{"id":319632,"date":"2026-06-24T10:48:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=319632"},"modified":"2026-07-21T10:53:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T14:53:53","slug":"sg-report-24jun26","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/sg-report-24jun26\/","title":{"rendered":"Implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) – Report of the Secretary-General"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

24 June 2026<\/p>\n

Implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Report of the Secretary-General<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I. Introduction<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. The present report is the thirty-eighth quarterly report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, covering the period from 14 March to 12\u00a0June 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/h3>\n

    II. Settlement activities<\/strong><\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. In its resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, the Security Council reaffirmed that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. The Council reiterated its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in that regard. No such steps were taken during the reporting period, as settlement activities continued.<\/li>\n
    2. During the reporting period, Israeli authorities advanced or approved 4,750 housing units in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of those, 1,460 housing units were advanced in Area C, and nearly 1,270 housing units were approved. In East Jerusalem, over 1,620 housing units were advanced in one plan in the settlement of Pisgat Ze\u2019ev, and another 400 approved in Nof Zion. No tenders were published during the reporting period.<\/li>\n
    3. On 25 March, the Israeli Cabinet approved 34 settlements across Area C. These include new settlements and the regularization of existing outposts and neighbourhoods of existing settlements, representing the most extensive such approval to date in a single Cabinet decision.<\/li>\n
    4. On 25 May, the Israeli Civil Administration and the Land Registration Authority launched an online platform for submitting and processing land registration applications in the West Bank, initially covering properties in Area C. The platform constitutes a step in the implementation of the Israeli Government\u2019s decision in February 2026 to advance land registration processes in Area C, and authorizes the Military Commander to enable the Ministry of Justice to advance land registration processes in Area C. Under the process, persons claiming ownership rights to land subject to registration would be required to submit and substantiate their claims before Israeli authorities. Israeli officials have described the initiative as strengthening Israeli control and advancing settlements. On 3 June, the Knesset voted in favour of a law granting extended tax benefits to reportedly dozens of West Bank settlements, with the Minister of Finance and Additional Minister in the Ministry of Defence calling the law \u201canother step towards the goal of 1 million residents\u201d in the West Bank.<\/li>\n
    5. On 6 May, the Israeli Civil Administration issued an expropriation order for approximately 27 acres around the Nabi Samuel\/Al-Nabi Samu\u2018il site north of Jerusalem in the West Bank, which includes a mosque and an archaeological site. On 25 May, it issued another expropriation order for the Herodium archaeological site near Bethlehem, and adjacent farmland, a spring and access roads used by village residents.<\/li>\n
    6. Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures continued across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, throughout the reporting period. Israeli authorities, citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which remain almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, demolished, seized or forced people to demolish 333 structures, including 48 structures that were demolished by their owners after they received demolition orders in order to avoid heavy Israeli demolition fees. Another 19 structures were demolished, seized or destroyed for other reasons, including 2 as punitive measures. Of the structures that were demolished or seized, 27 had been funded by international donors. The demolition of those structures resulted in the displacement of 451 persons, including 187 children. Across the West Bank, an average of 160 people per month have been displaced by demolitions due to the lack of building permits in 2026. This is higher than any annual monthly average recorded since the United Nations began documenting displacement in 2009. Those displaced had their homes demolished primarily in Area C and East Jerusalem.<\/li>\n
    7. Between 20 and 25 March, Israeli forces forcibly evicted 15 Palestinian households comprising 69 persons, including 27 children, from the Batn al-Hawa area of Silwan in East Jerusalem, following cases filed in Israeli courts by the settler organization Ateret Cohanim. The cases were brought under Israeli legislation that enables the restitution of certain properties owned by Jews prior to 1948 in East Jerusalem, while no comparable restitution mechanism exists for Palestinians who lost property in 1948 in what is now Israel.<\/li>\n
    8. On 19 May, the Israeli Minister of Finance and Additional Minister in the Ministry of Defence instructed the Deputy Head of the Civil Administration to initiate proceedings to execute standing demolition orders against the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar, located east of Jerusalem in the West Bank in the vicinity of the planned E1 settlement, \u201cas soon as possible\u201d. Members of the community have spent years challenging the demolition orders in Israeli courts. Sustained international advocacy efforts have thus far prevented the community\u2019s forcible transfer, which would be unlawful under international law.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      <\/h3>\n

      III. Violence against civilians, including acts of terror<\/strong><\/h3>\n
        \n
      1. In its resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, the Security Council called for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, called for accountability in that regard and called for compliance with obligations under international law for the strengthening of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, including through existing security coordination, and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism.<\/li>\n
