By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Sigrid Kaag on Tuesday said that a sustainable resolution to the war in Gaza and the broader Israel-Palestine conflict relies on political courage from all sides.
Ms. Sigrid Kaag emphasized that peace in the Middle East is possible.
“We can achieve a future where a safe and secure Israel exists alongside a viable and independent Palestinian State. This requires continued, concerted effort, dedication and political courage by all parties,” she said.
She urged Council members to ensure Gaza remains an integral part of a future Palestinian State, and that the enclave and the West Bank including East Jerusalem are unified politically, economically and administratively.
Ms. Kaag said there should be no long-term Israeli military presence in Gaza although Israel’s legitimate security concerns must be addressed.
She outlined four priorities and stated that “We need to commit to ending the occupation and a final resolution of the conflict based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements”.
She said these include sustaining the ceasefire agreement while securing the release of all hostages and preventing escalation in the West Bank, where violence continues to rise.
There must be reform of the Palestinian Authority which governs the West Bank and clarity on its role in post-war Gaza; and the mobilization of financial and political backing to rebuild the battered Gaza, she added.
Ms. Kaag welcomed the release of 30 Israeli and foreign nationals held in Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal and a 4 bodies of those deceased reiterated that all remaining hostages must be released unconditionally.
She condemned Hamas’ treatment of hostages, including reports of ill-treatment and public displays under duress, demanding that access must be given immediately to the International Committee of the Red Cross to those still captive.
Ms. Kaag noted that 1,135 prisoners and detainees have been released, though reports of ill-treatment during detention remained concerning on the Palestinian side.
She updated the Council on humanitarian efforts, noting that aid deliveries had increased since the ceasefire took effect on 19 January and that medical evacuations from Gaza to Egypt began on 1 February.
“The resumption of hostilities must be avoided at all costs. I call on both sides to fully honor their commitments to the ceasefire deal and conclude negotiations for the second phase,” she said.
She highlighted the scale of destruction, Ms. Kaag cited an assessment by the World Bank, EU, and UN, which estimated that $53 billion will be needed for recovery and reconstruction.
She noted that Arab states are leading discussions on rebuilding, with Egypt set to host a reconstruction conference.
“The UN is ready to support reconstruction efforts. Palestinian civilians must be able to resume their lives, to rebuild, and to construct their future in Gaza. There can be no question of forced displacement,” she said.
Ms. Kaag warned that violence is escalating in the West Bank, amid Israeli military operations, settler violence and severe movement restrictions while the global focus is on Gaza.
“I am alarmed by the killing of a pregnant woman and young children during these operations. Such incidents must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable,” she said.
She reported Israel’s advancement of plans for 2,000 new housing units, the continued expansion of settlements and the accelerated eviction and demolition.
Ms. Kaag warned that “These developments along with continued calls for annexation, present an existential threat to the prospect of a viable and independent Palestinian State and thereby the two-State solution.”
She also addressed Lebanon and Syria, which have been drawn in and destabilized by the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah conflict.
Ms. Kaag hailed the formation of a new Government in Lebanon, called it an opportunity for stability and urged the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 to prevent further escalation.
She expressed concerns over violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, urged all parties to uphold their commitments in southwest Syria.
US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea, told ambassadors that US President Donald Trump has made it clear the future of Gaza “must look different.
“We cannot rely on the tired ideas of the past and expect better results. Bold thinking is needed to avoid ending up in the exact same place – death, destruction, and instability – which is untenable for Israelis, Palestinians, and the region.”
She said Hamas has “cynically weaponized” the suffering of Palestinians, using civilian infrastructure to store caches of weapons, house fighters and coordinate attacks.
“As long as Hamas stands as a force that can govern, or as a force that can administer, or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible,” she said, adding: “Hamas must be eliminated. It must be eradicated.”
She stressed that any plan for reconstruction in Gaza must ensure Hamas is fully removed from power and held accountable for its attacks on Israeli communities on 7 October and killing civilians.
Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine, Riyad Mansour, said Israel’s plan is clear in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank – get rid of the Palestinian demography to cease Palestinian geography.”
“It has this recurrent dream that it will end this conflict through the disappearance of the Palestinian people,” he said.
He noted that “failed recipes” of the past will not deliver a different future, stating that his people’s history “is filled with wars Israel promised will be decisive and they were not.”
“The idea that more injustice, brutality and oppression will lead to peace is madness. The idea that more killing, maiming and displacing will bring security is delusional,” Mr. Mansour said.
He stated that there is no military solution to the conflict, only a political one.
“There is only one way forward – preserve the ceasefire in Gaza and ensure its full implementation in line with Council resolution 2735 and end the escalation and aggression in the West Bank leading to a permanent cessation of hostility.”
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said that it was time for the Security Council to pass a resolution to unequivocally condemn Hamas and designate it as a terrorist organization.
“It should have happened 16 months ago,” he said, adding that it must be acknowledged that moving forward, Hamas “will not be a part of the equation.”
“We have heard many times in this chamber, doubts about our determination. I am sure we will hear it again. However, there is no longer any need to justify why Hamas must be eradicated,” he said.
“The truth is undeniable – Hamas is a terrorist organization that slaughters, tortures and kidnaps civilians,” he added, noting that Israel will eliminate Hamas, bring its people home and secure its own future.
He said any equivalence between Hamas’s action and Israel’s in Gaza, was wrong:
“As though this is a symmetrical conflict – it is not. One side there are families holding on to hope. On the other side, there is an organization that murders infants and holds onto their bodies until it serves a political and propaganda purpose.”
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