriction by the Israeli military on large areas of land designated as off-limits to civilians.

The office also said that efforts to repair damaged buildings and to remove rubble and unexploded ordnance remain severely constrained because of restrictions on the entry of heavy machinery and equipment.

In a related development, the United Nations described the announcement of the recovery of the body of the last Israeli captive as a long-awaited milestone, expressing hope that it would lead to further progress, the opening of crossings, and the full flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.