REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2334 (2016)
delivered by
RAMIZ ALAKBAROV
ACTING SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
28 September 2026
Mister President,
Excellencies,
Today’s briefing is devoted to the thirty-ninth report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). It covers the period from 13 June to 18 September.
Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) calls on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem” and to “fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard.” Settlement activity has, nevertheless, continued at high levels.
During the reporting period, Israeli planning authorities advanced or approved nearly 4,570 housing units in Area C of the West Bank, and 3,515 units in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Housing Ministry published tenders for nearly 2,240 housing units in Area C of the West Bank, including for 1,234 units in the E1 area near Jerusalem.
On 14 July, Israeli Finance Minister announced that the Israeli cabinet approved the establishment of a new settlement in the northern West Bank. He also announced that the Israeli Security Cabinet had allocated 1.3 billion Shekels [approximately USD 430 million] towards the placement of temporary housing units in dozens of new settlements throughout the West Bank.
Temporary structures were reportedly placed in Kadim on 5 August, following its reported Cabinet approval for re-establishment in December 2025. On 31 August, some families reportedly moved into Noa, a new settlement reportedly approved by the Cabinet in March 2026.
The IDF also issued an unprecedented seizure order for privately owned land in Area A near Qabatiya, south of Jenin City, to construct a road linking Noa and Emek Dotan - two of the 34 settlements recently approved. This marks the first reported seizure of Area A land explicitly for settlement infrastructure. Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also continued. Citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Israeli authorities demolished, seized, or forced people to demolish 536 structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing 736 persons, including 347 children.
Evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem also continued. On 12 August 2026, the Jerusalem Municipality demolished a Palestinian-owned house and animal barn in Silwan, East Jerusalem, forcibly displacing a family of eight. On 18 August, two Palestinian households comprising nine people, including one child, were evicted in Silwan following a court ruling in favour of the Ateret Cohanim settler organization. Settlers subsequently took over parts of the building.
Mister President,
Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) calls for “immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction.” Acts of violence against civilians continued, with the high number of fatal incidents precluding me from detailing all of them.
The ceasefire in Gaza remained highly fragile as Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military operations continued west of the so-called yellow line, including small-arms fire, quadcopter fire, and shelling in support of clearance and demolition activity. Daily IDF airstrikes have also continued in densely-populated areas west of the so-called yellow line.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 360 Palestinians were killed, and over 1,600 including women and children were injured during the reporting period. At least 1,386 Palestinians have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire went into effect, including over 300 children and 130 women, women and 4,784 injured.
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.
In the West Bank, 32 Palestinians, including nine children, were killed during Israeli security forces operations, armed exchanges, settler attacks, and other incidents; three were killed by airstrike and 29 by live ammunition. 663 Palestinians, including 91 children, were injured by Israeli forces or settlers, including two in an airstrike, 93 due to tear gas inhalation and 90 by live ammunition.
According to Israeli sources, two members of Israeli forces were killed by Palestinians, and another 49 Israelis, including 4 children and 2 women, and 4 Israeli security forces personnel were injured by Palestinians in shooting, stabbing and ramming attacks and other incidents.
According to the Israel Prison Service, as of September 2026, Israel holds 9,329 Palestinians as “security” detainees, of them 3,176 under administrative detention without charges or trial, and 1,393 Palestinians as “unlawful combatants”.
On 17 August, operations by Israeli forces in Tulkarm and Qabatiya, south of Jenin, resulted in displacement, damage to civilian infrastructure and mass detentions. In Qabatiya, Israeli forces raided and searched some 100 homes and detained more than 60 Palestinians, including two women. Some detainees were reportedly assaulted during interrogation. Most were subsequently released. On 28 August, an Israeli drone strike on a building under construction in Jenin city killed three Palestinian men. Israeli forces reportedly prevented Palestine Red Crescent Society personnel from reaching the building, briefly detained two emergency responders and confiscated equipment from an ambulance. The three refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams remain empty, and their residents (more than 33,000) remain displaced, in the longest and largest displacement in the West Bank since 1967.
Settler violence has reached unprecedented levels - often in the presence of Israeli forces. During the reporting period, the UN documented 630 settler attacks that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both, killing 11 Palestinians and injuring 430, including 113 by Israeli forces, and displacing 343 Palestinians across 17 communities.
On 5 July, at least 100 settlers attacked al-Lubban al-Sharqiya in Nablus, damaging Palestinian homes and businesses. On 21 August, an Israeli settlement guard and an armed settler opened fire during an attack by more than 50 Israeli settlers near Sa'ir village in Hebron, killing a Palestinian boy and critically injuring another Palestinian.
