The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire. After 15 months of relentless Israeli bombardment, the besieged enclave is buried under vast amounts of rubble, with thousands of unexploded munitions posing a deadly threat to civilians.

In a statement on Saturday, 8 February, Simon Elmont, a demining expert at Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap International), described the volume of munitions dropped on Gaza as “staggering.” He told AFP that an estimated 9 to 13% of these munitions fail to detonate upon impact, leaving tens of thousands of unexploded bombs and shells hidden beneath the ruins. These remnants endanger displaced Palestinians returning to salvage their belongings and rebuild their homes. The organisation warned that demining efforts are particularly challenging in Gaza, where evacuating civilians from affected areas is nearly impossible.

Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 48,181 Palestinians—mostly women and children—and wounded 111,638 others. The assault was halted by a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on 19 January, facilitating a prisoner exchange. So far, 18 Israeli detainees and around 600 Palestinian prisoners have been released. The first phase of the six-week agreement aims to secure the release of 33 Israeli detainees in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.

Meanwhile, the United States has intensified its military support for Israel. Since returning to the White House on 20 January, Donald Trump has reinforced his unwavering backing of Tel Aviv. On Friday, Washington approved a $7.4 billion arms deal with Israel, including bombs, guided kits, and missiles—$6.75 billion allocated for munitions and rocket systems, alongside $660 million for Hellfire missiles.