Three more Palestinian children were injured on Monday in the Gaza Strip due to what is likely unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), according to reports. United Nations experts have warned that the process of defusing such remnants could take over a decade.
Gaza Civil Defense stated in a release that the three children sustained injuries of varying severity after an explosion occurred near Al-Shifa Hospital, which has been repeatedly targeted by IDF forces through bombing, siege, and invasion. The incident reportedly involved a suspicious object believed to be leftover from Israeli military activity.
The children were said to have been playing with the object when it detonated. Experts note that children are especially at risk from UXO, as some devices may resemble toys. This is particularly concerning with cluster munitions, which the IDF has denied using in Gaza. However, historical accounts and human rights organizations suggest otherwise, given the IDF’s past use of such weapons, despite their prohibition under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, to which Israel is not a signatory.
In previous conflicts, IDF troops have deployed booby-trapped civilian objects, including toys, which have resulted in deaths and injuries. Gaza Civil Defense recently reported that such items have been left behind during the IDF’s current withdrawal from the region.
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, Israeli forces dropped approximately 200,000 tons of explosives on Gaza during what multiple nations, UN experts, genocide scholars, legal professionals, and human rights groups describe as a genocidal campaign. Warfare analysts have characterized the IDF’s assault on Gaza—responsible for the death or injury of over 247,000 Palestinians, including at least 64,000 children—as “one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history,” as noted by a U.S. historian.
Of the 200,000 tons of explosives, up to 10% may have failed to detonate upon impact, according to UNMAS and other experts. A May report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz indicated that the IDF was aware of 3,000 unexploded bombs in Gaza, with older models having a dud rate as high as 20%.
The Gaza Ministry of Health, UNMAS, and the Gaza Protection Cluster—a coalition of humanitarian organizations including the UN Children’s Fund and Save the Children—have documented numerous casualties, including many children, caused by IDF UXO since October 2023.
UNMAS officials have also raised concerns about additional risks posed by asbestos exposed due to the destruction of 90% of homes in Gaza. This material presents a serious and potentially deadly health hazard.
The incident at Al-Shifa Hospital occurred amid the release of 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 attack, along with nearly 2,000 Palestinians detained by Israel. The exchange took place three days after a fragile ceasefire was established.
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