UN warns returning Gazans face explosive risks amid aid crisis
The United Nations has reported that over 470,000 Gazans have returned north despite lethal dangers from unstable ruins and unexploded ordnance. Humanitarian agencies continue emergency operations while documenting widespread settler violence disrupting the West Bank olive harvest.
The United Nations has warned that hundreds of thousands of Gazans returning to northern areas face deadly risks from unexploded ordnance and destroyed infrastructure, despite ongoing humanitarian needs. UN officials reported massive population movements have continued since the ceasefire took effect, creating new protection challenges in the war-devastated territory.
Mass Movement and Unexploded Ordnance Threat
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric cited Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs data showing "over 470,000 movements of people have been recorded towards the north" since the ceasefire began. He emphasized the extreme danger posed by unexploded munitions, noting that humanitarian partners reached approximately 3,200 people in central and southern Gaza with risk education over the weekend. Since October 2023, the UN has documented 150 explosive ordnance incidents causing casualties, including among children.
Humanitarian Aid Delivery and Critical Needs
Despite the population movements, essential services remain desperately needed throughout Gaza. Dujarric reported that between Friday and Saturday, more than 300 truckloads of humanitarian assistance were collected from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. These shipments contained critical supplies including wheat flour, canned food, rice, and materials for preparing hot meals, though distribution challenges persist amid the widespread destruction of infrastructure.
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West Bank Violence and Annexation Developments
The UN also highlighted escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, where "more than 85 Israeli settler attacks on farmers and their land" have severely disrupted the olive harvest, resulting in over 110 Palestinian injuries and the destruction of more than 3,000 trees across 50 villages. According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, settlers have committed over 7,000 attacks against Palestinians and their property since the Gaza war began. These developments follow the Israeli Knesset's preliminary approval of a West Bank annexation bill, contradicting the International Court of Justice's July opinion declaring Israel's occupation illegal.
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