Children in Gaza playing among ‘5,000 unexploded bombs’ warns British expert
AN ex-Army specialist sent to Gaza to help locate unexploded bombs has called for an immediate ceasefire, saying children are playing among 5,000 devices left in the ruins.
Explosives expert Simon Elmont says hundreds of the weapons weigh up to 2,000lb – he discovered a 1,000lb bomb in a garden inside the war-torn enclave last week.
Simon, 55, spent three weeks there to mark ordnance and report sites to the UN Mine Action Service for it to act. He worked with ex-Army colleague Gary Toombs but they were unable to defuse bombs without the right gear – and a ceasefire.
Simon said: “People are moving around frequently and our biggest fear is when they return to their homes, which are damaged or destroyed, they will try and enter to reclaim their possessions. That’s when injuries will increase...this is when the risk is greatest.
“We use a loose failure rate for modern weapons of 10% of weapons fired do not function. If around
50,000 items of ordnance have been dropped we’d assume 5,000 left.
“We don’t have figures for the number of air-dropped weapons... but we know there are likely to be several hundred of these large bombs lying unexploded.
“Unless there is a ceasefire and we are allowed to bring in the correct types of equipment to render these weapons safe...we are unable to process these weapons. All we can do is mark, record and report, which is what we are doing.”
Dad-of-two Simon works for Humanity & Inclusion, an international non-governmental body founded in 1982 to help refu
gees in Cambodia and Thailand. He also visited Gaza after a surge in violence in 2014, providing training.
He says “the sheer scale” of the current Hamas-Israel war puts countless lives at risk in the future.
Simon believes there is a second live device near the 1,000-pounder.
Shelters
He explained: “We suspect there is another of these bombs in one of the buildings where people are living. Our new team will be going in soon to assess and mark this.
“People are using metal from weapons systems, from rocket launchers they found to make shelters. There’s no tents or shelters, not enough food, life is chaotic. We witnessed photos of small children with hand grenades in their hands and two kids who were injured when a mortar detonated.
“Temperatures rise significantly in the summer so heat can have an effect on that fusing system. It’s not been unknown for small children to be jumping up and down on these sort of weapons.”
The conflict began when terrorists rampaged into Israel on October 7.
Mr Elmont said: “The level of suffering of the people is something we’re not as used to seeing. The ceasefire is required immediately.”
Humanity & Inclusion is fundraising to help the vulnerable in Gaza. Details at humanity-inclusion.org.uk