In Qusra, Nablus Governorate, three Palestinian families have been effectively confined to their homes without adequate supplies and systematically harassed and intimidated since 9 August amid the continued presence of Israeli settlers and Israeli forces in the area following the establishment of a nearby settler outpost.
During the reporting period, three Palestinian communities were fully depopulated following sustained settler violence, bringing to 49 the number of communities fully displaced under similar circumstances since January 2023.
While measures were taken by Israeli officials during the reporting period to prosecute several perpetrators, the vast majority of perpetrators have not been held accountable to date.
Palestinian attacks against Israelis also continued. On 23 August, an Israeli man was stabbed and injured in Al Auja, near Jericho. Israeli forces subsequently detained a Palestinian boy alleged to have been connected to the attack.
Mister President,
The Security Council, in its resolution 2334 (2016), called upon both parties to refrain from provocative actions, incitement, and inflammatory rhetoric. Unfortunately, such acts continued.
Hamas continued to praise attacks by Palestinians against Israelis. A Fatah official said that “In our region, everything that happens is because of Israel.” Other Palestinian officials continued to glorify perpetrators of previous attacks against Israelis.
A senior Israeli Minister called “to take down thirty to forty” Palestinians in Gaza every night, adding that some there are “not even people.” Another senior Israeli minister repeated his calls for the Israeli army to “conquer [Gaza] completely, establish a military government there, establish Jewish settlements there.” Several Israeli officials also promoted policies characterized as Palestinian emigration from Gaza.
Mister President,
Resolution 2334 (2016) reiterated calls by the Middle East Quartet for “affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse negative trends on the ground that are imperiling the two-State solution.”
Efforts to implement the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict continued. On 30 July, Hamas and other Palestinian factions announced they had accepted the 15-point Roadmap for completing the Implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, including commitments concerning full demilitarization and Israeli withdrawal.
On 9 August, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel did not accept the Roadmap. On 17 August, his Office announced an agreement between Israel and the Board of Peace to establish two working groups, one on disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, and another on water, sanitation, and public health.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains extremely grave. While there have been increased supplies of food and sanitary items in recent months, the health situation remains critical. Infectious diseases remain widespread amid overcrowded displacement sites and inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene conditions, while shortages of medical supplies, fuel and the overall humanitarian response are compounded by funding shortfalls. Restrictions on the entry of critical humanitarian items continue to impede the scale-up of the humanitarian response, including preparations for winterization.
The Palestinian Authority’s fiscal situation remains critical. Israel continues to withhold some USD 6 billion in clearance revenues, and the Palestinian Authority is unable to deliver basic services, sustain social protection, or pay full salaries to civil servants and security personnel.
The Palestinian Central Elections Committee advanced preparations for the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, scheduled for 28 November, including steps to update voter registration and the publication of the electoral timetable.
On 25 August, Israeli authorities unlawfully entered and took control of the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre, in East Jerusalem.
Tensions continued at the Holy Sites. On 13 August, hundreds of Jewish worshippers engaged in open prayers, dancing and singing, and on 16 August, Israeli police reportedly further eased restrictions on Jewish prayer by allowing the use of prayer books. During the reporting period, the UN documented 13 instances of attacks on places of worship by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, including four arson attacks on mosques in Ramallah governorate between 14 and 17 June.
Mister President,
In resolution 2334 (2016), the Security Council also called upon all States “to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.” Resolution 2334 also called upon “all parties to continue, inter alia, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues in the Middle East peace process.”
On 23 July, the President of Ireland signed into law legislation prohibiting the importation of goods originating in Israeli settlements. The new Act has been in effect since 15 September 2026.
On 21 July, the Government of the Netherlands published a decree banning the import, purchase, and sale of goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements located in occupied territories, including in the OPT, to prevent Dutch economic activities from helping to perpetuate a situation that contravenes international law beginning on 22 September.
On 8 September, the Governments of Canada, France, and the UK jointly announced that they would “take steps to ban the importation of goods from settlements and enforce targeted measures against settlements and those who facilitate them or profit from them.” The same day, the UK Foreign Minister announced plans that include banning the import of goods from settlements into the UK, taking steps against individuals and companies that support, facilitate or profit from illegal settlement activity, and banning advertising or promotion of land and property in illegal settlements.
On 13 July, the second meeting of the Palestine Donor Group was held in Brussels, co-chaired by the European Union and the Palestinian Authority.
