Fletcher warned that such commitments should not be used as “a bargaining chip.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Fletcher said the agreement came at a moment of “great but precarious hope,” following the peace initiative endorsed by world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this week. He said both sides must now fully implement the deal, reflecting widespread public desire across the region for peace to take hold.
The UN Humanitarian Chief noted that operations in Gaza had finally begun to expand “after months of frustration and blockages,” with the delivery of essential supplies such as food, fuel, medicine, and shelter materials. However, he cautioned that renewed violence and restrictions now risked reversing that progress.
“We are now tested to see whether we can ensure that these do not prevent the progress on which President Donald Trump, the UN Secretary-General, and so many leaders have insisted,” Fletcher said. He called on Hamas to urgently return all bodies of deceased hostages and voiced concern over mounting evidence of violence against civilians in Gaza.
He also pressed Israel to permit a “massive surge of humanitarian aid, thousands of trucks a week, on which so many lives depend.” Opening additional border crossings and removing logistical barriers, he said, were essential steps to meeting urgent needs. “Facilitation of aid is a legal obligation,” Fletcher stressed. “We will not accept any interference with our aid distribution.”
His appeal followed alarming reports from the UN human rights office (OHCHR) of new abuses in Gaza, including summary executions and unlawful killings. OHCHR cited video footage showing the public execution of eight blindfolded and handcuffed men allegedly by a Hamas-linked unit, describing the act as a war crime.
The office also reported that Israeli forces had opened fire on Palestinians attempting to return to their homes in Gaza City, killing three. “The situation in Gaza remains precarious and uncertain,” said Ajith Sunghay, OHCHR’s Head in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, urging both sides to uphold the ceasefire and work towards recovery and self-determination for Palestinians.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
