Tens of thousands of people are at risk of being killed or injured by shells and bombs buried in the rubble this weekend as they try to reach their destroyed homes in Gaza, explosive ordnance disposal experts and aid officials said, amid a long-running crisis. These areas remained inaccessible during the 15-month war. Warned.

To comply with the ceasefire that took effect last Sunday, Israel must allow travel from southern Gaza to the north, where the damage has been most severe, through a major checkpoint on the Israeli-controlled Nezarim corridor.

"There are likely to be large movements in the coming days and people trying to find their loved ones," Amjad Shawar, director of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza, said in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, under the rubble. person or anyone. There are 50 million tons of debris, containing unknown hazardous materials. UXO is a very big problem. We are working hard to coordinate efforts to raise awareness. We tell the kids that if they find anything, specifically tell the authorities and stay away from it. "

Experts say the challenge of clearing unexploded bombs and other ordnance from Gaza, where more than two-thirds of buildings were destroyed or damaged in one of the most intensive bombing campaigns in modern times, is "unprecedented."

About 2 million Palestinians were displaced during the war and live in makeshift shelters and tent camps far from their homes.

Many came from the north and would send family members to search for belongings, recover the remains of dead relatives from under the rubble, or simply to find what was left.

Suheila al-Harthani, 65, said her son would try to return to his home in northern Gaza from the tent camp near Khan Younis, where they have been living for several months.

"I'm worried that our house will be destroyed... I haven't lost anyone in my family, but I'm scared of losing someone or getting them hurt because of these explosives. I'm worried that one of these remnants will explode and I might Losing a life, an arm or a leg,” she said.

Experts say there are other dangers in the rubble that now covers much of Gaza, including toxic industrial chemicals, decaying human remains and asbestos. The extensive tunnel complex Hamas has built under the territory means even the few remaining undamaged buildings are at risk of collapse.

Gary Toombs, of Humanity and Inclusion UK, said: “Anyone who comes close to the rubble is at risk... People will move back into all these (affected areas) as quickly as possible and we will see a surge in casualties. "An NGO working in Gaza has sent out 8 million text messages warning of the dangers of unexploded weapons.

"It's a very scary picture. People will look for anything they can use to survive. They will put basic needs over safety," he added.

Israel's 15-month military offensive has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Previously, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people (most of them civilians) and taking another 250 people hostage.

Greg Crowther, program director at the NGO Landmine Advisory Group, described the challenges faced by experts in clearing explosives as "unique".

"The level of damage to a densely populated urban environment, the level of bombing over a period of time, repeated bombings using a range of munitions, combined with ground fighting, is highly unusual. I think in terms of duration and intensity and in terms of There’s no comparison in that (kind of) position, which does make it quite...unprecedented,” he said.

Hamas said people would be allowed to return on foot along Gaza's congested coastal road, meaning they would need to walk several miles to reach the official northern zone, from where they could try to board vehicles that would be searched at checkpoints . Hamas said those returning were not allowed to carry weapons.

Jabaliya is the largest of eight refugee camps in the Gaza Strip and the focus of Israeli military operations over the past three months. In Jabaliya, many people returned to their destroyed homes and lit small fires to try to keep their children warm.

Mohammed Badr, a father of 10, said: "They are talking about truces, ceasefires and aid. It has been three days since we came back and we still haven't found water. We can't find quilts to keep our children warm. We Relying on campfires all night long we want to have some firewood to make campfires and we use plastic, which leads to illness."

His wife, Umm Nidal, said she could not believe the complete devastation.

"There's nothing left, you can't walk on the streets. Houses are falling apart, on top of each other. You get lost and you don't know if this is your home," she said. "The streets reeked of corpses."

Experts say unexploded ordnance would pose a serious obstacle to any reconstruction of Gaza and pose a deadly danger that could further slow down an effort that could take decades. Six months ago, the United Nations said it would take a fleet of more than 100 trucks 15 years to clear Gaza of rubble, an operation that would cost between $500 million (£400 million) and $600 million.

"This will be the most complex cleanup mission I have ever seen in my 30 years of explosive ordnance disposal experience," Toombs said.