Board of Peace's Gaza envoy criticises Israeli strikes and Hamas actions

Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's Gaza envoy, has criticized both Israeli strikes and Hamas actions, warning that a collapse of the October ceasefire could be a "point of no return." He stated that while the peace process is not stalled, continued Israeli strikes killing Palestinian civilians and Hamas's ongoing military activities, including weapon carrying and tunnel work, are hindering progress. Mladenov clarified that under the new roadmap, Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza is sequenced and reciprocal, following the verified decommissioning of Hamas weapons handed over to a technocratic committee. This differs from a previous statement by President Trump's envoy, Jared Kushner, who suggested withdrawal would only be discussed after Gaza's demilitarization was complete.

Nikolay Mladenov, the official leading President Trump's Gaza ceasefire effort, criticized Israel's ongoing attacks on the territory, warning that the alternative to the U.S. proposal is renewed war. Mladenov informed the U.N. Security Council that Hamas has agreed to disarm and cede Gaza to civilian rule, but Israel's continued strikes prevent Gazans from feeling the conflict is ending. While Israel's deputy U.N. ambassador reiterated commitment to the plan, they stressed Hamas must disarm first. Mladenov highlighted that technical work remains on the plan, which he described as offering a pathway to a two-state solution, despite Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's opposition to a Palestinian state. He cautioned that a failure to implement the plan could lead to a "point of no return" and the next war.

Nickolay Mladenov, the UN's lead official for Gaza, warned that the failure of the Gaza ceasefire process would be a "point of no return." This statement followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of a US-backed 15-point peace plan. Hamas had agreed to the plan, which includes handing over its weapons to a new Palestinian governing body under the supervision of an International Stabilization Force. Netanyahu, however, stated Israel would not withdraw forces until Hamas fully disarms. The conflict, which began after Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant casualties on both sides. Mladenov emphasized that a resumption of fighting would leave nothing to rebuild and no roadmap for return.