Palestinians observed the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike that damaged a food-aid warehouse near a targeted house in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
The person overseeing President Trump’s ceasefire plan for Gaza criticized Israel for its continued military actions in the region, warning that the alternative to the U.S. proposal could be further conflict. Nikolay Mladenov, who represents the Board of Peace, addressed the U.N. Security Council, asserting that Trump’s 20-point plan is not stalled. He emphasized that it has transitioned from negotiation to implementation.
Mladenov stated that the militant group Hamas has accepted a crucial aspect of the plan—disarming and transferring Gaza to civilian governance. Despite the recent ceasefire established last October, Israeli strikes persist, leading to Palestinian casualties, creating an atmosphere where Gazans feel the conflict is ongoing.
“Will another strike on a munitions depot prevent Hamas from rearming?” Mladenov questioned. “It merely postpones demilitarization and impedes the transition to civilian administration.”
A recent disarmament deal between the U.S. and Hamas offered hope for ending the ongoing conflict initiated by Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Nevertheless, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Israeli forces remain positioned in Gaza until Hamas surrenders its weapons.
Mladenov mentioned recent discussions involving Netanyahu and Jared Kushner, Trump’s advisor, where specific technical concerns were addressed. Israeli Deputy U.N. Ambassador Noa Furman reaffirmed Israel’s support for Trump’s plan but emphasized the necessity of Hamas disarming for its success. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Mike Waltz, highlighted that concerns surrounding the plan are being tackled, with Hamas’s disarmament ultimately judged by its actions.
Mladenov warned of the gap between the proposed roadmap and the situation on the ground. He stressed that if conflict resumes, there will be no roadmap to return to and nothing remaining to rebuild.
“That would be beyond setback; it would mean reaching a point of no return,” Mladenov declared. “Choices must be made: A disarmed, rebuilt Gaza connected to the world, or a divided, rearmed Gaza facing destruction, raising a radicalized generation with war looming.”
Mladenov added that the Trump plan proposes a legitimate path toward a political resolution and a two-state solution to the longstanding conflict, although Netanyahu strongly opposes a Palestinian state.
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