UN official: Gaza residents endure unbearable conditions, situation in the West Bank deteriorating rapidly

Washington, Aug 26 (KUNA) -- Ramzy Al-Akhras, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, warned on Wednesday of the “fragility” of the ceasefire in Gaza, as the situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate rapidly. Speaking at a briefing before a Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East, Al-Akhras said, “Addressing the tragic situation in Gaza remains of paramount importance, as residents there continue to endure unbearable conditions and immense suffering, and are beginning to lose hope.”

The UN official, who also serves as the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Palestine, stressed that full implementation of the 15-point roadmap would advance the transitional arrangements outlined in the plan. He clarified that this includes the disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups, the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army from Gaza, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and the transfer of transitional governance responsibilities to the National Authority for the Governance of Gaza.

He added, “These steps must pave the way for the broader goal of establishing a political horizon that ends the illegal occupation, realizes the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and advances a two-state solution.” He affirmed that the means necessary to move forward on a credible path are available, forming, alongside previous Security Council resolutions, “a political vision, a practical framework, and a coordinated international effort,” and called for action to translate this vision into concrete steps.

Al-Akhras emphasized the urgent need for the immediate and full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803, which endorsed US President Donald Trump’s comprehensive 20-point plan to end the conflict in Gaza. He confirmed that improving living conditions in Gaza requires moving beyond emergency relief, stating that “basic systems and services must be restored without further delay, particularly sanitation, waste management, healthcare, and livelihoods.”

Regarding the situation in the West Bank, Al-Akhras warned that widespread settler attacks in the occupied West Bank continue amid near-total impunity for these crimes. He added that Israeli occupation forces have repeatedly failed to protect Palestinians from settler attacks, with reports indicating that in some cases they facilitated or participated in such violence. He called on the Israeli forces, as the occupying power, to ensure the protection of the civilian population and hold perpetrators accountable.

For his part, the UN Special Coordinator for the Peace Process in Gaza, Nikolay Mladenov, in his briefing to the Security Council, called for the full implementation of the comprehensive plan and the roadmap, stressing that “it is in the interest of Israelis, Palestinians, and the entire region that this plan does not collapse.” He pointed to Hamas’s and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip’s agreement to hand over their weapons and transfer authority, describing it as a “historic breakthrough.”

Mladenov said in this regard, “We are left with a choice: either a disarmed Gaza governed by Palestinians, rebuilt and connected to the world, or a Gaza that rearms, lives in division and destruction, breeds a radicalized generation, and faces the prospect of the next war on the horizon.” (End) A.M.M / M.A.A