      2. The reporting period was marked by an increasingly fragile ceasefire following the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, as frequent Israeli strikes, shelling and gunfire continued across the Gaza Strip. There were also clashes between Hamas\u2019s Qassam Brigades and other Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip.<\/li>\n
      3. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, from 14 March to 11 June 353 Palestinians were killed and 1,380 were injured in the Gaza Strip. A total of 981 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire went into effect, with thousands still missing under the rubble as recovery operations continue to face severe challenges.<\/li>\n
      4. According to Israeli sources, there were no Israeli fatalities in Gaza during the reporting period. Several Israel Defense Forces soldiers were reportedly injured during military operations.<\/li>\n
      5. Five aid workers were reportedly killed by Israel Defense Forces fire during the reporting period, including two non-governmental organization (NGO) staff and three United Nations-contracted personnel, bringing the overall fatality toll among aid workers since the ceasefire to nine.<\/li>\n
      6. On 15 March, an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Zawaydah, near Dayr al-Balah, reportedly killed an entire family, including a man, a woman pregnant with twins and her 10-year-old son, and a 14-year-old boy from a neighbouring tent for internally displaced persons, and injured four children (three boys and one girl), of whom three were from the same family. On 24 March, a 10-year-old boy was reportedly killed in his tent in Mawasi, Khan Yunis.<\/li>\n
      7. On 22 April, an Israeli air strike near a mosque in Bayt Lahya reportedly killed five Palestinians, including three boys aged between 9 and 14, and injured eight people. On 24 April, Israeli forces reportedly shelled a residential building near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Bayt Lahya, killing a woman and her two children (a boy and a 4-year-old girl). On 6 June, an Israeli air strike on an tent for internally displaced persons in Gaza City reportedly killed 10 Palestinians, including 3 girls aged 2, 6 and 13. The Israel Defense Forces said that they had targeted \u201cat least three\u201d militants affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad.<\/li>\n
      8. During the reporting period, Israel resumed strikes that it said were targeting senior Hamas commanders for the first time since the ceasefire was announced. On 15 May, the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas said that the head of Hamas\u2019s Qassam Brigades, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, had been killed the previous day by an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Gaza City. On 27 May, the Israel Defense Forces said that it had killed his reported successor, Mohammed Awda, in an air strike. Hamas later confirmed Awda\u2019s death, identifying him as a \u201csenior Qassam commander\u201d and saying that he had been killed in an Israeli air strike alongside his wife, two sons, one aged 15, and 9-year-old daughter.<\/li>\n
      9. Israeli attacks on police in Gaza increased. On 15 March, an Israeli air strike on a police vehicle in Zawaydah reportedly killed nine police personnel. On 22 March, a similar incident in Nuseirat camp reportedly killed at least three. On 24 April, an Israeli drone strike reportedly hit a vehicle transporting police personnel in an encampment for internally displaced persons in Mawasi, Khan Yunis, and killed eight people, including four police personnel and four internally displaced persons, including a 9-year-old boy. On the same day, a police checkpoint was hit in Gaza City, reportedly killing two police officers and injuring two other Palestinians. On 7 June, an Israeli air strike on a police checkpoint in Mawasi reportedly killed five Palestinians, including one boy. The Israel Defense Forces claimed that they had targeted Hamas\u2019s naval police headquarters, used to launch attacks, and \u201celiminated\u201d a \u201cterrorist\u201d.<\/li>\n
      10. On 21 and 28 May, Israel\u2019s Prime Minister said that Israel now controlled 60 per cent of the Gaza Strip, which would represent an increase from 53 per cent of the Strip when the ceasefire was declared, and said that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to take over at least 70 per cent of the Strip.<\/li>\n
      11. Meanwhile, persistent violence continued at an alarming rate throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In total, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 37 Palestinians, including 10 children and 2 women, were killed, 28 of them by Israeli security forces during operations, demonstrations, clashes and other incidents and 7 by Israeli settlers, and 2 whose deaths could not be attributed, during the reporting period. Of those, 36 Palestinians were killed by live ammunition and 1\u00a0by shrapnel. A total of 7,106 Palestinians were injured, including 57 women and 94 children. Of the total, 371 were injured by Israeli forces, including 111 due to tear gas inhalation and 109 by live ammunition, and 339 by Israeli settlers.<\/li>\n
      12. According to Israeli sources, during the same reporting period, 1 Israeli was killed in the West Bank, and another 31 Israelis, including 4 children and 4 women, were injured by Palestinians in shooting, ramming and stabbing attacks, armed exchanges and clashes, rock throwing and other incidents.<\/li>\n
      13. The high number of incidents precludes detailing them all, but several significant incidents are reported below.<\/li>\n
      14. Children continued to be gravely impacted by violence. On 15 March, undercover Israeli forces opened fire towards a Palestinian vehicle in Tammun, south of Tubas, killing a married couple, their two sons, aged 5 and 6, and injuring their two other sons, aged 8 and 11. Israeli authorities claimed that the car had accelerated towards the undercover soldiers who opened fire. On 16 March, Israeli forces shot and killed a 17-year-old boy and seriously injured a 16-year-old, on the main road near Sinjil town, north of Ramallah, claiming that Palestinians were throwing stones at Israeli security forces vehicles in the area. On 23 April, Israeli forces repeatedly shot in the back and killed a 15-year-old boy while withdrawing after a raid in Nablus City. The boy was reportedly shot while running to take cover behind a vehicle on his way home from school. On 29 April, Israeli forces shot and killed a 15-year-old Palestinian boy during a raid in the Hawuz neighbourhood of Hebron (H1 area), during which Palestinian residents allegedly threw stones at the soldiers. On 5 June, Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle that they said \u201cwas accelerating towards them\u201d, killing a 7-month-old baby and injuring both his parents.<\/li>\n
