Gaza ceasefire risks 'collapse' as peace envoy warns of devastating return to war

The fragile ceasefire in Gaza faces a serious threat of collapse, according to United Nations envoy Nicolay Mladenov. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mladenov warned that a failure by both Israeli and Palestinian sides to adhere to the agreed-upon roadmap for peace jeopardizes the current cessation of hostilities. He emphasized that there is no viable alternative to the existing plan, and a return to conflict would be "devastating" for the region.

Mladenov directed his warning to both the Palestinian and Israeli leaderships amidst ongoing Israeli raids and attacks in the besieged Strip. He stressed that any deviation from the roadmap's commitments would negatively impact regional security and humanitarian conditions, potentially plunging the area back into a spiral of violence with severe consequences.

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no better alternative to the current plan

Progress on implementing the roadmap has been slow and contested. While the UN Board of Peace has outlined mechanisms for deploying an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to Gaza, with Morocco agreeing to participate, Turkey's involvement has been vetoed by Israel. The advance elements of the ISF are expected to arrive soon. Additionally, the Board has secured $7 billion in reconstruction pledges, with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey playing key roles in advancing agreements with Hamas.

Talks with Israel regarding increased humanitarian aid are described as "good," and Mladenov expressed hope for the swift assumption of responsibilities by a proposed Palestinian national committee. This technocratic body is intended to manage daily civil affairs and coordinate reconstruction independently of political factions. However, the roadmap's overall status remains publicly contested, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected aspects of the plan, particularly the deployment of international troops, despite assurances from the US and the Board of Peace that it represents the only viable path forward. Meanwhile, violations of the ceasefire by Israel have continued unabated.

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return to war would be devastating