City in the Gaza Strip, near Beit Hanoun, facing ongoing conflict and border pressures
Nickolay Mladenov has told the UN Security Council that implementation of the US-led Board of Peace Gaza roadmap has stalled because Hamas has refused to disarm and Israel is maintaining control of roughly 60% of Gaza. Daily strikes and constrained aid are persisting, reconstruction finance is drying up, and diplomacy is not completing the transition to the second phase.
The Board of Peace has warned that the Gaza ceasefire’s second phase hinges on Hamas’s disarmament and a civilian transition, with Israel’s obligations and humanitarian access under scrutiny. Mladenov has urged action to prevent a permanently divided Gaza, while Hamas rebuffs accusations and calls for entry of a technocratic administration.
War-driven destitution has spurred a rise in early marriages in Gaza, with parents saying they marry off daughters aged 13–16 for protection and aid. AP findings cite multiple girls reporting rape and abuse; 2024–25 data show under-18 marriages rising despite earlier declines.
Satellite images show a growing barrier along the Yellow Line in Gaza, with berms and concrete blocks extending through Palestinian communities and cutting off land and water access. Israel says the barrier aims to prevent infiltration and protect troops, while Palestinians fear it signals a de facto border and intensified displacement.
The Board of Peace-backed roadmap has reached a final draft in Cairo, with Hamas accepting the framework while stipulations hinge on Israel’s withdrawal and disarmament. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey push for a staged implementation, though Netanyahu’s position on disarmament and the timing of a withdrawal keep the plan in flux amid Israel’s elections.