Chris Wick News

Gaza is not a battlefield in patches — it’s one vast, scarred city. That’s what Nicholas Torbet, Middle East director at the Halo Trust, drove home when describing the scale of the problem: unexploded ordnance is everywhere, and that makes clearing the area a mammoth task. But it’s a task that’s already under way, and it will have to be built into every step of rebuilding.

Think about it: in many conflict zones you can cordon off fields or rural areas and sweep them methodically. Gaza is different. Buildings, streets, schools — every part of the enclave has been hit. Torbet’s comparison to World War II-era bombs still turning up in London isn’t hyperbole; explosive remnants can linger for decades. The twist in Gaza is that many munitions were meant to detonate on impact and simply didn’t — creating unpredictable, highly dangerous hazards that slow reconstruction and threaten civilians returning to their homes.

Practical, embedded approach
Halo’s plan is not to draw giant red boxes on a map and leave whole neighbourhoods unusable for years. Instead, the idea is to embed bomb-disposal teams directly into reconstruction projects. In other words: bring clearance to the builders, not the other way around. Teams work alongside communities and contractors so that reconstruction can progress without putting people at risk. That close coordination means decisions get made where they matter — in the field, with local input — rather than in distant offices.

Equipment and technique
You might imagine a vast, hi-tech arsenal is needed to remove every unexploded bomb. In reality, while advanced machinery exists and is valuable, much of what’s needed immediately is relatively simple and portable: hand tools, detectors, protective gear — equipment that can fit in the back of a car. And crucially, access to small controlled explosives for safe disposal. As Torbet put it bluntly, “the best way to dispose of a bomb is to use a small amount of explosives to blow it up.” That controlled approach prevents moving unstable munitions and reduces the risk of accidental detonation.

Why this matters now
Delays in clearance don’t just mean danger for returning residents; they translate to slower rebuilding, stalled utilities, and stalled access to critical services. Every week a neighbourhood is left in limbo, the longer recovery drags on. Embedding clearance teams short-circuits that delay: as houses are rebuilt, teams are on hand to assess and neutralize ordnance, making it safer for families to move back and for infrastructure crews to work.

Long-term reality
Clearing unexploded ordnance is never a quick, one-off fix. Even cities that haven’t been actively bombed in decades still uncover munitions from past wars. Gaza will be no different: this is a long-term public safety and reconstruction issue that requires sustained funding, training, and collaboration with local communities. That means not only removing current threats but investing in local capacity so clearance work can continue years from now.

A practical, people-focused path forward
What stands out in the Halo Trust approach is its focus on practical steps and local partnership. Rather than making whole districts off-limits, it aims to weave clearance into the fabric of rebuilding. That’s how you keep reconstruction moving while protecting civilians — a pragmatic, surgical method for a problem of daunting scale.