Gaza Ceasefire at Risk of Collapse, UN Envoy Warns

Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on the U.S. Board of Peace, warned the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, that the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza is at risk of collapse due to continued Israeli military operations and Hamas's failure to disarm. Mladenov stated that the distance between the signed agreements and the reality on the ground could lead to a "point of no return" for the peace process.

Mladenov addressed the council amid heightened regional tensions, criticizing both Israel and Hamas for undermining the framework established by President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan. He noted that while Hamas had accepted a disarmament proposal on July 30, the two-week period to establish a timetable for phased disarmament and Israeli withdrawal had not begun. Mladenov argued that Israeli airstrikes do not change the status quo that led to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, stating, "Will another strike on a munitions depot stop Hamas from rearming or tightening its grip on Gaza? It will not." He also faulted Hamas for continued tunnel work, carrying weapons, and obstructing aid convoys, which he said harms ordinary Gazan civilians.