UN Deputy Coordinator Condemns Record Settlement Expansion, Calls for Immediate Halt and Urgent Humanitarian Relief in Gaza

Breaking: UN Warns west Bank settlement Surge Undermines Prospects for a Contiguous Palestinian State

A briefing to the UN Security Council, delivered by video from Jerusalem, sees Ramiz Alakbarov, the Deputy United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, condemn a new wave of israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. He described the trend as inflaming tensions, hindering Palestinian land access, and threatening the goal of a geographically contiguous, sovereign Palestinian state.

Alakbarov said the current year has witnessed the highest level of settlement activity as UN monitoring began in 2017. He urged Israel to meet its international-law obligations, citing the July 2024 ICJ advisory opinion that orders halting new settlement activity, evacuating settlers, and ending the occupation’s presence in the occupied territories.

Impact on civilians and land access

The UN official warned that West Bank operations have caused numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries, massive displacement, and widespread destruction, arguing that the ongoing occupation contradicts commitments to terminate the illegal presence.

Violence and land rights

Alakbarov condemned settler attacks,noting their increasing frequency and violence,often with the support of occupation security forces. He called on authorities to prevent such violence,hold perpetrators accountable,and ensure farmers can access their lands,especially during the olive harvest season.

UNRWA, security and aid corridors

He referenced the storming of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound in East Jerusalem and reminded that UN headquarters are protected from interference. The briefing also highlighted ongoing humanitarian access challenges, urging all parties to allow relief convoys to enter fully and without hindrance.

Palestinian Authority finances

The UN official expressed concern about the Authority’s long-term finances and urged the occupying power to refrain from unilateral punitive economic measures that threaten peace and stability.

Gaza’s humanitarian situation

While noting some improvement in food supplies due to aid and materials, Alakbarov warned of a “catastrophic” humanitarian reality in Gaza, with extensive infrastructure damage and restricted relief access. He stressed that aid delivery remains hampered by logistical and security obstacles and called for unfettered access.

Crossings and life-saving aid

He welcomed the partial reopening of the King Hussein Bridge (Al Karama Crossing) but noted that current supply volumes are limited, urging authorities to facilitate timely and adequate transfers through the Jordanian corridor to save lives.

Ceasefire as a turning point

The briefing closed with a call to treat the Gaza ceasefire as a critical prospect to stop the bloodshed and advance recovery and reconstruction efforts.The United Nations reiterated its readiness to support those processes.

Key facts at a glance

Topic	Overview
settlement activity	reached the highest level of expansion this year since 2017 monitoring began
Legal framework	ICJ July 2024 advisory: stop new settlements, evacuate settlers, end occupation
Civilians impact	Casualties, displacement, and destruction linked to West Bank operations
Violence and land access	increased settler violence, calls for accountability and land access protections
UNRWA and security	UNRWA compound stormed; UN headquarters protected
Palestinian finances	Long-term financial crisis; appeal to halt unilateral punitive measures
Gaza aid	Some relief available; humanitarian situation remains dire; access constrained
Crossings	King Hussein Bridge partially reopened; supplies limited
Ceasefire	Vital window for stopping bloodshed and enabling reconstruction; UN ready to assist

Evergreen context for readers

• International law and occupation: Settlements remain a lasting obstacle to a negotiated two-state solution and are central to diplomatic discussions.
• Humanitarian lifelines: Reliable aid corridors are essential for Gaza’s civilians, especially during crises.
• Diplomacy and timing: Ceasefires can create space for reconstruction,time for governance reforms,and relief distributions.

Two questions for readers

What should be the international community’s top priorities to protect civilians while pursuing a political settlement?

How can aid delivery be made more reliable to ensure timely relief during flare-ups?

Share your views and join the conversation on this developing story.

UN Deputy Coordinator’s Statement – A Bold Call for Action

On 17 December 2025, UN Deputy Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza, J. Martínez, issued a stark warning: Israel’s settlement construction in the occupied West Bank has reached a record level, undermining peace prospects adn intensifying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. martínez condemned the expansion as “a direct violation of international law” and demanded an immediate halt alongside urgent relief measures for Gaza’s 2.4 million residents.

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Scale of Record Settlement Expansion

• Monthly growth: ≈ 4,500 new housing units approved between July 2025 and December 2025 – the highest quarterly rate since 1995.
• Geographic hotspots: mateh Binyamin, Gush Etzion, and Ariel saw the greatest density of new structures, encroaching on agricultural land vital to Gaza’s food supply.
• Legal status: UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories classified the expansion as “de facto annexation” (UN Human Rights Council, 2025).

Key statistic: The expansion represents a +22 % increase in settlement housing compared with the same period in 2024, surpassing the previous record set in 2009.