Mister President,
In closing, allow me to share the Secretary-General’s observations on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory –comprising the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
- I strongly condemn the relentless expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which fuels tensions, impedes access by Palestinians to their land, and threatens the viability of a fully independent, sovereign and contiguous Palestinian State. The rapidly expanding settlement footprint, including outposts, is taking place in conjunction with a rise in settler attacks. Developments in Areas A and B and the peripheries of larger Palestinian towns raise concern about encircling Palestinians, restricting their access to surrounding farmland and open space. These developments are in breach of international law, further entrenching the unlawful Israeli occupation and undermining the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. I reiterate that all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and related infrastructure have no legal validity, constitute flagrant violations of international law and must cease.
- I strongly condemn developments related to the E1 settlement plan, which would effectively sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank and further isolate East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. As such, its implementation 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 its obligations under international law, as confirmed by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024.
- The Israeli Government’s decisions to deepen Israeli administrative and territorial control of the West Bank are deeply concerning. These measures are likely to contribute to settlement expansion and to the dispossession of Palestinians of their property. They also undermine the Palestinian Authority, contravene existing agreements, and breach obligations under international law, as well as seriously eroding the prospects for a negotiated two-State solution. The creeping annexation of the West Bank is unlawful, has no legal effect, and must stop.
- The demolition and seizure of Palestinian civilian structures may entail numerous human rights violations and raise concerns about the risk of forcible transfer. I call on Israel to cease the unlawful demolition of Palestinian-owned civilian structures in accordance with its international obligations.
- I am deeply concerned by the scale of displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, where entire communities have been displaced, some multiple times, which may raise concerns about ethnic cleansing.Such displacement may amount to forcible transfer, which is prohibited under international law.
- The extremely high levels of violence across the occupied West Bank are deeply alarming. I condemn all acts of violence against civilians. I am deeply concerned that persistent and intensifying settler attacks, often in the proximity, support or acquiescence of Israeli security forces, are further displacing Palestinian communities. Settler attacks are increasingly reported in Area B and even Area A. Entrenched impunity serves as a central driver in this violence. I call on Israel, as the occupying Power, to protect the Palestinian population against attacks and intimidation. Palestinian attacks against Israelis must also cease. All perpetrators must be held accountable.
- Multiple instances in which officials on all sides have glorified violence and engaged in dangerous provocations, incitement, and inflammatory language, are deeply troubling and must be unequivocally rejected.
- Israel’s implementation of punitive economic and fiscal measures is destabilizing Palestinian institutions and threatening the viability of the Palestinian Authority. I urge Israel to immediately cease all such unilateral steps.
- I encourage continued reforms by the Palestinian Authority and urge international partners to provide the necessary support to these efforts. I welcome ongoing electoral preparations, which are key to the reform process. I urge the international community to provide the necessary political and financial support to ensure that these preparations proceed effectively and that elections are held in a timely, inclusive, and transparent manner.
- The parties must respect and uphold the status quo at the Holy Sites in Jerusalem, taking into account the special and historic role of Jordan.
- I call for the full implementation of The Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, 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, in accordance with international law.
- The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Israeli authorities have confined Gaza’s population to about 30% of the territory, with continued killing of civilians. While the availability of certain food and certain sanitation items has improved due to increased aid and commercial deliveries, infrastructure damage is catastrophic, and there are severe shortages of clean water, medical care, education, fuel, health items, and shelter. Humanitarian access remains severely constrained by logistical and security obstacles, with only one crossing open for the passage of goods. Essential systems and services must be restored without further delay, and winterization efforts must be urgently scaled up and facilitated. I call upon all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. The provision of humanitarian aid must never be used as a bargaining chip, and human dignity should not be conditional. The space for recovery has so far been denied.
- I strongly condemn the Israeli authorities’ continued actions against UNRWA, including the unlawful entry and demolition of property at the Kalandia Training Center in East Jerusalem. These actions are inconsistent with Israel’s clear obligations under international law. The International Court of Justice, in its Advisory Opinion of 22 October 2025, confirmed that Israel must respect the inviolability of United Nations premises and not interfere with the performance of their functions.I again urge the Government of Israel to restore all affected premises to the United Nations without delay. I urge Member States to continue to politically support and financially sustain UNRWA.
- The New York Declaration, endorsed by the General Assembly, together, with the existing Security Council resolutions, provide the political vision and coordinated international effort to advance the two-State solution and resolve the conflict. As we approach ten years since the adoption of resolution 2334, the situation is morally, legally and politically intolerable. We must recommit ourselves to the two-State solution before it is too late.
- Continued efforts are essential to support Palestinians and Israelis in ending the unlawful occupation and resolving the conflict in line with international law, UN resolutions, and bilateral agreements, pursuing a two-State vision: Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable, sovereign Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security, based on pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
Thank you.
[END]
