The biggest danger facing families returning to their towns in Gaza, and especially children, is encountering unexploded bombs, mines, munitions, and other ordnance. Two British-based NGOs, Humanity & Inclusion and Mines Advisory Group expect that children will be the first to encounter most of these unexploded devices which will often be hidden in the tons of debris. These NGOs have started an education campaign which includes simply how to identify dangerous hardware, measures to take to protect people in the area, and how to notify bomb disposal units.
These NGOs warn that while the shooting may have subsided, the rate of deaths and injuries may spike in the coming days due to dangers lurking in the debris. In October, the UN estimated that Gaza is covered with 42 million tons of debris, which includes not only unexploded bombs, but also contamination from everything including asbestos to decomposing human remains. Nothing short of the complete rebuilding of Gaza and the entire region along the lines of the LaRouche Oasis Plan can solve the problem.