Ramiz Alakbarov briefed on circumstances within the battered enclave and the occupied West Financial institution, earlier than bearing on developments in Lebanon and Syria.
“Right this moment we meet at a second of renewed hope,” he mentioned, talking from Jerusalem.
“Whereas progress on the bottom is fragile and deep uncertainty persists, we should seize the chance earlier than us to chart a greater future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader area.”
Fragile ceasefire in danger
Final month, Israel and Hamas reached settlement on the primary section of a ceasefire and hostage launch following a plan put ahead by United States President Donald Trump.
Nonetheless, latest Israeli airstrikes on populated areas have brought on quite a few casualties and destruction, whereas Palestinian militant assaults on Israeli troopers have resulted in fatalities.
“This violence is jeopardizing the delicate ceasefire,” Mr. Alakbarov mentioned, urging all events “to train restraint and fulfill their commitments beneath the settlement.”
‘First glimmers of respite’
The Safety Council “has additionally taken an necessary step within the consolidation of the ceasefire” with the adoption of decision 2803 (2025), he added.
The textual content endorses the US plan and the deployment of a short lived worldwide pressure for Gaza.
“Whereas nonetheless going through insufferable dwelling circumstances and seemingly insurmountable destruction, the individuals in Gaza have skilled a minimum of the primary glimmers of respite from the close to fixed bombardment of the final two years,” he mentioned.
On the similar time, Israeli households have been reunited with kin who have been held hostage.
Others have obtained the stays of their family members, though the our bodies of three hostages have but to be returned.
Displacement, harm and destruction
Mr. Alakbarov reported that “the UN has redoubled efforts to mobilize and scale up humanitarian help” in Gaza, however efforts have to be expanded.
He highlighted the grim scenario on the bottom, together with greater than 1.7 million individuals nonetheless displaced and virtually 80 per cent of buildings broken or destroyed.
The senior official visited the shattered enclave final week, the place “the image stays bleak,” stressing the “important must transition from emergency humanitarian help towards enabling communities to rebuild their lives and restore important companies.”
Restore dignity and hope
He mentioned that “the harm in Gaza – bodily, economically and socially – is catastrophic.” Subsequently, the worldwide neighborhood can not solely handle instant bodily wants, but additionally psycho-social wants, social cohesion and justice points.
“There have to be a restoration of dignity and hope,” he mentioned. “These efforts have to be anchored in a transparent political horizon for resolving the battle, ending the illegal occupation, and realizing the two-State answer.”
‘Alarming’ violence within the West Financial institution
In the meantime, within the West Financial institution “settlement enlargement, the proliferation of outposts, violence, together with settler violence, displacement, and evictions proceed to escalate at alarming ranges,” he reported.
Israeli navy operations, significantly within the north, have resulted in deaths, destruction and continued displacement of 1000’s of Palestinians from refugee camps.
“Settler violence has reached emergency ranges,” he mentioned. “In October, throughout the olive-harvest season, the UN recorded the best variety of settler assaults on Palestinians since UN monitoring started — a mean of eight per day.”
Moreover, arson assaults and the desecration of holy locations by settlers have additional heightened tensions, whereas assaults by Palestinians – together with acts of terror, corresponding to a latest ramming and stabbing assault south of Jerusalem – have occurred.
He insisted that each one perpetrators of violence have to be held accountable.
Concern for Lebanon and Syria
Turning to the broader area, he reiterated the UN Secretary-Basic’s name for events in Lebanon to uphold their obligations to take care of the cessation of hostilities.
The settlement, reached between Israel and Lebanon in November 2024, adopted greater than a yr of combating between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, linked to the Gaza warfare.
The highest official additionally echoed the Secretary-Basic’s name for a direct cessation of all violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Challenges require dedication
Returning to Gaza, Mr. Alakbarov mentioned that choices made now will decide whether or not the ceasefire endures or unravels.
He underscored that the primary section of the deal have to be absolutely carried out, and the events should urgently attain settlement on the modalities to hold out the following phases.
“The challenges stay immense, however the price of failure is unimaginable. Now we have the instruments to put the foundations for fulfillment, however the work forward calls for an unwavering dedication from everybody,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the UN “stays dedicated to seizing this important alternative to maneuver from disaster administration to battle decision,” and all efforts “have to be guided by the crucial of building a real political course of that may resolve the Israeli – Palestinian battle as soon as and for all.”
