Official leading Trump’s Gaza ceasefire effort criticizes Israel for its attacks

Nikolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace high representative overseeing President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire initiative, rebuked Israel on Wednesday for its ongoing attacks in the war-torn territory. Mladenov informed the United Nations Security Council that Trump's 20-point plan has progressed from negotiation to implementation, but Israel's continuous assaults are still causing Palestinian casualties, albeit at a reduced rate.

The official questioned the effectiveness of further strikes in achieving Hamas disarmament and faltering their control over Gaza. The U.S.-backed cease-fire, hinged on Hamas disarming and transferring control to a civilian government, was reportedly near fruition, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains steadfast in not withdrawing forces from Gaza until Hamas relinquishes all weapons.

Mladenov, alongside Netanyahu and Jared Kushner, addressed Israel's concerns in a recent meeting, narrowing down areas requiring technical adjustments. However, Israel's deputy U.N. ambassador, Noa Furman, reiterated the Israeli stance that the plan cannot succeed without Hamas disarmament. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Mike Waltz, noted that efforts to address these concerns are underway and emphasized the importance of Hamas' actions in the disarmament process.

Mladenov cautioned that if hostilities resume, there would be no roadmap to reverse course, leaving Gaza devastated and set for another conflict. The plan, according to Mladenov, offers a "credible pathway to a political horizon" and a two-state solution to the prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict.