As thousands of displaced families begin returning to their homes in Gaza following the ceasefire, we and our partners are working urgently to help people stay safe from the deadly threat of unexploded bombs left behind after two years of intense bombardment.
MAG teams, through our Palestinian partner, Save Youth Future Society (SYFS), are working to share safety messages on how to recognise and avoid explosive items to families on the move.
Staff are meeting displaced people along Gaza’s coastal road as they travel north. The sessions also offer psychological support to families who have been displaced and traumatised by the conflict.
In addition to face-to-face sessions, MAG has launched a digital campaign to reach people with safety information through Facebook and Instagram. The first phase of the campaign is expected to reach around 200,000 people, with further expansion planned in the coming weeks. Posters and leaflets carrying similar information are also being prepared for distribution across Gaza.
The days immediately following a ceasefire can be dangerous as displaced people try to return to homes that are contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO), making it crucial that returning families receive clear guidance on how to avoid danger.
Gaza’s cities and towns have been devastated by explosive weapons including missiles, grenades, shells, and mortars. Many of these weapons will have failed to detonate and are now buried under rubble, lodged in damaged buildings, or scattered across open areas.
The contamination is thought to be among the worst seen anywhere in the world.
MAG teams have been providing risk education to hundreds of thousands of people in neighbourhoods, informal learning centres, and at food and water distribution points, helping them to stay safe from the ongoing threat of unexploded bombs.
The scale of contamination remains unknown due to limited access, but the extent of destruction suggests an unprecedented challenge.
Comparisons with other heavily bombed cities, such as Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, indicate that clearance in Gaza is likely to be even more complex and time-consuming. The density of the urban environment, the range of weapons used and the depth at which some ordnance may be buried – in some cases up to 14 metres – will require highly specialised expertise and equipment.
Further complicating clearance efforts will be secondary hazards such as asbestos, chemical contamination, and damaged medical infrastructure that may contain radiological or biological risks. Clearance teams will also face the difficult task of operating in areas where human remains are still being recovered.
Survey of contamination and the removal of explosive remnants of war will be a critical first step before reconstruction can begin. It will be essential for any survey and clearance operations to be planned in coordination with local communities and humanitarian organisations to ensure that operations are safe, effective and properly prioritised.
The bombing may have stopped, but the threat to life remains an everyday reality for families simply trying to return home.
We and our partners continue to expand our risk education work to prevent further loss of life.
We remain committed to supporting the people of Gaza for as long as it takes, ensuring that families can one day return safely and begin to rebuild their lives without fear.
Support for our work in Gaza is provided through grants from UMCOR and the Canadian Government.
Images: Since August 2024, MAG, through our partners SYFS, have been providing life-saving risk education to communities, helping them to recognise and avoid unexploded ordnance. All photos taken prior to October 2025.
