The official responsible for overseeing US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire initiative for Gaza has publicly condemned Israel’s military actions in the region. Nikolay Mladenov, the UN’s Director of the Board of Peace, voiced his concerns during a session of the UN Security Council, emphasising that the continued conflict could lead to a new war if the proposal is not heeded.

Mladenov stated that the current 20-point ceasefire plan has gained traction, moving from mere discussions to actual engineering initiatives. He highlighted the importance of Hamas’s agreement to key elements of the proposal, particularly the disarmament and the transition of Gaza to civilian governance.

Impact of Israeli Strikes on Gaza’s Civilians

Despite the proposed adjustments, Mladenov lamented that Israeli airstrikes, which resumed following the October 2023 ceasefire, continue to inflict casualties among Palestinians, albeit at a reduced rate. This ongoing violence hampers any sense of resolution for the residents of Gaza, raising questions about the efficacy of military action in achieving long-term peace.

During his address, he questioned whether further attacks on munitions depots would result in a genuine disarmament of Hamas. Mladenov expressed skepticism regarding the impact of such operations, asserting that they only serve to prolong the cycle of violence rather than achieving demilitarisation or enabling a shift towards civilian governance.

The backdrop to these discussions includes a recent US arrangement aimed at convincing Hamas to disarm, which is perceived by some as a potential breakthrough in the protracted conflict sparked by the group’s attacks on Israel in October last year. Nonetheless, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that military operations will persist until Hamas completely relinquishes its arsenal.

Dialogue and Cooperation Between the US and Israel

Mladenov also referenced a meeting held the previous week, where he, along with Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser, discussed Israel’s concerns in detail with Netanyahu. The meeting aimed to address the outstanding issues in the peace plan that require further negotiation and technical arrangements.

Noa Furman, Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UN, reiterated her country’s unwavering commitment to the Trump-led ceasefire initiative. However, she stressed that its success hinges on the disarmament of Hamas, asserting that Israel is closely collaborating with US officials to facilitate this process. Concurrently, US Ambassador Mike Waltz assured that the concerns regarding the plan are being carefully considered and that any evaluation of Hamas’s compliance will be action-based.

Mladenov highlighted the precarious gap between diplomatic proposals and the reality on the ground in Gaza, suggesting that a return to war would eliminate any potential roadmap for recovery. He warned that the consequences of renewed conflict could be dire, not merely presenting a setback but leading to irreversible damage for both sides. He urged for a concerted political effort to bridge divides and offered two stark scenarios for Gaza’s future: either a disarmed, reconstructed territory reintegrated into the global community or a violence-stricken area facing further disaggregation and despair.

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