UN Security Council Warns Gaza Ceasefire Fragile and West Bank Worsening
A UN Security Council briefing warned the Gaza ceasefire is increasingly fragile and conditions in the West Bank are worsening, citing 800 Palestinian deaths since the ceasefire began and $71.4 billion in recovery needs.
A Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East was delivered on 28 April 2026 at a moment of profound regional tension and instability, which is impacting the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions across the region and beyond. Away from the spotlight, the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is steadily worsening.
In Gaza, the ceasefire is increasingly fragile as Israeli strikes and armed activities by Hamas and other groups continue. While diplomatic efforts are ongoing with the goal of consolidating the ceasefire and implementing Phase II of the Comprehensive Plan endorsed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 2803 (2025), talks on the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups have thus far not resulted in an agreement, raising concerns over the potential return to widespread hostilities. The population in Gaza faces ongoing and deadly Israeli strikes and dire humanitarian conditions. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, since the ceasefire began, approximately 800 Palestinians, including more than 200 children, and seven humanitarian personnel, have been killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes, shelling and gunfire. The Israel Defense Forces has stated that its strikes have targeted Hamas militants and facilities.
Some 1.8 million people – nearly the entire population of Gaza – are displaced and living in IDP camps, and are dependent on aid amid ongoing hostilities, devastated infrastructure, and rising public health risks. While some improvements in access and aid delivery have been observed in recent weeks, unpredictable access, limited operational crossings, and restrictions on critical humanitarian items termed “dual-use” items by Israel continue to constrain the UN response. Food security remains a challenge, while essential services — particularly water, sanitation, and health — are again on the brink of collapse.
On 20 April, the UN and the European Union released the final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, conducted jointly with the World Bank. According to the assessment, recovery and reconstruction needs in Gaza are estimated at USD 71.4 billion over the next decade, including USD 26.3 billion required in the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure, and support economic recovery. The United Nations has recently launched the Horizon Fund, co-chaired by the Palestinian Prime Minister and the Deputy Special Coordinator, to enable early recovery planning across the entire OPT. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza must be allowed to fulfill its governance and administrative roles as outlined in UNSCR 2803 in coordination with the Palestinian Authority, while the other elements of the Comprehensive Plan are implemented in full, including the disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza, Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and the deployment of the International Stabilization Force.
Between 14 March and 16 April, Israeli authorities advanced plans for 1,080 housing units in the West Bank, including 680 in several settlements in Area C and a plan for 400 housing units in East Jerusalem. On 25 March, the Israeli cabinet approved 34 settlements across Area C — the most extensive such approval to date in a single cabinet decision. During the reporting period, 21 Palestinians, including six children, were killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, and 310, including 45 children, were injured. According to Israeli sources, one Israeli was killed and 11 injured in Palestinian attacks against Israelis.