UN Experts Warn Ceasefire in Gaza at Risk Amid Ongoing Israeli Violations

Humanitarian operations remain severely constrained. Only two of six border crossings have reopened, and the flow of aid is far below agreed levels.

United Nations human rights experts have issued a grave warning that Israel’s continued violations of the Gaza ceasefire are pushing an already fragile truce to the brink of collapse. In a strongly worded statement, the experts urged all States to act immediately to stop attacks on civilians, restore full humanitarian access, and hold perpetrators accountable for breaches of international law.

Ceasefire Violations Mount Despite Agreement

Although a ceasefire was announced on 11 October, experts report that Israel has carried out at least 393 violations, resulting in the deaths of 339 Palestinians, including more than 70 children, and injuring over 871. The 28 October Israeli airstrikes, which killed at least 104 Palestinians in a single night, marked the deadliest episode since the ceasefire began.

Attacks have been documented across all five Gaza governorates, involving gunfire, artillery shelling, and airstrikes. According to the UN experts, these actions constitute “a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement” and demonstrate the urgent need for international pressure to secure lasting calm.

Humanitarian Access Critically Restricted

Humanitarian operations remain severely constrained. Only two of six border crossings have reopened, and the flow of aid is far below agreed levels. The experts noted that Gaza has never received the benchmark 600 aid trucks per day, often receiving less than half that amount.

Major hospitals—already overwhelmed and under-supplied—are operating only partially, with urgent needs for fuel, equipment, surgical supplies, and trauma care resources.

The experts criticised the failure to ensure that UNRWA and OCHA—the UN bodies mandated by international law to lead humanitarian operations—retain full control over aid delivery and distribution. “Continuing failure to ensure UN-managed aid delivery is unacceptable,” they said. “It cannot be justified under any circumstances.”

West Bank Violence Escalates

While Gaza faces relentless pressure, violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified. Armed Israeli settlers and soldiers have increased assaults on Palestinian civilians, homes, agricultural land, and livestock. Additionally, the Israeli Parliament is advancing legislation aimed at extending Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank—an act the experts warn would amount to de jure annexation, explicitly prohibited under international law.

“It is past time to fully implement the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion ordering the dismantling of Israel’s occupation and the system of racial segregation and apartheid it entails,” the experts stated.

Lack of Accountability and Concerns Over U.S. Peace Plan

The experts expressed concern that current peace initiatives, including the United States’ proposed plan, fail to embed mechanisms for justice or accountability, risking the entrenchment of the status quo. “There can be no lasting peace without accountability for crimes committed since 7 October 2023,” they said.

They warned that allowing Israel to maintain militarised control over Gaza would perpetuate the occupation rather than end it. “After two years of genocidal assault, this ‘peace plan’ risks adding insult to injury.”

Israeli Forces Still in Majority of Gaza

Despite the ceasefire terms, 58% of Gaza reportedly remains under Israeli military control, with 40 active Israeli sites operating beyond the agreed withdrawal line. Experts say this represents a clear breach of obligations and undermines prospects for durable peace.

The UN Security Council’s recent resolution calling for an International Stabilization Force (ISF)—to work alongside Israel, Egypt, and newly trained Palestinian police—has also drawn criticism. The experts warned the model risks reproducing the same security architecture that entrenched Israel’s settler-colonial control in the West Bank.

Urgent Actions the UN Experts Are Calling For

The experts called for decisive global intervention to halt the “systematic violation of international law” and prevent further loss of life. Their recommended measures include:

1. Guaranteeing Safe Humanitarian Access

• UN-supervised land and naval aid corridors

• Temporary housing before winter

• Direct UN management of aid distribution

2. Opening Medical Evacuation Corridors

• Humanitarian passage for the wounded, older people, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and children

• Corridors into the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel

3. Imposing Accountability Measures

• Sanctions on Israel for ongoing breaches

• A comprehensive arms embargo

• Full access for international media

• Independent investigations into potential war crimes

• Universal jurisdiction prosecutions

4. Considering a UN-Led Intervention

If attacks continue or the humanitarian situation worsens, the experts urge Member States to consider a UN-led international intervention to protect civilians.

A Critical Moment for Global Responsibility

The experts concluded by urging the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities: “Member States must act decisively to end the suffering in occupied Palestine and restore international peace and security.”

With the ceasefire under severe strain and humanitarian needs escalating across Gaza and the West Bank, the experts say the time for statements has passed—only concrete, enforceable international measures can prevent further catastrophe.