A senior UN official has warned that the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank is dangerously fragile, saying a return to war must be avoided at all costs.
Briefing the UN Security Council on Palestine on Thursday, Ramiz Alakbarov, UN acting special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, marked the anniversary of the October 7 events, saying Palestinians and Israelis need a political horizon.
"Palestinians and Israelis deserve more than short-term fixes. They deserve a credible path to peace and finally an end to this conflict," he said. "The international community must move beyond words and take concrete actions to ensure the future of security and dignity of the people. It is time to return to a genuine peace process.”
Turning to Gaza, Alakbarov noted that one year has passed since a ceasefire was completed. "While some progress has been made, the situation remains extremely fragile," he said.
He said Israeli military operations have continued, "causing some 1,500 fatalities, including more than 320 children."
Alakbarov described families in Gaza living in worn-out tents, overcrowded displacement sites and badly damaged buildings, with water and sanitation systems devastated. "Most of Gaza still lives in darkness," he said.
"People in Gaza must not be forced to endure another winter without safe shelter and basic services," he stressed.
‘West Bank is also at a boiling point’
Highlighting the needs of children, he said, "Emergency assistance alone is not enough. Sustainable recovery and political progress must advance together."
On the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, Alakbarov said the situation continues to deteriorate amid Israeli military operations, movement restrictions, displacement and attacks on Palestinians. He said settler violence persists at "extremely high levels," with daily attacks on Palestinians.
Describing his assessment as "realistic," Alakbarov said he felt compelled to raise concerns before the council.
"Today, I feel obliged to sound the alarm. In Gaza, desperation is palpable," he said.
He warned that frustration among Gaza's population cannot continue to build indefinitely and described the risk of a return to war as extremely high. "This must be avoided at all costs," he said.
"The (occupied) West Bank is also at a boiling point," he added.