      15. Israeli security forces operations continued across the northern West Bank, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, alongside restrictions on movement and access. On 31 March, Israeli forces extended for two months a military order that prohibits entry and exit into and from Tulkarm, Nur Shams and Jenin refugee camps without a permit issued by the Israeli authorities. On 31 May, the order was extended for another two months, until 31 July. The three refugee camps remain empty, and their residents (more than 33,000) displaced, in what has become the longest and largest displacement crisis in the West Bank since 1967.<\/li>\n
      16. During the reporting period, Israeli security forces conducted over 1,600 search-and-arrest operations, which resulted in the detention of more than 999 Palestinians, including at least 40 children, amid reports of ill-treatment, including sexual violence. As of May 2026, according to the Israel Prison Service, 9,384 Palestinians were held in Israeli custody, including 3,376 administrative detainees held without trial and 1,283 persons held as \u201cunlawful combatants\u201d. The figures do not include Palestinians detained from Gaza and held by the Israeli military. Since 7 October 2023 and as at 12 June 2026, at least 91 Palestinians had died in Israeli detention.<\/li>\n
      17. On 30 March, the Knesset adopted legislation expanding the circumstances under which the death penalty may be imposed for fatal terrorism-related offences under both civilian and military legal frameworks. The amendment lowers the threshold for imposing the death penalty in military courts in the West Bank, where it becomes the default sentence for certain qualifying offences. Those courts have exclusive jurisdiction over Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Israeli citizens and residents are tried under the civilian legal system, where the death penalty may also be imposed on \u201ca person who intentionally causes the death of another person for the purpose of denying the existence of the State of Israel\u201d. On 11 May, the Knesset passed legislation creating a special military court to prosecute Palestinians accused of links to the 7 October 2023 attacks. The legislation provides for the death penalty and creates a court focusing exclusively on Palestinians, without jurisdiction over potential criminal responsibility of others in respect of those events, or over alleged crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory at that time or since.<\/li>\n
      18. Across the West Bank, Israel continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, hampering access to services, including medical treatment, schools and livelihoods, and significantly affecting the economy.<\/li>\n
      19. From 28 February to 9 April, citing security threats from the military escalation in the Middle East region, Israeli authorities imposed strict access restrictions on Jerusalem\u2019s Old City, effectively barring access to the holy sites for worshippers during the occasions of Ramadan, Passover and Easter. On 29 March, Israeli police prevented the most senior Catholic ecclesiastical authorities in Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass on the occasion of Palm Sunday, stating that this was \u201cin order to safeguard public safety and security\u201d. In a statement, the Catholic authorities described the action as \u201ca manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure\u201d.<\/li>\n
      20. Settler-related violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, significantly intensified during the reporting period, leading to Palestinian casualties, damage to property, and displacement, and was frequently carried out in the presence of Israeli security forces. The frequency and severity of settler attacks have increased significantly thus far in 2026, reaching the highest sustained levels ever recorded by the United Nations, with six daily attacks that have resulted in casualties, property damage or both since the start of 2026, and becoming a key driver of displacement.<\/li>\n
      21. Between 14 March and 22 April, nine Palestinian communities were fully depopulated following sustained settler violence, bringing to 45 the number of communities fully displaced under similar circumstances since January 2023.<\/li>\n
      22. The reporting period saw an escalation in arson attacks targeting Palestinian property, especially in Ramallah and Hebron Governorates, including incidents involving anti-Palestinian graffiti. In one incident, Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in Jibiya village in Ramallah Governorate. Israeli settlers also carried out multiple assaults on Palestinian homes and infrastructure across Ramallah, Nablus, Salfit and Hebron Governorates. These included physical assaults against Palestinians, attacks on homes while families were inside, damage to water and electricity infrastructure, theft and vandalism of agricultural property, and the destruction of olive trees and fencing.<\/li>\n
      23. In a large-scale attack across Sinjil, Jiljiliya and Ibwayn villages near Ramallah on 13 May, Israeli forces and settlers shot and killed a Palestinian man and injured 10 others. According to local sources and video footage, dozens of Israeli settlers raided the area, stealing Palestinian-owned livestock and other property. When residents attempted to retrieve stolen flocks, Israeli forces and settlers fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas canisters. Israeli authorities said that Israeli forces responded with crowd-control measures and live fire after stones were thrown at them. Subsequently, on 16 May, 22 Palestinian Bedouin families comprising 137 people, including 81 children, were displaced from the area following recurrent settler attacks and intimidation. The families had previously been displaced from three other communities in 2023 due to settler violence.<\/li>\n
