Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for the Board of Peace who is overseeing President Donald Trump's ceasefire initiative for Gaza, publicly criticized Israel on Wednesday for its ongoing military operations in the region. Speaking to the United Nations Security Council, Mladenov warned that the current Israeli strikes, while less frequent than earlier in the conflict, are undermining the prospects for a lasting peace and that the only alternative to the U.S.-led proposal is the onset of another war.
Despite the persistent violence, Mladenov maintained that the 20-point U.S. plan has not stalled. He stated that the initiative has effectively transitioned from the negotiating table to the engineering phase. According to Mladenov, Hamas has already agreed to the plan's central requirement: to disarm and transfer administrative control of Gaza to a civilian government. He questioned the strategic value of Israel's continued military actions, asking if further strikes on targets like munitions depots would truly prevent Hamas from rearming or strengthening its position. He argued that such operations only serve to delay the necessary demilitarization and obstruct the transition to civilian governance.
Mladenov reported that he held discussions last week with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner, an adviser to President Trump. During these meetings, they addressed the Israeli government's specific concerns and narrowed the areas where further technical work is required. However, he warned of a growing gap between the proposed roadmap and the reality on the ground, cautioning that if the war resumes, there would be no path back to negotiations and little left in Gaza to rebuild. He described the potential failure of the plan as a point of no return.
In response, Noa Furman, Israel's deputy U.N. ambassador, reaffirmed his country's commitment to the Trump-backed plan but emphasized that it cannot succeed as long as Hamas remains an armed entity. He noted that Israel is working closely with the United States to secure the group's disarmament. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz added that concerns regarding the plan are being addressed and that the progress of Hamas' disarmament will be measured by its actions. Mladenov concluded by highlighting the necessity of political will, offering a choice between a disarmed, rebuilt Gaza reconnected to the world or a divided, radicalized territory left in rubble. He also noted that the Trump plan includes a credible pathway to a political horizon and a two-state solution, a concept that Prime Minister Netanyahu vehemently opposes.
Palestinians walk past a food-aid warehouse damaged in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a nearby house in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP hide caption
