Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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December 16, 2025 Peace and security
The United Nations warned on Tuesday that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip remains fragile and the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating as winter sets in, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent a new escalation.
Addressing the Security Council, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov presented the Secretary-General’s quarterly report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) concerning Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
At the beginning of his speech, Alakbarov recalled that the Secretary-General strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack on Jewish families gathered to celebrate Hanukkah in Sydney and expressed solidarity with Jewish communities around the world.
Cases of violence
Turning to the situation in Gaza, he noted that despite the ceasefire brokered by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States, violence has not completely ceased. Continued Israeli military strikes and armed attacks by Palestinian groups are resulting in civilian casualties and further destruction of infrastructure.
Dire humanitarian situation
The humanitarian situation, he said, remains extremely dire. The UN is providing assistance during the winter, including distributing tents, blankets, and other essential items, but as temperatures drop, the risks increase. Earlier on Tuesday, the first death from hypothermia was confirmed – a two-week-old newborn boy in Khan Younis.
Alakbarov emphasized the critical importance of maintaining humanitarian access and called for expanded operational space for the UN and its partners. He welcomed the partial reopening of the Allenby-King Hussein Bridge for aid deliveries from Jordan, but noted that current volumes remain insufficient. Significant shipments of vital aid remain in warehouses awaiting full resumption of deliveries.
He also expressed grave concern over the events in East Jerusalem, where on December 8, Israeli authorities forcibly entered the compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), seized property, and replaced the United Nations flag with the Israeli flag. The Secretary-General, he said, strongly condemned these actions, recalling the inviolability of UN premises.
West Bank
The situation in the occupied West Bank is also deteriorating. Alakbarov pointed to the Israeli cabinet's recent decision to approve or legalize 19 settlements, including two evacuated in 2005. In 2025, settlement expansion reached its highest level since UN monitoring began in 2017, which, he said, undermines the viability of a unified and territorially contiguous Palestinian state.
Of particular concern is the rise in settler violence, especially during the olive harvest season. Palestinian farmers face attacks, intimidation, and crop destruction, often in the presence of Israeli security forces.
Arrests of Palestinians
The report also expressed concern about the continued detention of large numbers of Palestinians, including children, reports of abuse in detention facilities, and inflammatory and provocative rhetoric by officials.
Commitment to peace
In conclusion, Alakbarov reaffirmed the United Nations' commitment to the two-state solution and called for an end to the illegal occupation and strict compliance by all parties to the conflict with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
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