Ambassadors meet as West Bank tensions rise, Gaza plan stalls

A wounded woman and two children sit on a mattress amid rubble inside a damaged home in Burij, in the Gaza Strip. © UNICEF

28 September 2026 Peace and Security

The Security Council met Monday morning with prospects for peace in the Middle East under strain on two fronts. In the West Bank, settler violence and settlement expansion are raising fears for a two-State solution. In Gaza, a year-old peace plan has stalled while civilian suffering continues. The meeting comes as the plan’s remaining phases, including Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s full withdrawal, remain unimplemented, and as the illegality of settlements under international law remains a key point of contention.

Key facts:

• West Bank: More than 1,600 settler attacks have been recorded this year, averaging 6.7 a day, up from five a day in 2025, according to OCHA. More than 4,300 Palestinians have been displaced.

• Settlements: Israel has invited bids for 1,234 homes in the E1 area near East Jerusalem, with a deadline of 19 October. UN officials warn the project would divide the West Bank.

• Gaza: 1,394 Palestinians have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire, according to UNRWA, citing local health authorities. Some 94 per cent of the population need shelter assistance.

• Peace plan: Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s full withdrawal, the plan’s later phases, have yet to begin. The Board of Peace’s Nickolay Mladenov says the situation on the ground does not yet match the documents.

In brief - Palestine

Facts:  At the Security Council, Acting Special Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov delivered the quarterly update on resolution 2334 (2016).  Two civil society representatives also briefed members, who discussed Israeli settlements, the Gaza ceasefire and prospects for a two-State solution.

Impact:  Speakers warned that settlement-expansion and violence threaten the viability of a Palestinian State.  They also differed over the steps needed for lasting peace in Gaza.

Call to action:  Members called for humanitarian access to Gaza and renewed efforts towards peace.  Several urged action on settlements, while others emphasized Hamas’s disarmament and Palestinian governance reforms.

(This summary was prepared with the assistance of AI based on our reporting.) - UN News