      24. On 14 March 2026, Israeli settlers shot and killed a Palestinian man in Qusrah village, south-east of Nablus, in Area C of the West Bank. According to Israeli police, the incident allegedly occurred following stone throwing by Palestinians towards an Israeli shepherd. Israeli forces said that they opened an investigation and detained three Israeli settlers involved in the attack, who were released the following day.<\/li>\n
      25. On 26 March, Israeli settlers shot and killed a Palestinian man from East Jerusalem as they were trying to establish a new outpost on the man\u2019s land in Harmalah, south-east of Bethlehem.<\/li>\n
      26. On 8 April, an Israeli settler shot and killed a Palestinian man in Tayasir, north-east of Tubas.<\/li>\n
      27. On 11 April, an Israeli settler, identified by the Israel Defense Forces as a reserve soldier, shot and killed a Palestinian man during a settler attack on Dayr Jarir, east of Ramallah.<\/li>\n
      28. On 21 April, an Israeli settler shot and killed a 14-year-old boy, while settlers and Israeli security forces shot and killed a 14-year-old boy and a 32-year-old man near Mughayyir Boys School, north-east of Ramallah.<\/li>\n
      29. Violence against Israelis by Palestinians from the West Bank continued in the West Bank.<\/li>\n
      30. On 18 April, a Palestinian man reportedly attempted to carry out a stabbing attack against Israeli settlers before being shot by Israeli security forces. The man reportedly died of his wounds on 11 May while in Israeli custody.<\/li>\n
      31. On 30 March, a Palestinian man allegedly attempted a vehicular ramming attack at the Anab military checkpoint east of Tulkarem. Israeli forces subsequently shot and killed the man. On the same day, a Palestinian man was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Khursa village, south-west of Hebron, after allegedly attempting to carry out a stabbing attack.<\/li>\n
      32. On 31 May, a Palestinian driver rammed into a group of pedestrians in Gush Etzion, near Hebron, injuring three Israelis, including two girls, aged 17 and 15. The driver was subsequently shot and killed by Israeli security forces.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        <\/h3>\n

        IV. Incitement, provocations and inflammatory rhetoric<\/strong><\/h3>\n
          \n
        1. In its resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, the Security Council called upon both parties to act on the basis of international law, including international humanitarian law, and their previous agreements and obligations, to observe calm and restraint and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, with the aim, inter alia, of de-escalating the situation on the ground, rebuilding trust and confidence, demonstrating through policies and actions a genuine commitment to the two-State solution and creating the conditions necessary for promoting peace. Incitement, inflammatory rhetoric and the glorification of the killing of civilians continued.<\/li>\n
        2. Fatah officials and social media accounts continued to glorify the perpetrators of past attacks against Israelis. Fatah officials also made multiple statements denying Jewish historical and religious connections to Jerusalem and its holy sites. A senior Fatah official called Israelis \u201cneo-Nazis\u201d, echoing language he had used regularly in the past. On 25 April, a member of Fatah\u2019s Central Committee, in an interview, called for the formation of militias against Israel.<\/li>\n
        3. Israeli ministers and members of the Knesset continued to call for the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and for the construction of Israeli settlements there, and continued to call for annexation of the West Bank. Multiple ministers and members of the Knesset joined the annual \u201cflag march\u201d through Jerusalem\u2019s Old City, during which many participants chanted racist and inflammatory slogans against Palestinians and Arabs, and some threatened and assaulted Palestinian residents and shopkeepers. Prior to the march, a senior Israeli minister and a member of the Knesset conducted a highly inflammatory visit to the holy sites, during which the minister claimed that Israel had \u201crestored governance on the Temple Mount\u201d. The member of the Knesset later posted on social media that \u201cthe time has come to get rid of all the mosques and work to construct the Temple\u201d.<\/li>\n
        4. In May 2026, following the interception by Israeli naval forces of dozens of vessels in international waters off Cyprus and the detention, transfer to Israel and reported ill-treatment of international activists seeking to reach Gaza, an Israeli minister posted videos of himself among the detained activists, cable-tied and kneeling on the floor in a holding centre in Israel, waving a large Israeli flag and declaring, \u201cWelcome to Israel, we are the landlords\u201d; the footage also showed a handcuffed activist being pushed to the ground. Israel\u2019s Prime Minister later issued a statement criticizing the minister\u2019s conduct and treatment of the activists, while asserting that Israel had \u201cevery right\u201d to prevent the vessels from entering Israeli territorial waters and reaching Gaza.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          <\/h3>\n

          V. Affirmative steps to reverse negative trends<\/strong><\/h3>\n
            \n
          1. In its resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, the Security Council called for affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse the negative trends on the ground that are imperilling the two-State solution. While some positive developments occurred during the reporting period, negative trends on the ground also continued.<\/li>\n
          2. Efforts to implement the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict continued. These included multiple rounds of talks between the mediators, the Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza, and Hamas in Cairo, which focused on reaching an agreement on the decommissioning of weapons held by Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, and other elements of the Comprehensive Plan.<\/li>\n
          3. While there have been signs of improvement in the areas of nutrition and food security, the overall humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Many displaced families continue to shelter in overcrowded tents, schools, or damaged structures due to the lack of safe alternatives, while access to essential services also remains severely constrained, including limited availability of clean water and inadequate waste management systems that are unable to effectively address growing public health risks, including the spread of pests and rodents.<\/li>\n
