UN Security Council is urged to press Hamas to disarm
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Nickolay Mladenov, overseeing the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, urged the UN Security Council to pressure Hamas to disarm, warning that ongoing violence risks unraveling the agreement.
- Mladenov emphasized that Israel must also uphold its ceasefire obligations, highlighting Palestinian deaths and humanitarian aid restrictions since October.
- The Board of Peace report cited Hamas’ refusal to disarm and relinquish control as the main barrier to full ceasefire implementation, while Hamas criticized the report for ignoring Israeli violations.
- Mladenov warned that failure to implement the peace plan could leave Gaza divided, with Hamas controlling over half the territory and its 2 million residents trapped in dire conditions without reconstruction prospects.
- Palestinian and Israeli UN representatives presented contrasting views, with Palestinians urging compliance with the ceasefire and Israel accusing Hamas of using diplomacy to strengthen its military capabilities.