UN Warns Unexploded Ordnance Poses Growing Threat to Gaza's Children

A senior United Nations official has warned that unexploded bombs scattered across the Gaza Strip pose a grave and lasting danger to children, urging the international community to treat the enclave's humanitarian crisis as an urgent priority.

Philippe Jaffé, Vice-Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, said reports indicate that roughly one-third of the bombs dropped on Gaza have failed to detonate, creating a significant risk for civilians, particularly children who may unknowingly come into contact with the unexploded ordnance.

He cautioned that children could become the primary victims if the remaining munitions explode, underscoring the need for immediate measures to address the threat alongside broader humanitarian assistance.

Jaffé said Gaza continues to face widespread destruction and a severe collapse of its healthcare system, while deteriorating security conditions and operational restrictions have complicated efforts by medical teams to reach vulnerable populations.

He noted that mobile clinics have succeeded in treating some children and remain an essential source of healthcare, but stressed that the services available are vastly insufficient to meet the growing medical and psychological needs of the population.

The UN official called for urgent international efforts to strengthen humanitarian assistance, warning that the scale of the health and mental health crisis facing children in Gaza demands a far more comprehensive response.