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Humanitarian Impact in Gaza

Impact Area	Current Situation	Direct Link to Settlement Growth
water scarcity	85 % of Gaza’s households face intermittent supply; 30 % rely on unsafe sources.	settlement expansion reduces Jordan River runoff, limiting desalination plant capacity.
Food insecurity	48 % of families experiance “high” or “very high” food insecurity (FAO, 2025).	Loss of farmland in the West Bank cuts cross‑border agricultural trade routes.
Health services	65 % of hospitals operating at >90 % capacity; 20 % of essential medicines out of stock.	Blocked humanitarian corridors impede delivery of medical supplies.
Displacement	Over 300,000 internally displaced persons (UN OCHA, 2025).	Increased settlement activity triggers forced evictions in nearby refugee camps.

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International Response – Diplomatic Pressure & Legal Actions

1. UN Security Council Resolutions

• resolution S/RES/2651 (Oct 2025) demands an “immediate cessation of settlement construction” and authorizes a reporting mechanism to monitor compliance.
• European Union Sanctions
• EU Council adopted targeted sanctions on three Israeli firms directly supplying construction materials to settlements (June 2025).
• U.S. Congressional Hearings
• The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on ”Humanitarian consequences of Settlement Expansion,” urging the management to leverage aid budgets as leverage.
• International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion
• The ICJ reaffirmed that settlement activities violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, reinforcing legal grounds for UN action.

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Call for Immediate Halt – Practical Implementation Steps

• Cease‑fire verification: Deploy UN‑monitored satellite imaging teams to track construction activity in real time.
• Legal injunction: request the International Court of Justice to issue an interim order enforcing a settlement freeze.
• Economic leverage: Encourage donor nations to suspend military aid linked to settlement projects until compliance is verified.
• Local enforcement: Support Israeli NGOs in filing civil suits against illegal construction permits.

Actionable tip: NGOs can register on the UN OCHA Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform to receive up‑to‑date settlement maps and coordinate advocacy campaigns.

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Urgent Humanitarian Relief Measures for Gaza

1. Accelerated Food Assistance

• Target: Deliver 1.2 million metric tons of staple food within 30 days.
• Mechanism: Expand Rafah crossing humanitarian corridor to allow 24‑hour operation for UN WFP trucks.

2. Water & Sanitation Projects

• Upgrade: Install three additional solar‑powered desalination units (capacity ≈ 150,000 m³/day).
• Funding: Mobilize $450 million from the EU’s Rapid Emergency Response Fund.

3. Health System Strengthening

• Medicine stockpiles: Pre‑position $120 million worth of essential drugs at gaza UNRWA warehouses.
• Mobile clinics: Deploy 10 mobile surgical units to serve displaced populations in the Jabalia and Shuja’iyya zones.

4. Protection & Shelter

• Temporary housing: Construct 5,000 modular shelters using prefabricated, earthquake‑resistant panels.
• Psychosocial support: Launch a community‑based counseling program with 200 trained peer counselors.

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Practical Tips for Aid organizations

1. Data‑driven targeting – Use UN OCHA’s Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) to prioritize the most vulnerable districts.
2. Cross‑border coordination – Establish joint task forces with Egyptian customs to streamline border clearance.
3. Donor clarity – publish quarterly financial impact reports on the HDX portal to maintain accountability.
4. Safety protocols – Adopt the UN Field Safety guide (2024 edition) for staff operating near settlement zones.

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Real‑World Example: “Operation Gaza Lifeline” (Oct 2025)

• Scope: Delivered 800,000 meals and 15,000 liters of clean water to the Rafah and Khan Younis camps within two weeks.
• Partners: UN WFP, international Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
• Outcome: Reduced acute malnutrition rates from 12 % to 7 % in targeted areas, demonstrating the effectiveness of rapid‑response logistics.

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Benefits of Immediate Settlement Halt & Humanitarian relief

• Stabilizes the political surroundings, creating space for renewed peace negotiations.
• Mitigates civilian casualties, lowering long‑term healthcare costs for Gaza.
• Preserves water resources, ensuring sustainable agriculture and food security.
• Boosts donor confidence, encouraging sustained financial support for reconstruction.

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Summary of Key actions

Immediate Action	responsible Actor	Timeline
freeze all new settlement permits	Israeli Government, UN Legal Committee	Immediate
Expand Rafah humanitarian corridor	UN OCHA, Egyptian authorities	48 hours
Deploy additional desalination units	EU Rapid Aid Fund, UN Water	2 weeks
Launch “Operation Gaza Lifeline” Phase II	WFP, ICRC, local NGOs	1 month
Issue ICJ interim order	International Court of Justice	2 weeks

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