Board of Peace’s Mladenov warns Gaza could be ‘gone for good’

Mladenov, a top envoy for the US-led Board of Peace, has issued a stark warning regarding the future of Gaza. He stated that the region is at risk of being "gone for good" if reconstruction efforts are not undertaken. This statement highlights the critical need for rebuilding in Gaza to prevent its permanent deterioration. The specific timing and details of Mladenov's warning are not provided in the article content, but the core message emphasizes the dire consequences of inaction on reconstruction.

Nicolay Mladenov, the high representative for the Board of Peace, has warned that the Gaza ceasefire is at risk of collapse due to both Palestinian and Israeli sides failing to adhere to a peace roadmap. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mladenov stated that a return to war would be "devastating" and that there is "no better alternative to the current plan." He emphasized that any deviation from the roadmap's commitments would negatively impact security and humanitarian arrangements, potentially leading to renewed violence. Mladenov also mentioned that the Board of Peace has determined the deployment mechanism for an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, with Morocco agreeing to participate. He reported that $7 billion in reconstruction pledges have been received and that talks with Israel on increasing humanitarian aid are progressing positively.

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.

Following United States envoy Jared Kushner's departure from talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel escalated attacks in Gaza, with senior officers indicating a return to pre-ceasefire rules of engagement. Strikes on residential areas and former police headquarters killed dozens, including children and police officials reportedly preparing for disarmament. Israel also declared any airborne objects from Gaza an "act of war" after kites landed in a border community, leading to further Palestinian casualties. Concurrently, Israel advanced settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, issuing tenders for over 1,200 units, a move condemned by several countries and international bodies. The US reiterated its opposition to Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

Israeli airstrikes and tank fire in Gaza on Monday killed at least four people, including two children, hospital officials reported. The strikes occurred a week after a U.S. delegation, including negotiator Jared Kushner, asked Israel to reduce its attacks. Evacuation warnings were issued before some strikes, including one in the Bureij refugee camp that killed a 4-year-old child. Israel's military stated it targeted Hamas weapons storage facilities inside mosques in the Shati refugee camp and Deir al-Balah, claiming to have killed a Hamas militant in another strike. Additional casualties were reported in Khan Younis. Israel has conducted strikes on six of the seven days since the U.S. delegation's visit.

An Israeli airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Monday, killing at least one person and wounding several others. The Israeli army stated it targeted two militants in the area, including Muhammad Abdul Nasser Jaber Abu Asad, whom they identified as a Hamas military wing member involved in the October 7 attack and attempting to rebuild Hamas capabilities. This incident adds to the ongoing casualties, with 1,288 Palestinians killed since the October 2025 ceasefire agreement and a total of 73,422 killed since October 2023. The strikes continue despite a US-brokered ceasefire and diplomatic efforts. Earlier on Sunday, three Palestinians, including a child, were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Gaza and the Deir al-Balah region.