UN warns Gaza ceasefire remains fragile as West Bank tensions escalate

Acting United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov, warned the Security Council on Wednesday, 26 August, that security and humanitarian conditions are rapidly deteriorating across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Addressing the council in New York, Alakbarov stated that the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile as Israeli strikes continue. The UN official called for a shift from emergency relief to the restoration of essential infrastructure, including sanitation, waste management, and healthcare. He specifically urged for the restoration of power supplies and the operation of the Gaza Power Plant, which requires the large-scale entry of fuel and engine oil. Infrastructure and Movement Constraints The briefing detailed a critical need for increased two-way movement through the Rafah border crossing. Alakbarov noted that patients requiring specialized care currently face significant barriers in accessing hospitals in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and abroad. The UN maintains that without these movements, the humanitarian crisis will deepen as livelihoods and basic services remain paralyzed. The warning comes as humanitarian agencies struggle to maintain operations amid restricted access and a volatile security environment. The UN coordinator emphasized that temporary aid is insufficient to address the systemic collapse of public services. Settlement Expansion in the West Bank Regarding the West Bank, Alakbarov described the security…