The Gaza ceasefire offers a rare opportunity to end one of the most destructive phases of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the UN deputy Middle East envoy has said. Security Council THURSDAY.

Deputy Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov warned that without decisive support for reconstruction and aid delivery, the region risks falling back into violence.

The fragile truce, achieved through broad agreement on President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan earlier this month, created “a momentous but precarious moment,” he said.

“The agreement represents hope for a better future, but the dynamic is extremely fragile“, he said. “A return to conflict must be avoided at all costs.»

Alakbarov praised the mediation efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, calling the ceasefire a “crucial breakthrough” that must be consolidated through restraint and cooperation.

He demanded the immediate return of the remains of the deceased hostages and called for humanitarian aid to enter the enclave “on a large scale” to respond to what he described as “enormous and urgent needs.»

There is still a lot to do

Since the truce came into effect, the UN and its partners have expanded their relief operations in Gaza. Alakbarov highlighted the UN’s 60-day humanitarian plan, launched to streamline customs procedures, increase access roads and restore basic services, adding that the aid flow increased by 46 percent during the first week of the ceasefire.

But he warned that access remained limited.

“There is still much to do,” he said, citing the need to increase the number of crossings, ensure safe passage for humanitarian workers and ensure the continued entry of fuel and essential goods.

Ongoing violence – including Israeli strikes, attacks by Palestinian militants and apparent reprisals by armed groups – continues to undermine relief efforts and the stability of the territory, he added.

Situation in the West Bank

Regarding the West Bank, Alakbarov expressed concern over large-scale Israeli security operations, settler violence and Israel’s continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenues.

“Palestinians must be allowed to return home and local economies must function,» he said.

The Deputy Envoy also noted the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion issued on Wednesday which was welcomed by the Secretary-General, affirming Israel’s obligation, as the occupying power, to facilitate humanitarian assistance and to cooperate fully with the UN and its agencies.

Cairo Conference on Reconstruction

Looking ahead, Alakbarov said reconstruction must be led by Palestinians, with strong support from regional and international partners.

The upcoming Cairo Reconstruction Conference – co-hosted by Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and the UN – is “an important venue to advance the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza,” he said.

He added that recent international initiatives – including the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit and the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution – had generated “renewed momentum” towards ending the conflict and restoring a viable political horizon.

Mr. Alakbarov said the UN remains committed to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in accordance with international law and resolutions, achieving a two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine “living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders based on pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.”

Sudan is at the epicenter of one of the world’s “most serious” humanitarian crises, according to the UN.

More than 30 million people are now in need of emergency humanitarian assistance, including 9.6 million displaced people and nearly 15 million children caught in a daily struggle for survival.

“It is one of the worst protection crises we have seen in decades“, said Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

The agency, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (PAM) issued a joint humanitarian call to actioncalling for immediate international attention to address the “immense suffering and growing dangers” facing millions of people across Sudan.

Back to the rubble

As fighting improves in the capital Khartoum and other parts of Sudan, nearly 2.6 million people return to their damaged homesmany do not have access to water, health care or education.

“I met people returning to a town still scarred by conflict, where homes are damaged and basic services barely function. Their determination to rebuild is remarkable, but life remains incredibly fragile,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General of Operations.

Worse still, the spread of diseases such as cholera, dengue and malaria, combined with soaring malnutrition rates, puts thousands of people at imminent risk of death without immediate assistance, according to the IOM.

More than 260,000 civilians under siege

Meanwhile, more than 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children, remain under siege in El Fasher, North Darfur, in what UN agencies have described as “deeply worrying”.

For more than 16 months, families have been deprived of food, water and health care. As health systems collapse, reports of killings, sexual violence and forced recruitment into armed militias continue to rise.

“Entire communities survive in conditions that defy dignity“, warned Ted Chaiban, deputy executive director of UNICEF.

“Children are malnourished, exposed to violence and at risk of death from preventable diseases. Families are doing everything they can to survive, showing extraordinary determination in the face of unimaginable challenges,” he added.

The challenges ahead

The humanitarian response in Sudan has reached more than 13.5 million people so far this year.

Despite this, the funding gap makes it increasingly difficult for the UN and its partners to provide appropriate assistance.

Totaling $4.2 billion, the Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan 2025 remains seriously underfunded, at just 25 percent.

IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF and WFP remain committed to working together to provide life-saving assistance and protection to children and families across Sudan.

“The humanitarian community is ready to respond, but it cannot do it alone: ​​urgent global support is needed to save lives and help communities rebuild,” humanitarian agencies stressed.

THE UN Security Council meets in New York to discuss the Middle East. The session comes amid halting progress in Gaza’s fragile ceasefire and growing humanitarian needs after two years of war, with famine still looming in parts of the territory. The ambassadors will likely discuss the ICJ’s advisory opinion issued yesterday, affirming Israel’s obligation to allow aid agencies access under international law. Follow our in-depth live coverage from 10 a.m.; UN News app users can go here.

Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi, in a briefing from Damascus, called for a renewed commitment to women’s participation in the country’s political transition, saying their exclusion risks undermining hard-won progress.

Place at the table

“Syrian women have the right to participate fully and meaningfully in determining the future of the country,“, she said. “They have led and sacrificed for survival, justice and equality during more than a decade of conflict.”

She noted that although six women were elected to the 119 contested seats in the new Transitional People’s Assembly, “the share of women is incompatible with the societal and political role that Syrian women have long played,” according to the Supreme Elections Committee.

She urged authorities to “design future electoral processes to protect their legitimate right to participate and maximize opportunities for representation.”

Women’s participation is not symbolic but “a precondition for the rule of law and equality” in any post-conflict situationunderlined Ms. Rochdi.

Wider political situation

Turning to the broader political landscape, the Deputy Special Envoy described the October 5 indirect elections for the transitional legislature as “broadly peaceful,” although marred by underrepresentation of women and minorities and reports of opaque procedures.

She said the UN had not been involved but had “stressed the importance of transparency and inclusiveness”.

She also called for the lifting of economic sanctions “at a larger and faster scale to give this transition a chance to succeed“, asserting that “monumental levels of tangible support will be needed from the international community.”

Humanitarian crisis

On the humanitarian front, Ramesh Rajasingham from the UN aid coordination office, said More than 70 percent of Syrians still need help, with the U.N. response plan only 19 percent funded – one of the lowest among major global appeals.

Without additional funding, agencies will have to reduce staff numbers by January, he warned, noting that more than 340 health facilities have already suspended services, cutting off access to more than seven million people.

Mr Rajasingham called on ambassadors and the international community at large to act urgently.

“Syria has a viable path forward to Syrian-led recovery, supported by development partners,” he said. “But achieving this will require decisive and sustained action from the international community, including maintaining the flow of essential humanitarian assistance as these efforts progress.