“We are talking about a ceasefire, but the killing has not stopped,” says a doctor
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, October 25, 2025 (AP).—The family शोर्बासी was sitting in her badly damaged house in Gaz Citya, enjoying the relative calm of the ceasefire. Then they heard an explosion and ran outside to find their six year old twins bleeding on the floor.
The child, Yahyaand his sister, Nabilathey had discovered a round object when they were playing. When he touched it, it exploded.
“It was like a toy”said his grandfather, Tawfiq Shorbasiabout the unexploded deviceafter the children were rushed to the Shifa hospital yesterday Friday. “It was extremely difficult.”
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are taking the opportunity to return to what remains of their homes under the ceasefire that began on October 10.
But the dangers are far from over as the population, including children, search through the rubble for what remains of their belongings and bodies that could not be recovered until now.
शोर्बासी He said the family had returned home after the ceasefire would come into force.
Gaza City had been the focus of the final Israeli military offensive before the agreement was reached between Israel y Hamas.
Children injured in Gaza
“We just got back last week”he said grandfather in it Shifa hospitalholding back tears. “Their lives have been ruined forever.”.
The child, Yahyalay in a hospital bed with his right arm and leg wrapped in bandages. Nabilawho receives care in the Patient Friends Hospitalhis forehead was bandaged.
Both children’s faces were dotted with small shrapnel wounds.
“The Shorbasi family was sitting in their severely damaged house in Gaza City, enjoying the relative calm of the ceasefire. Then they heard an explosion and rushed outside to find their 6-year-old twins bleeding on the ground” A bomb in Gaza’s rubble… https://t.co/8txc1lylPu
— Amy Cook (@AmyCookOC) October 25, 2025
A British emergency doctor and pediatrician who works at one of the hospitals told The Associated Press that the twins have injuries that could cost them their livesincluding the loss of a hand, a perforated intestine, various fractures and the possible loss of a leg.
Urgent surgeries
The children were subjected to emergency surgeries and their conditions have relatively stabilized, the doctor explained.
But concerns remain about his recovery due to a severe lack of medicines and medical supplies in Gaza, the Dr. Harrietwho declined to give his last name because his employer had not authorized him to speak to the media.
“Now we just have to wait, so we hope they both survive, but at this moment I can’t say, and this is a common recurrence,” he said.
Health workers consider unexploded ordnance a serious threat to Palestinians.
Other minors injured in Gaza
Others two children, Yazan y Jude Nour, were injured on Thursday (10/23/2025) when their family was inspecting their home in Gaza Cityaccording to Shifa hospital.
He Gaza Ministry of Healthwhich operates under the government led by Hamasreported that five children were injured by unexploded ordnance over the past week, including one in the southern city of Jan Yunis.
“It’s a death trap,” said the Dr. Harriet. “We are talking about a ceasefire, but the killing has not stopped.”
More than 68,500 Palestinians have already died in the warto, according to Gaza Ministry of Healthwhich does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
The Ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Israel rejects themwithout providing your own count.
Very high danger of explosions in Gaza
Luke Irvinghead of UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in the Palestinian territories, has warned that “the explosive risk is incredibly high” as both aid workers and displaced Palestinians return to areas vacated by the Israeli army in Gaza.
Until October 7, 2025, the UNMAS had documented at least 52 Palestinians killed and 267 injured by unexploded ordnance in Gaza since the war began. However, UNMAS indicates that the number could be much higher.
Irving said in a briefing United Nations last week that 560 unexploded devices have been found during the current ceasefire, and many more remain under the rubble. Two years of war have left up to 60 million tons of debris in Gazahe added.
In the coming weeks, more international demining experts are expected to join efforts to collect unexploded ordnance in Gazasaid.
“As expected, we are now finding more artifacts because we are going out more and the teams have more access,” he said.