          4. Humanitarian operations remain heavily constrained by limited operational crossings and restrictions on critical humanitarian items that Israel continues to consider as \u201cdual-use\u201d, such as spare parts, engine oil and armoured vehicles to sustain humanitarian operations. While limited pest control chemicals entered the Strip during May, critical shortages of fuel, medical supplies and equipment, and pesticides continued to disrupt essential services and heighten public health risks, which are already at extremely worrying levels.<\/li>\n
          5. On 20 May, Israel\u2019s High Court of Justice issued a decision rejecting the petition filed by the Association of International Development Agencies on behalf of 19 international humanitarian NGOs operating in Gaza and the West Bank, which sought to challenge the legality of Israel\u2019s revised NGO registration framework introduced on 9 March obliging international NGOs to share personal information about their Palestinian employees or face termination of their operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/li>\n
          6. On 20 April 2026, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union published the final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment. It identifies approximately $71.4 billion in recovery and reconstruction needs over the next decade, including $26.3 billion in the first 18 months. According to the report, approximately 371,888 housing units have been destroyed or damaged, nearly all schools have been destroyed or damaged, and the economy has contracted by 84 per cent in Gaza.<\/li>\n
          7. On 25 April, Palestinian local elections were held across the West Bank, and in Dayr al-Balah in central Gaza. Turnout in the West Bank matched previous local elections, while low turnout in Dayr al-Balah reflected ongoing insecurity, displacement, and outdated registries. Out of 333 women elected, 257 won through direct voter preference, with only 76 seated via the quota replacement mechanism, suggesting meaningful public support for women candidates beyond formal quota requirements. On 4 June, the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, ratified the electoral system for the Palestinian National Council following its approval by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The law is intended to govern Palestinian National Council elections scheduled for 1 November.<\/li>\n
          8. The Eighth General Conference of Fatah was held in Ramallah and other locations between 14 and 16 May, during which Mr. Abbas was re-elected by consensus as Chairman of Fatah. Delegates also elected members to Fatah\u2019s leadership bodies, the Central Committee and the Revolutionary Council. The Conference also adopted positions emphasizing institutional reform, the inclusion of youth and women in decision-making processes, and continued reliance on diplomatic and legal avenues at the international level.<\/li>\n
          9. During the reporting period, Palestinian banks were informed that the current correspondent banking agreements would be cancelled on 1 September 2026. At that point, if further actions are not taken, Palestinian banks will no longer be able to process more than $17 billion in annual cross-border payments between the Israeli and Palestinian economies, according to the Palestine Monetary Authority. This will have deep and severe repercussions for the Palestinian economy, undermine the stability of the Palestinian financial sector, and significantly increase financial risks as economic activity reverts to cash across the West Bank.<\/li>\n
          10. On 31 March 2026, the Palestinian Authority enacted an emergency budget for 2026, cutting expenditure by 5.8 per cent and projecting a deficit of about $1.1 billion, rising to $3.5 billion should Israel continue withholding the clearance revenue that it collects on behalf of the Authority. Israel has withheld all transfers since May 2025, bringing cumulative withholding and deductions to roughly $5.09 billion by March 2026.<\/li>\n
          11. On 20 April, the Palestinian Authority presented an update on the implementation of its reform agenda at the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in Brussels. The Authority reported that fiscal management reforms were on track and that it had made strong progress on service delivery, while the investment climate pillar was progressing. However, it noted that governance reforms were lagging, highlighting the need to advance judicial independence and access to information legislation.<\/li>\n
          12. On 17 May, the Government of Israel approved plans to establish an Israel Defense Forces museum and recruitment centre and an office for the Israeli Minister of Defence at the site of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) compound in the Shaykh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem, following its earlier unlawful seizure and partial demolition by Israeli authorities.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            <\/h3>\n

            VI. Efforts by the parties and the international community to advance the peace process and other relevant developments<\/strong><\/h3>\n
              \n
            1. In its resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, the Security Council called upon all States to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.<\/li>\n
            2. On 22 May 2026, the Dutch Cabinet approved a decree banning goods originating from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Syrian Golan Heights from the Dutch market. The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands introduced the decree with the intent to prevent Dutch economic activities from helping to perpetuate a situation that contravenes international law. The proposal has been sent to the Council of State for an advisory opinion, after which the Cabinet intends to formally adopt it.<\/li>\n
            3. On 26 May, the Government of Ireland approved the text of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026, which would prohibit the importation into Ireland of goods originating in Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Government indicated that it aims to enact the legislation in July 2026.<\/li>\n
