Published on: 2026-10-15
Source: United Nations
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October 15, 2026 Peace and Security
A year after the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, the situation in the enclave remains extremely unstable, and the situation in the West Bank is close to a “boiling point.” This was stated on Thursday during an open debate of the Security Council by the acting UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov.
“Today I consider it my duty to sound the alarm,” he said.
Crisis in Gaza
Alakbarov said that on Sunday he visited Gaza and was convinced that for the residents of the areas along the “yellow line” the ceasefire exists only in words.
“Women told me that in a year they did not have a single 40-minute period during which there was no shooting over their land,” he noted.
Most residents of Gaza still live in worn-out tents, overcrowded temporary shelters, and heavily damaged buildings. The water supply and sewage systems are destroyed, and there is no electricity in most of the enclave.
With the approach of winter, about 950,000 people are in areas with medium or high flood risk. More than 4,000 buildings where people have taken shelter are at risk of collapse. For the fourth consecutive year, restrictions on the import of equipment, spare parts, motor oil, and other necessary goods have hindered humanitarian work and recovery, Alakbarov noted. He called for expanded access, lifting of restrictions, and mobilization of necessary resources.
Despite everything, 564 thousand children attend temporary learning spaces. “Children in Gaza, like children everywhere, want to learn,” emphasized the Special Coordinator.
According to Alakbarov, the comprehensive plan to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, approved by Resolution 2803 (2025), must be fully implemented, including the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the deployment of International Stabilization Forces.
The West Bank on the edge
“In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the situation continues to deteriorate,” the reporter stated. He warned that settler attacks on Palestinians occur daily, often in the presence of Israeli forces. Alakbarov also condemned attacks by Palestinians on Israelis.
He called for all settlement activities to be halted, reminding that on September 28, the Attorney General of Israel set October 19 as the deadline for submitting bids for housing construction tenders in the E1 area.
Risk of war resuming
“The risk of returning to war has never been so high,” emphasized Alakbarov. According to him, this must be avoided at all costs.
The Special Coordinator reminded that during the High-level Week of the General Assembly, the international community once again reaffirmed its support for the two-state solution. He emphasized that this support must be translated into agreed concrete steps on the ground. Resolution 2803 and the comprehensive plan, the New York Declaration, and the Global Alliance complement each other and together form the international basis for moving forward. “We must unite these tools for our common goal: two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states,” concluded the Special Coordinator.
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