A British landmine expert in Gaza and a diplomat in Jerusalem have been named in the King’s New Year Honours list.
Patrick McCabe, who leads the UN’s Mine Action Service (Unmas) in the occupied Palestinian territories and has been working in Gaza since November 2023, has been made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for his work.
It could take years for Gaza to be made safe from unexploded weapons, Mr McCabe warned last year. “It is always heartbreaking when a child, or anyone, is injured by unexploded ordnance. But it's a fact of war and going to happen, and it doesn't happen just to the good guys [or] the bad guys. Nobody is immune to it.”
The UK announced £4 million for Unmas to help clear 7,500 tonnes of unexploded munitions, including landmines and cluster bombs, in October this year. The presence of large amounts of unexploded weapons in Gaza continues to obstruct paths to aid.
Mr McCabe said then that one of the biggest dangers in Gaza is tin cans containing fuses for mines which are commonly mistaken for food and were first thought to be booby traps. The cans appear harmless but can cause serious injury if opened or tampered with.
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