Gaza residents on the brink of famine, says army expert

A former British army explosives expert has said that in his 30year career, he has never seen a conflict zone with the level of destruction and humanitarian suffering that he has witnessed in Gaza.

- JOE MIDDLETON

Gary Toombs spent three weeks in the embattled enclave to locate unexploded bombs in Gaza, which has been struck by an estimated 45,000 explosive devices during the first 89 days of conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to the media office in Gaza.

The 51-year-old told The Independent that a ceasefire was vital for humanitarian reasons but also to ensure that unexploded devices could be safely de-armed to ensure no further civilian deaths. On his trip with colleague Simon Elmont, also an explosives expert, he said they already witnessed the severe injuries these unexplosive devices can inflict on children, who misunderstand the danger.

The duo work for the charity Humanity and Inclusion, which operates in conflict zones, and spent their weeks in the region logging unexploded bombs and mines and reporting their findings to the United Nations Mine Action Service.