Top coordinator warns crisis spirals, mounting civilian deaths, aid blockade in OPT

By Anjali Sharma

UNITED NATIONS – UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (ad interim) Sigrid Kaag on Friday briefed the members of the UNSC and told that the Israel-Palestine conflict is descending further into violence, with mounting civilian casualties in the West Bank and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza,.

Sigrid Kaag, briefed the Security Council on the latest report related to resolution 2334 (2016), which called for an immediate halt to Israeli settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

She detailed continued violations, escalating military operations and rising attacks against civilians, including deadly assaults by both Palestinian militants and Israeli forces.

Ms. Kaag noted that between 7 December 2024 and 13 March this year, at least 3,897 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, according to Gaza Ministry of Health, and 59 Israeli hostages are still being held captive by Hamas and other groups, according to Israeli sources.

She said that in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations during the same period led to the deaths of 123 Palestinians, while 10 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks. Women and children were among the victims on both sides.

Israeli settler violence also continued to displace Palestinian communities.

“The Secretary-General is alarmed by the lethal attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, including sometimes in the proximity and with the support of Israeli security forces, as well as by Palestinians against Israelis,” Ms. Kaag said.

“All perpetrators must be held accountable,” she stressed.

She reported that Israeli planning authorities advanced or approved about 10,600 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 4,920 in East Jerusalem. Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also accelerated in the region.

Ms. Kaag said “Citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Israeli authorities demolished, seized, sealed or forced people to demolish 460 structures, displacing 576 people, including 287 children and 149 women”.

Ms. Kaag reported that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to remain dire.

WHO reported that over 57,000 metric tons of food aid were delivered in the first month of the ceasefire, Israel halted all humanitarian and commercial supply entries on 2 March, worsening food, water and medical shortages.

Over 600,000 Gazans now lack access to clean water after Israel cut power to a desalination plant.

According to the WHO between 12,000 and 14,000 people, including over 4,500 children, require urgent medical evacuation.

Ms. Kaag echoed Mr. Guterres call for the urgent resumption of negotiations to reinstate a ceasefire.

She also underscored the need for unimpeded humanitarian access across the Gaza Strip and for the immediate and unconditional release of remaining hostages.

Ms. Kaag reiterated the UN chief’s call to establish a political framework that outlines tangible, irreversible and time-bound steps to be taken by Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

“The occupation must end as rapidly as possible,” she said, stating that a viable two-State solution – Israel and Palestine, of which Gaza is an integral part, living side-by-side in peace and security, “is long overdue”.

“The United Nations will continue to support all efforts towards that goal,” she concluded.