            4. Also in resolution 2334 (2016)<\/a>, the Security Council called upon all parties to continue, in the interest of the promotion of peace and security, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues in the Middle East peace process and urged in that regard the intensification and acceleration of international and regional diplomatic efforts and support aimed at achieving, without delay, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Road Map, and an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967.<\/li>\n
            5. On 22 May, the leaders of Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), New Zealand, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union issued a joint statement noting that \u201cpolicies and practices of the Israeli government, including a further entrenchment of Israeli control, are undermining stability and prospects for a two-state solution\u201d. The statement further warned businesses not to \u201cbid for construction tenders for E1 or other settlement developments\u201d and emphasized that \u201cthey should be aware of legal and reputational consequences of participating in settlement construction including the risk of involving themselves in serious breaches of international law\u201d.<\/li>\n
            6. On 28 May, the European Council adopted economic sanctions against four Israeli settlement organizations and three individuals.\u00a0According to the Council, they were responsible for \u201cserious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank\u201d, including support for settlement outposts and farms which it said were a central focal point of settler violence, and support for demolition of Palestinian property. On the same day, the Council also adopted sanctions against 10 members of Hamas\u2019s Political Bureau, which, it said, \u201chave knowledge of the planning, preparation and execution of violent actions\u201d. The decision operationalizes the political agreement reached at the Foreign Affairs Council on 11 May 2026. On 9\u00a0June, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom announced coordinated sanctions against six entities and one individual involved in financing, enabling and carrying out settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.<\/li>\n
            7. On 20 April, the ninth meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution was held in Brussels, hosted by Belgium and the European Union and co-chaired by Norway and Saudi Arabia. The meeting sought to further align the objectives of the Global Alliance, the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, and the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict. On the same day, Norway and the European Union co-chaired a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, during which participants stressed their commitment to coherent and coordinated efforts towards a shared objective: improving conditions on the ground both in Gaza and the West Bank, while safeguarding Palestinian institutional continuity and ownership.<\/li>\n
            8. On 11 June, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom announced jointly that they would establish a new international peace fund for Israelis and Palestinians. According to the announcement, the fund will invest in programmes that advance a two-State solution, help reduce division, strengthen civil society and support dialogue and cooperation within and between Israeli and Palestinian communities. The Ministers said that their countries would each contribute \u00a31 million to the fund over the next three years and that the fund would be open to contributions from additional countries.<\/li>\n
            9. On 12 June, Palestinian and Israeli civil society representatives gathered together with senior international officials in Paris at the invitation of the Government of France to discuss strategies to preserve the prospect of a two-State solution and to issue concrete recommendations ahead of the Group of Seven summit. At the conclusion of the gathering, participants released an updated \u201cParis call for the two-State solution\u201d, highlighting, inter alia, the importance of ensuring a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, addressing the threat of settlements and annexation, promoting regional security and integration, taking into account civil society aspirations for democracy and political reform and addressing the humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Gaza in line with international law.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

               <\/p>\n

              VII. Observations<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                \n
              1. I strongly condemn the relentless expansion and acceleration of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including the continued growth of settlement outposts, which is taking place alongside a rise in settler-related violence and restrictions on Palestinians\u2019 access to their land. These developments fuel tensions, further entrench the unlawful Israeli occupation, undermine the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and threaten the viability of a fully independent, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian State. All Israeli settlements and related infrastructure have no legal validity, constitute a flagrant violation of international law and must cease immediately.<\/li>\n
              2. I am deeply concerned by the steps taken by Israeli authorities to implement formal land registration in Area C. There is a serious risk that this decision will facilitate further settlement expansion and entrenchment of the unlawful occupation in the West Bank. I am also concerned by broader measures aimed at deepening Israeli administrative and territorial control of the West Bank, further entrenching the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in continuing breach of international law. These measures are increasing Israeli control over land, facilitating the regularization and expansion of settlements and outposts, creating new obstacles to Palestinian ownership claims and contributing to the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians from their property. They also further weaken the Palestinian Authority, contravene existing agreements, breach relevant obligations under international law and risk further destabilizing the situation on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Along with the threat of annexation, which would have no legal validity, these actions are steadily transforming geographic and demographic realities across the West Bank and further undermining the prospects for a two-State solution.<\/li>\n
