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.
Must've been at lunch. Or dinner. Or both...
Those meals run together at the UN ...
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.
Hang around for awhile, boys, because methinks I see "mysterious explosions" in Gaza's future. BIG "mysterious explosions". That should make them real easy to find.
Just look for the guys with newly-amputated feet ...
If they're lucky. Some of this stuff would turn them into well done hamburger...
Israel has accused Hamas of taking the stockpile, which was under Hamas guard.
You're doing a good job guarding this stuff, Mahmoud.
What stuff?
Ah, you're a smart boy, Mahmoud. You'll go far...
Richard Miron, the senior UN spokesman in Jerusalem, said: "We are anxious to get the return of this ordnance. It's clearly extremely dangerous and needs to be disposed of in a safe manner. This is our primary concern."
So...how much are you willing to pay, my UN friend?
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 was being housed. It 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.
Ooooh. That would be a very impressive mysterious explosion...
Many of the explosives had been collected by the Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip.
...and finder's keeper's.
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. The UN staff were also waiting for permission from the Israeli military to use two safe areas to dispose of the munitions.
Ah, so it's the Joooos fault...
Great UN bomb disposal team. What did they issue them to work with, mallets?
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.
Geez, I just went out for a smoke and, when I came back...it was GONE!
Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said the stockpile had been "commandeered by Hamas".
Aw, c'mon now, Pete. Let's not go casting aspersions here...
Gee, I hope whoever took it doesn't have a work accident. Be a real bummer if his buddies got hurt.
Be a real good time for a red-wire, blue-wire incident ...