Gaza Herald – A senior United Nations humanitarian official has warned that Gaza’s reconstruction cannot succeed without a credible political process, saying lasting recovery will remain impossible while the territory lies in ruins and Israeli attacks continue across the occupied West Bank.
Addressing an open session of the UN Security Council, Rames Alakbarov, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said Gaza’s humanitarian crisis cannot be separated from the broader political situation, stressing that reconstruction efforts require both sustained recovery and a viable political path.
Alakbarov said his recent visit to Gaza revealed widespread destruction, mass displacement, overcrowded shelters, and civilians continuing to lose their lives amid ongoing Israeli attacks. While he praised Palestinians’ determination to rebuild despite the devastation, he stressed that resilience alone cannot replace unrestricted access to construction materials, humanitarian supplies, and the political will needed for long-term recovery.
He warned that expanding Israeli airstrikes and the enlargement of areas under Israeli military control are placing further pressure on Gaza’s civilian population, with residents now confined to roughly one-third of the territory. He emphasized that humanitarian aid alone cannot deliver sustainable recovery and called for accelerating the transition from emergency relief to reconstruction.
Turning to the occupied West Bank, Alakbarov warned that escalating attacks there threatens prospects for lasting stability. He pointed to continued attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities, homes, places of worship, and civilian infrastructure, urging Israel to take immediate measures to prevent settler attacks, protect Palestinian civilians, and ensure accountability for those responsible.
The UN official also cited ongoing Israeli attacks, home detonations, displacement, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, reiterating that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.
He further warned that Israel’s continued withholding of Palestinian clearance revenues has deepened the Palestinian Authority’s financial crisis, undermining its ability to provide healthcare, education, and other essential public services. He concluded by calling for urgent steps to halt the deterioration in the occupied Palestinian territory and create conditions for the Palestinian Authority’s return to governing Gaza as part of a broader political solution.
