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| Explosives haul missing in Gaza | Explosives haul missing in Gaza |
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| A large stockpile of unexploded weapons has disappeared in Gaza, before United Nations experts were able to dispose of it safely, the BBC has learned. | A large stockpile of unexploded weapons has disappeared in Gaza, before United Nations experts were able to dispose of it safely, the BBC has learned. |
| The explosives, including aircraft bombs and white phosphorus shells, were fired by the Israeli military during its recent offensive in the Gaza Strip. | The explosives, including aircraft bombs and white phosphorus shells, were fired by the Israeli military during its recent offensive in the Gaza Strip. |
| UN officials said they were urgently trying to establish where the arms had gone and have called for their return. | UN officials said they were urgently trying to establish where the arms had gone and have called for their return. |
| Israel has accused Hamas of taking the stockpile, which was under Hamas guard. | Israel has accused Hamas of taking the stockpile, which was under Hamas guard. |
| A UN Mines Action Team has been in Gaza since the end of the war, last month, its job to locate unexploded Israeli ordnance and to organise its safe disposal. | |
| Two weeks ago, on 2 February, the UN team was given access to a storage site in Gaza City where more than 7,000kg of explosives were being housed. | Two weeks ago, on 2 February, the UN team was given access to a storage site in Gaza City where more than 7,000kg of explosives were being housed. |
| They included three 2,000-pound bombs and eight 500-pound bombs, which had all been dropped from aircraft but failed to explode. | They included three 2,000-pound bombs and eight 500-pound bombs, which had all been dropped from aircraft but failed to explode. |
| There was also a large number of 155mm shells for delivering the incendiary chemical white phosphorus. | There was also a large number of 155mm shells for delivering the incendiary chemical white phosphorus. |
| Safe areas | Safe areas |
| Many of the explosives had been collected by the Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip. | Many of the explosives had been collected by the Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip. |
| The UN staff had been waiting for the Israeli army to allow them to bring specialist equipment into Gaza so they would be able to destroy the explosives safely. | The UN staff had been waiting for the Israeli army to allow them to bring specialist equipment into Gaza so they would be able to destroy the explosives safely. |
| In particular, the team needed explosives or flares to set off a controlled explosion and they needed tools to allow them to extract fuses from some of the bombs. | In particular, the team needed explosives or flares to set off a controlled explosion and they needed tools to allow them to extract fuses from some of the bombs. |
| The UN staff were also waiting for permission from the Israeli military to use two safe areas to dispose of the munitions. | The UN staff were also waiting for permission from the Israeli military to use two safe areas to dispose of the munitions. |
| At a meeting last Thursday with the Israeli army, two areas were identified: one in the north, in a no-go area close to the border with Israel and the other near Khan Younis in the south, in a former Hamas training area. | At a meeting last Thursday with the Israeli army, two areas were identified: one in the north, in a no-go area close to the border with Israel and the other near Khan Younis in the south, in a former Hamas training area. |
| On Sunday, when UN officials returned to the warehouse, which was under a Hamas police guard, they say they found most of the explosives had gone missing. | On Sunday, when UN officials returned to the warehouse, which was under a Hamas police guard, they say they found most of the explosives had gone missing. |
| Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said the stockpile had been "commandeered by Hamas". | Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said the stockpile had been "commandeered by Hamas". |