Kathmandu: A senior United Nations official has voiced grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning that any further expansion of Israel’s military operation could trigger a deeper crisis. Miroslav Jenča, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, made the statement during a UN Security Council meeting held in New York on Tuesday.

Jenča cautioned that escalating military activity in the Gaza Strip could severely impact the lives of millions of Palestinian civilians and increase the risk to Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. He emphasized that Gaza remains an integral part of a future Palestinian state and must be preserved as such.

Referring to the International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion, Jenča reiterated the court’s position that Israel must halt settlement expansion, evacuate illegal settlers, and end its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territories.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 60,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023. Jenča added that since May 2025 alone, more than 1,200 people have died and 8,100 have been injured while seeking food, underscoring the severe hunger and Israeli blockade that continues to obstruct humanitarian aid.

Condemning the ongoing violence, Jenča urged for a political—not military—solution to the crisis. He called for concrete steps toward a two-state solution, an end to the humanitarian catastrophe, and the start of Gaza’s reconstruction.