UN officials and Italy call for two-state solution and Gaza aid

During the 81st UN General Assembly, international officials and diplomats addressed the escalating crisis in the Middle East, emphasizing the necessity of a two-state solution for lasting peace.

Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Assistant Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, warned that the prospect of a two-state future faces unprecedented challenges due to increasing violence and settlement expansion. He called for an immediate halt to actions that weaken the Palestinian Authority and noted that humanitarian aid access in Gaza remains significantly below international legal requirements.

Nikolay Mladenov, High Representative of the Gaza Peace Commission, described the current ceasefire as “flawed” and “barely holding.” He announced a reconstruction package consisting of 66 projects valued at approximately $2.45 billion, targeting essential sectors such as water, sanitation, electricity, health, and education.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also spoke at the assembly, advocating for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. Tajani stressed that peace can only emerge from a “two peoples, two states” solution and called for the disarmament of Hamas. Additionally, he addressed regional maritime security, calling for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.