UN chief warns Gaza war threatens two-state solution; 37,000 displaced in West Bank

More than 37,000 Palestinians were displaced in the occupied West Bank in 2025, amid record levels of violence by Israeli settlers.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday, warning that the situation is gravely undermining prospects for a two-state solution. Addressing the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guterres said illegal settlement expansion, demolitions, evictions and displacement in the West Bank were accelerating and were unlawful under international law.

“We enter 2026 with the clock ticking louder than ever,” he said, cautioning that current trends risk pushing the conflict further away from peace.

Guterres singled out Israel’s recently issued tender for 3,401 housing units in the E1 area of the West Bank, calling it “profoundly alarming” and warning it could sever the territory between the northern and southern West Bank, severely damaging the viability of a future Palestinian state.

On Gaza, Guterres said civilians continued to face “grave suffering”, noting that more than 500 Palestinians have been killed since the Israel–Hamas truce in October. He urged all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement, exercise restraint, and comply with international law.

He also called for the rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, including through the Rafah crossing, while criticising Israel for suspending international aid groups, saying the move worsens civilian suffering. Guterres stressed that Gaza must remain an integral part of a Palestinian state and said any lasting solution requires governance of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem by a unified, internationally recognised Palestinian authority.

He reiterated strong support for UNRWA, condemning Israeli actions that restrict the agency’s operations and warning that threats against UN staff are unacceptable. “There is only one viable path to peace — the two-state solution, in line with international law and UN resolutions,” Guterres said, urging the international community to act with urgency and unity.