At least seven children were left wounded in Hindarat Camp for Palestinian refugees, in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo, as explosive debris went off in the area.

The wounded were rushed to AlKindi Hospital in Aleppo.

The children, aged between 14 and 16, were wounded as they gathered in a playground in the camp. Screaming and shouting were heard at the time of the blast. The children’s faces were covered with blood. They sustained chest and stomach injuries and bruises. One of them is in a critical condition as a shrapnel penetrated his skull.

The list of injured children includes Mohamed Bassem Meri, Mohamed AlMesri Sweid, Ahmed Mohamed Kasem, Mousa Yaser AlKhader, and Reda Abdul Fatah.

Landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which are particularly unpredictable and difficult to detect, continue to put millions of people, including Palestine refugees, at risk.

Data by the UN Agency for Palestine refugees indicates that in Syria, approximately 1 in 2 people are at risk from explosive contamination and 1/3 of the communities are potentially contaminated. Contamination severely impacts lives, livelihoods and amplifies the social and economic crisis aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

People displaced or returning home are at high risk as they have limited information on safety issues in the areas they are going to.

This threat is particularly high for Palestine refugees in Syria, especially in newly-accessible or difficult-to-reach areas. These include areas that Palestine refugees have recently returned to areas such as Yarmouk, Ein el Tal and Dera'a camp.

Children on their way to and from school are highly exposed to the dangers of explosive ordnance.