Gaza Twins Injured by Hidden Bomb Mistaken for Toy amid Post-Ceasefire Cleanup/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A pair of 6-year-old twins in Gaza were severely injured after mistaking an unexploded bomb for a toy while playing in the rubble of their war-damaged home. The incident highlights the deadly danger of hidden explosives as families return home during a fragile ceasefire. Health officials warn unexploded ordnance poses a growing threat to civilians, especially children.
Gaza Twins Injured by Bomb Mistaken for Toy — Quick Looks
- 6-year-old twins Yahya and Nabila injured by unexploded ordnance in Gaza City.
- Explosion occurred as they played in rubble after returning home post-ceasefire.
- Doctors report life-threatening injuries, including potential limb loss.
- Gaza hospitals lack critical medical supplies for recovery and treatment.
- Five children injured by unexploded bombs in Gaza just this past week.
- UN warns debris and buried explosives pose deadly risks for returning families.
- Over 68,500 Palestinians have died since the war began, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
- Ceasefire offers little protection from the lethal remnants of war.
Deep Look
Gaza Twins Seriously Injured After Mistaking Unexploded Bomb for Toy During Ceasefire
What began as a moment of calm under a fragile ceasefire in Gaza quickly turned into tragedy for the Shorbasi family. Six-year-old twins Yahya and Nabila were playing outside their partially destroyed home in Gaza City when they found a small round object buried in the rubble. Moments later, it exploded.
“It looked like a toy,” said their grandfather, Tawfiq Shorbasi, as he stood outside Shifa Hospital on Friday. “We thought we were safe again. It was extremely difficult.”
The children, covered in shrapnel wounds, were rushed to different hospitals—Yahya to Shifa, and Nabila to Patient’s Friends Hospital. Doctors report both are suffering from critical, potentially life-altering injuries.
Yahya’s right arm and leg are heavily bandaged. Nabila has a bandaged forehead and both children’s faces bear the marks of embedded shrapnel. A British emergency physician working in Gaza, identified only as Dr. Harriet, said the children sustained severe internal and external injuries, including a lost hand, internal trauma, broken bones, and a possible leg amputation.
“It’s now just a waiting game,” she said. “I hope they survive, but I can’t say for sure. This kind of case happens all the time.”
Hidden Dangers in the Ceasefire’s Shadow
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, thousands of displaced Palestinians have cautiously returned to the ruins of their homes—especially in Gaza City, the focus of the last Israeli military offensive. But beneath the broken concrete and mangled steel lies another invisible threat: unexploded ordnance.
The Shorbasi family had just returned home last week, believing it was safe. Instead, their young children became victims of the war’s lingering hazards.
“They were playing like kids do,” said their grandfather, fighting back tears. “And now their lives have been changed forever.”
Rising Toll from Unexploded Ordnance
Health officials say the threat is escalating. Gaza’s Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, reported five children were injured by unexploded munitions in the past week alone. That includes two others—Yazan and Jude Nour—who were also hurt while their family was inspecting their damaged home.
The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that at least 52 people have died and 267 others wounded in Gaza due to unexploded ordnance since the conflict began. With ceasefire conditions allowing more families and aid workers to move freely, more devices are being discovered daily.
Luke Irving, head of UNMAS operations in the Palestinian territories, recently told a UN briefing that over 560 unexploded devices have already been found during the ceasefire. But with up to 60 million tons of rubble scattered across Gaza, the true number may be far higher.
Hospitals Overwhelmed and Under-Equipped
Gaza’s hospitals, already battered by two years of war and blockades, are struggling to respond. Medical personnel lack basic supplies and equipment. Electricity and fuel shortages further complicate emergency care and surgeries.
“There are no medications, no supplies, and even getting water is difficult,” said Dr. Harriet. “We’re talking about children with life-threatening injuries, and we don’t have the tools to save them properly.”
Ceasefire Doesn’t Mean Safety
Though the guns have quieted for now, the risks remain deadly.
“This is the death trap,” said Dr. Harriet. “We talk about a ceasefire, but people are still being killed—just by what’s left behind.”
The psychological toll on returning families is immense. Parents must now choose between staying displaced in crowded shelters or risking their children’s lives among unexploded bombs and unstable buildings.
Ongoing Danger for Civilians
The incident involving Yahya and Nabila underscores how the dangers of war persist long after the bombs stop falling. In Gaza, even rubble can kill. The international community has pledged to send more de-mining experts in the coming weeks, but for many families, help may come too late.
The Shorbasi twins now face a long and uncertain recovery, their childhood violently disrupted by a war they did not choose.
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