Guterres warned that the move could dispossess Palestinians and further erode prospects for a two‑State solution.

I condemn the Israeli Government’s decision to resume land registration procedures in the occupied West Bank. The decision could lead to the dispossession of Palestinians of their property & risks expanding unlawful Israeli control over land in the area.

I call on Israel to…

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) February 16, 2026

According to his Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the decision follows a May 2025 Israeli cabinet ruling that applies to Area C, which accounts for about 60% of the West Bank. It marks the first time since the 1967 occupation that Israel will begin registering land as state property across such a wide area.

Dujarric said the new measures threaten to expand Israeli control and may lead to Palestinians being stripped of property rights. He added that Israel’s actions in the occupied territory are destabilising and, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice, unlawful under international law.

Guterres has called on the Israeli government to immediately reverse the decision, warning that ongoing developments on the ground are steadily undermining the viability of a negotiated two‑State solution. He also repeated that all settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, lacks legal validity and violates UN resolutions.

Last week, the Israeli cabinet approved additional measures to increase Israeli civilian authority in Areas A and B, which make up roughly 40% of the territory. The UN says the cumulative effect of these measures risks entrenching permanent occupation and diminishing Palestinian self‑determination.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, humanitarian access continues to face major obstacles. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), logistics teams recently moved nearly 1 900 pallets of food, shelter, health, water and sanitation supplies from crossing points into the Strip. However, operations remain constrained by movement restrictions and unpredictable authorisations.

Shipments from Jordan are limited to routes requiring multiple offloading stages, while deliveries from Egypt through Kerem Shalom face high rejection rates, with less than 60% accepted in early February. Of nearly 50 coordinated missions inside Gaza between February 6 and 11, only half were fully facilitated.

OCHA said denial of access continues to hamper relief efforts, and teams are engaging Israeli authorities to clarify constraints and restore predictable humanitarian operations.

–UN/ChannelAfrica–