              3. I am particularly concerned about developments related to the E1 settlement, which would effectively sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank. As such, it would have severe consequences for the territorial contiguity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and present an existential threat to the two-State solution. I call upon Israel to refrain from taking further steps in this regard and to act in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions and in line with the International Court of Justice advisory opinion of 19 July 2024.<\/li>\n
              4. I once again urge the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under international law, and recall the findings by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, which states, inter alia, that the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible.<\/li>\n
              5. The demolition and seizure of Palestinian-owned structures entail numerous violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law and raise concerns about the risk of forcible transfer and already led to an annual monthly average higher than any recorded since the United Nations began documenting displacement in 2009. I am particularly concerned by the stated intention of the Government of Israel to carry out its demolition orders against the village of Khan al\u2011Ahmar and call upon Israeli authorities to halt any such plans. I once again call upon the Government of Israel to prevent the displacement and forced eviction of Palestinians, in accordance with its international obligations, and to approve plans to allow Palestinians to build legally and address their development needs.<\/li>\n
              6. The escalating violence and tensions in the West Bank are highly concerning. I condemn all violence against civilians, including acts of terror.<\/li>\n
              7. The continued military operations by Israeli security forces in the northern occupied West Bank have resulted in high levels of fatalities, including women and children, significant population displacement, with residents continuing to be denied the right to return home, and large-scale destruction of homes and infrastructure, particularly in Palestine refugee camps. I am deeply concerned by the long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps, contrary to the obligation of Israel to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice. All Israeli security forces in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life. I call upon Israel to abide by its obligations under international law, including with regard to the proportional use of force and prohibition against extrajudicial killing, and ensure thorough, impartial and prompt investigations into all instances of possible unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, holding those responsible to account.<\/li>\n
              8. I remain deeply concerned by persistent and intensifying settler attacks, frequently in the proximity and with the support of Israeli security forces, which are further displacing Palestinian communities and causing deaths and injuries, psychological harm, and damage to property and livelihoods. Israeli settlers are rarely held accountable for violent attacks, fuelling tensions and increasing the level of threat to Palestinians and their property. I urge Israel, as the occupying Power, to ensure the protection of the Palestinian population and to investigate and hold perpetrators of all attacks accountable. I also remain deeply concerned by ongoing attacks by Palestinians against Israelis. All perpetrators must be held accountable.<\/li>\n
              9. I am deeply concerned by the scale of displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, where entire communities, including Bedouin communities, have been displaced, some multiple times. Settler violence, access restrictions, demolitions and prolonged security operations have intensified in recent years, resulting in the largest displacement crisis in the West Bank since 1967.<\/li>\n
              10. The forced displacement of the Palestinian population, from any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, is unacceptable and violates international law. I strongly reject any form of ethnic cleansing.<\/li>\n
              11. I reiterate my concern about the large number of Palestinians, including children, detained by Israeli security forces and the increase in the number of Palestinians held in administrative detention, without charge or trial, by Israel since 7 October 2023. Reports of torture and other ill-treatment, including sexual violence, during arrest and detention, and the high number of deaths in custody, are also deeply concerning. I reiterate my call for Israel to use detention as a measure of last resort, to prevent ill-treatment and to end the administrative detention of children. I remain concerned by the continued Israeli practice of holding the bodies of killed Palestinians. I am deeply concerned by the adoption of legislation expanding the circumstances under which the death penalty may be imposed, and by its possible application that is expected to be concentrated in cases of Palestinians prosecuted before military courts. I reiterate that the United Nations opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. I call upon Israel to return the remains of the dead to their families and 51ÁÔÆæ its relevant obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable.<\/li>\n
              12. I am appalled at the numerous instances during the reporting period in which officials glorified violence and engaged in dangerous provocations, incitement and inflammatory language, which will only lead to greater polarization and risk further bloodshed. Leaders and government officials have an obligation to prevent acts of terror and violence directed against civilians. All incitement to violence must stop immediately.<\/li>\n
              13. I am deeply concerned by growing threats to the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem. The status quo must be respected and upheld, in line with the special and historic role of Jordan. I also reiterate that attacks on places of worship are heinous and unacceptable.<\/li>\n
              14. I am deeply concerned by the prolonged and worsening fiscal crisis of the Palestinian Authority, which is compounding an already deteriorating economy. Israeli unilateral measures to destabilize the Palestinian economy exacerbate insecurity and erode social stability. I urge Israeli authorities to cease and reverse unilateral punitive economic measures.<\/li>\n
