UN warns Gaza ceasefire remains fragile as West Bank violence escalates

The United Nations warned on Wednesday that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip remains fragile, as conditions in the occupied West Bank continue to deteriorate rapidly. The UN called for the full implementation of agreed political and security arrangements, and for support for recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Palestine, told the UN Security Council that addressing the situation in Gaza is critical, given the ongoing suffering and declining hope among the population.

Calls to implement roadmap and protect civilians

Alakbarov noted that fully implementing the 15-point roadmap would advance transitional arrangements, stressing that these steps should pave the way for a political horizon to end the occupation, ensure the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, and move toward a two-state solution.

He called for the immediate and full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803, emphasizing the need for Gaza to shift from emergency relief to restoring essential services and systems, particularly in sanitation, waste management, healthcare, and livelihoods, amid ongoing restrictions on humanitarian supplies and declining funding levels.

Alakbarov also warned of continued and expanding settler attacks in the West Bank, calling for the protection of civilians and accountability for those responsible for violence.

Calls to respect UNRWA facilities

Alakbarov reiterated the UN's call to respect the facilities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), following the entry of Israeli occupation authorities into the Qalandia Training Centre in East Jerusalem. He called for an end to any attempts to seize, control, or confiscate UNRWA premises.