NEW YORK, 28th April, 2026 (WAM) -- A UN official has warned of the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, amid the continued escalation of violence and the humanitarian crisis, stressing that prospects for achieving the two-State solution are increasingly eroding.

Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, said in a briefing to a United Nations Security Council meeting that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has become increasingly fragile amid continued Israeli strikes and armed activities, threatening a return to large-scale fighting, especially as negotiations on the disarmament of factions remain stalled.

He noted that civilians continue to pay the highest price, with around 800 Palestinians killed, including more than 200 children, since the start of the ceasefire, in addition to deaths among humanitarian workers.

On the humanitarian front, Khiari described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic", noting that around 1.8 million people are displaced and dependent on aid, amid the collapse of infrastructure.

He revealed that Gaza's reconstruction and recovery needs are estimated at around US$71.4 billion over the next decade, including US$26.3 billion urgently required during the first 18 months to restore basic services and infrastructure.

On developments in the West Bank, Khiari pointed to an escalation in attacks and threats carried out by settlers against entire Palestinian communities, alongside settlement expansion, including the Israeli authorities' approval of plans to build more than 1,000 settlement units within a short period.

He noted that 21 Palestinians, including children, were killed and hundreds injured during the recent period, alongside deteriorating economic conditions, increasing the population's dependence on humanitarian assistance.