In brief
A senior US Board of Peace official has criticised Israel’s ongoing air strikes in Gaza and the lack of full disarmament by Hamas. He warned that if the ceasefire from last October falters, there will be no roadmap to rebuild the region. Mladenov spoke to the UN Security Council, calling for an urgent resolution of the remaining Israeli questions and for the full commitment of Hamas to abandon its weapons. He highlighted the civilian toll—over 1,300 Palestinians and 300 children killed—and the minimal casualties on the Israeli side. The envoy’s remarks underline the urgency of a reciprocal, verified disarmament before any Israeli withdrawal, calling for continued international pressure to protect civilians.
Board of Peace envoy voices alarm over Gaza ceasefire
A senior official for US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace criticised Israel’s continued air strikes on Gaza and the actions of the Palestinian armed group Hamas at a recent UN Security Council meeting.
Nickolay Mladenov warned that a collapse of the ceasefire agreed in last October would be "a point of no return" for the region, indicating that there would be no roadmap for restoring order or rebuilding.
The board’s high representative had discussed a mechanism with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to settle remaining questions, but noted that risks remain, especially the continued killing of civilians in Israeli attacks.
Since the US‑brokered ceasefire began, at least 1,303 Palestinians—including 300 children—have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to Hamas‑run health ministry figures deemed reliable by the UN. By comparison, four Israeli soldiers have died in Palestinian attacks over the same period.
The roadmap proposed by the Board of Peace requires Israel to withdraw troops only after Hamas has fully disarmed and its military infrastructure dismantled. Mladenov emphasized that the withdrawal is "sequenced and reciprocal," differing from earlier statements by presidential envoy Jared Kushner.
The Palestinian representative in the meeting accused Israel of killing civilians with impunity and called for immediate protection of all civilians in Gaza. Mladenov stressed that continued civilian casualties would deepen the crisis and exacerbate the risk of a full breakdown.
The war, sparked by the Hamas‑led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, has resulted in over 73,430 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry, according to the Board of Peace. The envoy’s statements underscore the urgency of swift action to avert irreversible damage to the region.
