Israel / Palestine

Under the US-brokered ceasefire in October, the Israeli army withdrew to a demarcation line which gave Israel direct control of 53% of the occupied territory. Since then, Israeli forces have advanced their positions westward into the Hamas-controlled half of the strip, and declared an ever-expanded no man’s land west of that, within which they claim the right to decide who can enter and open fire on anyone perceived as a threat. 

The joint statement argued that Israel is 'undermining stability,' noting that settler violence toward Palestinians is at 'unprecedented levels.' 

[…] Nickolay Mladenov — who was formerly the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process — briefed the 15-member Council on the occasion of the release of the Board’s first report (document S/2026/418), and six months since the parties signed onto the United States-brokered “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict” — widely known as the Washington Accord.

Gaza is in a grim limbo more than seven months after Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire deal: no reconstruction is under way, the so-called Board of Peace is struggling with funding and Palestinian technocrats chosen to run the strip are sidelined in Egypt.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday strongly condemned Israel’s decision to establish military facilities at a seized UNRWA compound in occupied East Jerusalem, calling the move “wholly unacceptable”.

Civilians across Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon continue to face mounting hardship as conflict, displacement and ongoing military operations deepen humanitarian needs and strain already limited aid efforts, according to the latest updates from UN agencies.

Nickolay Mladenov, the senior representative of the Board of Peace, warned of the humanitarian and security situation in the Gaza Strip, which the Israeli military has struck almost daily. He emphasized that dismantling Hamas' arsenal is essential before any progress can be made.

The twenty-seven foreign ministers of the European Union approved new sanctions on Monday on Israeli settlers over rising violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. There has been a surge in attacks by settlers since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, the UN has recorded.

In an open letter, 448 former European leaders and diplomats, including former EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell, urged the EU to act against a major Israeli settlement project known as E1, which aims to cut the West Bank in two.

The European Union has unveiled a new programme aimed at assisting and protecting Palestinians affected by escalating settler violence in the West Bank, signalling a shift in Brussels’ approach as conditions on the ground continue to deteriorate.