The warning was issued on Monday by UN Deputy Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov during a briefing to the Security Council.
Speaking from Jerusalem, Alakbarov said the moment offered “renewed hope”, but stressed that the situation remained precarious. “While progress on the ground is fragile and deep uncertainty persists, we must seize the opportunity before us to chart a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the wider region,” he said.
Israel and Hamas reached the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage-release agreement last month, following a proposal put forward by United States President Donald Trump. However, recent Israeli airstrikes on populated areas have resulted in casualties and destruction, while attacks by Palestinian militants on Israeli soldiers have also claimed lives.
“This violence is jeopardising the fragile ceasefire,” Alakbarov warned, urging all sides to honour the commitments they made under the agreement.
He noted that the Security Council had bolstered efforts towards stability with the adoption of Resolution 2803 (2025), which endorses the US plan and authorises a temporary international force for Gaza. He said the situation in the enclave remains dire, despite residents experiencing “the first glimmers of respite” after two years of near-constant bombardment.
Humanitarian needs remain vast, with more than 1.7 million people still displaced and almost 80% of buildings damaged or destroyed. Alakbarov said the UN had intensified efforts to scale up aid, but added that support must now shift from emergency relief to rebuilding communities and restoring essential services.
“The damage in Gaza, physically, economically and socially, is catastrophic,” he said. “There must be a restoration of dignity and hope,” supported by a clear political path toward ending the occupation and achieving a two-State solution.
In the West Bank, he described the situation as “alarming”, with escalating settlement expansion, settler violence and displacement. Israeli military operations have also caused deaths and further uprooted thousands. At the same time, attacks by Palestinians, including recent terror incidents, have increased tensions.
Alakbarov insisted that all perpetrators of violence must be held accountable as the UN continues to push for stability across the region.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
