By Merve Aydogan
HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - A senior UN official warned Wednesday that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza remains under threat as Israeli strikes and unilateral steps by Israel in the occupied West Bank escalate tensions and deepen Palestinian suffering.
"In recent weeks, the Israeli military intensified strikes across Gaza, hitting densely populated areas and killing dozens of Palestinians," UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said during a high-level session of the Security Council, adding that "Gaza is still not at peace."
Describing the moment as "pivotal,” DiCarlo said that "after years of devastating conflict and immense human suffering, there is an opening, one that could allow the region to move in a different direction. But that opening is neither assured nor indefinite."
She called for urgent steps to consolidate the ceasefire and boost humanitarian aid.
"Our collective efforts must now consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the population," DiCarlo said, noting the need for "concrete progress toward stabilization and recovery, consistent with international law, to lay the foundations for lasting peace."
Highlighting the upcoming Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC, she said it is "an important step" for implementing phase two of the ceasefire and advancing a political path toward a two-state solution.
"In parallel, the entry of assistance into Gaza must increase significantly. This is essential for an inclusive, Palestinian-led recovery and reconstruction," she added.
While aid access has improved since last October, DiCarlo warned that conditions remain dire.
"Still, the vast majority of Gaza’s population remains displaced and continues to endure extremely harsh living conditions," she said. "Humanitarian operations in Gaza have continued amid severe constraints. Scaled-up entry of shelter materials, educational supplies and medical equipment, among other items, is urgently required."
She further condemned Israel's actions in the occupied West Bank, stating that "Israeli forces continued large-scale operations across the West Bank, frequently involving live fire and raising serious concerns about the use of lethal force."
"We are witnessing the gradual de facto annexation of the West Bank as unilateral Israeli steps steadily transform the landscape," she added.
She reiterated that the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem "have no legal validity. They violate international law and UN resolutions."
Violence in the West Bank has escalated since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, with reported killings, arrests, displacement and illegal settlement expansion across the territory.
On Sunday, the Israeli government approved a proposal to register large areas in the West Bank as “state property" for the first time since Israel occupied the territory in 1967.
Palestinians warn that Israel’s actions pave the way for a formal annexation of the occupied West Bank, which they say would end prospects for a Palestinian state envisioned in United Nations resolutions.
Concluding her remarks, DiCarlo called for full implementation of the US-led peace plan, warning that "at this fragile juncture for the region, we cannot afford half measures."
"We must seize this opportunity to restore a credible political horizon – one that leads to a lasting peace in Gaza, brings an end to the occupation and realizes a two-state solution in line with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions," she said, pledging the UN's commitment to achieving that goal.
A US-backed ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Oct. 10, halting Israel’s two-year war, which has killed more than 72,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations through shelling and gunfire, killing 603 Palestinians and injuring 1,618 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.