The two-year war in Gaza may be over, but the conflict’s deadly legacy continues to endanger lives every day. Unexploded Israeli ordnance litters the landscape, posing a constant, ticking threat to the population.
Compounding this crisis, Gaza City’s Mayor, Yahya al-Sarraj, has highlighted the immense difficulty in clearing the rubble. He told Arab media that Israeli restrictions are blocking the entry of essential heavy machinery, making it impossible to begin rebuilding.
Detailing the scale of the need, the mayor stated, “We require at least 250 different types of heavy vehicles and 1,000 tons of cement just to restore the water and sewage systems.”
Media reports reveal a painful contrast in priorities. The only heavy machinery that has arrived in Gaza—reportedly just six vehicles—has been exclusively dedicated to searching for Israeli hostages.
Meanwhile, an estimated 9,000 Palestinians are still believed to be buried beneath the mountains of debris. Their families wait, desperate to recover their loved ones, but recovering these victims has “not yet become a priority” for those controlling the equipment.
