© VPP/M. Le Lijour Three men work with metal amid ruins in the Gaza Strip. UN Security Council: Gaza truce remains fragile, situation in West Bank worsens Peace and Security
Amid ongoing Israeli strikes on Gaza, and a rise in illegal settlements and violence in the West Bank, the UN Security Council on Wednesday discusses the latest developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
High Representative of the Peace Council for Gaza Nikolai Mladenov announced a “historic breakthrough”: on July 30, Hamas and other Palestinian groups adopted a roadmap for completing a comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza.
“For the first time, Hamas and the armed factions in Gaza have agreed to surrender their weapons and transfer full power – both civil and security – to a transitional administration recognized by the United Nations,” he said.
According to Mladenov, there is an opportunity to significantly improve the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, provide long-term security for Israelis and move from conflict to peace, prosperity and economic opportunity for the entire Middle East.
Implementing the road map
Mladenov emphasized that the road map does not replace or contradict the comprehensive plan proposed by US President Donald Trump or Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025).
According to him, the document contains three elements that have not been present at any stage over the past 20 years. The first is Hamas’s agreement to complete demilitarization and transfer of control of Gaza. The second is the principle of unity of power, law and possession of weapons. The third element assumes that the transition to each next stage will depend not on calendar deadlines, but on the confirmed implementation of the previous one. the next war is already looming on the horizon,” he stressed. uncertainty.
“While negotiations continue to implement resolution 2803 (2025) and the comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza, the ceasefire remains fragile,” he said.
According to the UN representative, the full implementation of the road map will allow for the implementation of agreements on the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups, the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from Gaza, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force and the transfer of transition management functions to the National Committee for Gaza Management. right.
At the same time, he stressed, it is extremely important to alleviate the plight of the residents of Gaza. After a week-long lull, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza resumed on August 12, with shelling, drone attacks and ground operations continuing. Alakbarov.
About two-thirds of Gaza remains inaccessible to humanitarian organizations or under severe restrictions on such access. There is also an acute shortage of funding – only forty percent of the amount requested for emergency assistance has been received.
Settlements and violence in the West Bank
Meanwhile, the situation in the West Bank, according to Alakbarov, “continues to rapidly deteriorate.” Large-scale settler attacks continue with little accountability for those responsible.
Israeli authorities have issued a tender to build more than 1,200 illegal housing units in the E1 area east of Jerusalem. connection with East Jerusalem, which will undermine the prospects for the creation of a viable Palestinian state,” Alakbarov warned. Jerusalem.
“I once again call on Israel to act in accordance with its obligations under international law. All attempts to seize, control or expropriate UNRWA facilities must cease,” Alakbarov said.