U.N. envoy warns Gaza ceasefire is stalled, blames Hamas for not disarming

1/ U.N. envoy Nickolay Mladenov stated on May 14, 2026, that the Gaza ceasefire—agreed in late 2025—is stalled because Hamas has not disarmed. He said this blocks reconstruction and political progress in the enclave. Mladenov serves as the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. 2/ Mladenov told the U.N. Security Council that "without Hamas disarming, there can be no real progress on reconstruction or on the political track." He urged Hamas to hand over weapons to a national Palestinian authority. The ceasefire followed a 12-day war in November 2025 that killed over 1,200 people and displaced 1.9 million in Gaza. 3/ Hamas rejected Mladenov's remarks on the same day. A Hamas spokesperson called them "biased" and accused Mladenov of ignoring Israeli ceasefire violations, like 47 airstrikes and 1,200 artillery shells fired since the truce. Hamas claims it adheres to the ceasefire and is transferring governance to a national committee led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. 4/ The group said it formed a "national committee for reconstruction" on May 10, 2026, to oversee aid and building projects. This move, Hamas stated, proves its commitment to unity without full disarmament. Israel has not commented directly on Mladenov's speech but maintains Hamas must fully demilitarize for any long-term truce. 5/ Aid challenges compound the stalemate. World Central Kitchen (WCK), which ramped up operations post-ceasefire to feed 1.2 million Gazans daily, announced on May 13 it will scale back to pre-truce levels—serving under 300,000 people—due to a $45 million funding shortfall. WCK cited donor fatigue after 18 months of conflict. 6/ WCK delivered 42 million meals since the ceasefire but now faces cuts as reserves dry up. Meanwhile, a Turkish aid flotilla—the "Conscience Fleet"—set sail from Istanbul on May 12 with 5,500 tons of food, medicine, and baby formula for Gaza. It carries 400 activists and plans to challenge Israel's naval blockade.; 7/ What is the Gaza ceasefire's background? It was brokered by Egypt and Qatar on November 25, 2025, after Hamas rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes. Terms included phased reconstruction ($20 billion over 5 years), eased blockade, and Hamas refraining from attacks. Disarmament was a vague "security arrangements" clause Israel insists means full demilitarization. No independent verification body exists. 8/ Reconstruction has lagged: Only 12% of 78,000 destroyed homes rebuilt by May 2026, per U.N. data. Cement imports halted in March over disputes. Hamas controls Gaza's 2.3 million people since 2007; Israel withdrew settlers in 2005 but enforces a blockade with Egypt. 9/ Israeli violations cited by Hamas: Since the truce, Israel fired 1,200 shells and conducted 47 airstrikes, killing 23 Palestinians, per Gaza health ministry. A naval drone strike sank a fishing boat off Gaza on May 5. Israel says these target Hamas threats and do not break the ceasefire. 10/ U.N. role: Mladenov reports to the Security Council quarterly. His May 14 briefing also covered West Bank violence, with 145 Palestinian deaths since October 2025. The U.N. has $1.2 billion in unfulfilled Gaza aid appeals for 2026. Next Council session on Gaza: June 10. 11/ The Turkish flotilla could reach Gaza waters by May 20. Israel has intercepted similar missions before, like the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident that killed 10 activists. WCK seeks $20 million in new donations to sustain minimal operations through July.