Former UN envoy and current UN Security Council High Representative for peace efforts in Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, called on the Security Council to use “all means at its disposal” to pressure Hamas into accepting disarmament, warning that continued violence threatens to undermine the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking before the Council, Mladenov stressed that both Hamas and Israel must comply with their obligations under the truce that has been in force since October. He pointed to ongoing Palestinian deaths and restrictions on humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, while also accusing Hamas of refusing to allow a monitored transfer of weapons or a transition toward civilian administration in the territory.
According to Mladenov, Palestinians in Gaza are facing desperate conditions, and the current moment leaves only two possible paths forward: “a deteriorating status quo or a new beginning for the Palestinians.” He added that “there is no third option” and warned against delaying decisions while civilians continue to suffer.
The Bulgarian diplomat expanded on the findings of the Peace Council’s latest report, which identified Hamas’s refusal to surrender military control and permit verified disarmament as the main obstacle to implementing the ceasefire fully. Hamas rejected the report, arguing that it ignored Israel’s own violations of the agreement, including military operations and limitations on aid deliveries.