              15. I welcome the continued commitment of the international community to supporting the Palestinian Authority and advancing concrete steps towards the realization of a two-State solution, as expressed in the recent meetings of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in Brussels and the Paris call for the two-State solution. I urge the international community to continue supporting the Palestinian Authority to strengthen its governance capacity, implement reforms and address its fiscal challenges as it prepares to reassume its full responsibilities in Gaza, in line with Security Council resolution 2803 (2025)<\/a>.<\/li>\n
              16. I also applaud the ongoing and essential efforts of Palestinian and Israeli civil society to preserve and advance the prospects for a two-State solution, including through concrete recommendations and engagement with the international community. Member State initiatives to support this important work are commendable.<\/li>\n
              17. I commend the Palestinian Central Elections Commission for its administration of the municipal elections in the West Bank and in the city of Dayr al-Balah in Gaza on 25 April 2026, particularly given the significant challenges present in the West Bank and the extraordinarily difficult conditions prevailing in Gaza. The United Nations remains committed to supporting and strengthening Palestinian institutions and promoting democratic governance. I urge the Palestinian Authority to advance its stated goal of holding national elections, which are key to the reform process.<\/li>\n
              18. I condemn in the strongest terms the Israeli authorities\u2019 decision to establish military facilities at the UNRWA Shaykh Jarrah compound in East Jerusalem that they had seized in January. These unprecedented and escalatory measures against UNRWA are a further entrenchment of the continuing breach of the inviolability of these United Nations premises. They constitute an obstacle to the implementation of the clear mandate of the General Assembly for the continued operations of UNRWA in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. I deeply regret that the Israeli authorities continue to take steps that are in violation of their obligations concerning the privileges and immunities of the United Nations. I urge the Government of Israel to rescind its decision and immediately return to the United Nations the UNRWA Shaykh Jarrah compound. I also urge Member States to continue to politically support and financially sustain UNRWA.<\/li>\n
              19. It is essential that all parties respect the ceasefire and that all elements of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict be implemented in full, including the recovery and reconstruction in Gaza. In coordination with the Palestinian Authority, the United Nations is ready to support the efforts of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to provide critical public services, facilitate humanitarian aid and lay the groundwork for reconstruction.<\/li>\n
              20. Ultimately, recovery in Gaza must advance the underlying political objectives: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as a single territorial unit, under a single, legitimate, sovereign Palestinian Government, and a restored political process that will end the unlawful occupation and realize a two-State solution in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, international law and previous agreements.<\/li>\n
              21. Despite the ceasefire announced eight months ago, Gaza still faces profound uncertainty and immense human suffering and remains deprived of the basics: safety, shelter, clean water, healthcare and education. I condemn the continued killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, including women and children. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli air strikes, gunfire, and shelling particularly near the so-called \u201cyellow line\u201d have resulted in further loss of life. I condemn the continued destruction by the Israeli security forces of large areas in the Gaza Strip. Such actions must immediately cease. The protection of civilians is paramount in any armed conflict. I reiterate my call for full accountability for violations of international law. I am also particularly concerned by recent increasing calls for a resumption of widespread hostilities in Gaza. This would be disastrous for the Palestinian people of Gaza, for Israelis and for the entire region and must be avoided at all costs.<\/li>\n
              22. I am deeply concerned by the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. While food security has shown signs of improvement due to increased aid and commercial deliveries, infrastructure damage is catastrophic, and there are severe shortages of clean water, medical care and shelter. Humanitarian operations remain heavily impeded, with aid convoys facing logistical and security obstacles, restrictions on the entry of critical items, limitations affecting health referrals and medical evacuations, and restrictions on aid organizations. I call upon all parties 51ÁÔÆæ their obligations under international humanitarian law, including to facilitate the full, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance. The provision of humanitarian aid must never be used as a bargaining chip.<\/li>\n
              23. I remain committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis in ending the occupation and resolving the conflict in line with international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and bilateral agreements in pursuit of the vision of two States \u2013 Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part \u2013 living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.<\/li>\n
              24. I pay tribute to all United Nations personnel who have lost their lives in this conflict and to all the United Nations personnel and heroic humanitarian aid workers who remain committed to their work despite the enormous risks. I express my deep appreciation to my Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and thank him and his team for their outstanding service in what remains a highly challenging context.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                \n

                <\/a><\/p>\n

                Related document:<\/strong><\/p>\n