UK Raises Alarm Over Gaza Ceasefire Breaches Jeopardizing Peace Efforts

(MENAFN) The UK’s foreign secretary cautioned at the UN on Wednesday that repeated breaches of the ceasefire in Gaza are jeopardizing a US-backed peace initiative, pointing to rising casualties and growing instability in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"The ceasefire itself remains fragile, and the progress we all seek is at risk. We have seen ceasefire violations on both sides," she said during a high-level Security Council session on the situation in Palestine.

Highlighting the human toll, she noted that "over 600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began," and described the violations as "deeply disturbing and undermine phase one of President (Donald) Trump's peace plan. Gaza must not get stuck in a no man's land between peace and war."

Urging immediate action to stabilize the territory, she emphasized: "We need to see the Palestinian police strengthened, international stabilization force deployment and IDF (Israeli forces) withdrawal from the Strip."

She also outlined longer-term political objectives, saying: "Second, we need to build stable Palestinian governance."

"Third, we must prevent the destabilization of the West Bank and preserve the viability of a Palestinian state," she added, warning of escalating tensions.

She criticized settlement expansion and settler violence, noting: "We are witnessing an all-time high of Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence in a flagrant breach of international law, with Palestinian families and communities driven from their homes, beaten while farming their own land, and attacks that sow terror among civilians. This is deeply, deeply wrong and a clear contravention of the resolutions of this council and counterproductive."

Finally, she stressed the urgent need for humanitarian aid, stating: "Fourth and most important of all, most immediately, we must address Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian situation."

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