UN says Gazans returning north face deadly risks from unstable ruins, unexploded ordnance

The UN said on Monday that people in the Gaza Strip are continuing to move north in large numbers despite destroyed infrastructure, deadly unexploded ordnance, and a lack of basic services.

Citing the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference that "over the weekend, people continued to move across the Gaza Strip."

"Since the ceasefire, more than 470,000 movements of people have been recorded towards the north," he added.

He warned that "water, food, and essential services are still desperately needed," as humanitarian aid continues to enter the enclave.

"Between Friday and Saturday, more than 300 truckloads were collected from the Palestinian side—mostly from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing," carrying wheat flour, canned food, rice, and supplies for hot meals, he said.

Noting the continued efforts "on reducing the risk of unexploded ordnance," Dujarric said: "Over the weekend, our partners continued their work on reducing the risk of unexploded ordnance, reaching nearly 3,200 people in central and southern Gaza."

"Overall, since 7 October 2023, humanitarians have recorded 150 explosive ordnance incidents, which led to casualties, including among children," he added.

On the situation in the occupied West Bank, Dujarric stressed that illegal Israeli settler violence has severely disrupted the olive harvest, with "more than 85 Israeli settler attacks on farmers and their land" resulting in over 110 Palestinian injuries and the vandalization of "over 3,000 trees and saplings across 50 villages."

According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, illegal Israeli settlers have carried out more than 7,000 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023. These include 158 assaults targeting olive pickers since the beginning of this month.

Last week, Israel's parliament, or the Knesset, approved in a preliminary reading a bill to annex the West Bank, a move that, if implemented, would eliminate the possibility of a two-state solution.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.