New york: A senior Board of Peace official warned Tuesday that the situation in the Gaza Strip "remains very, very difficult" despite improvements brought by the first phase of a ceasefire agreement.

According to Anadolu Agency, Nickolay Mladenov, high representative for Gaza, Board of Peace, addressed a UN Security Council session on Palestine, stating, "Despite significant improvements through the implementation of phase one, the situation in Gaza remains very, very difficult." He emphasized that essential services are still operating at a fraction of their pre-war capacity, noting that the health care system is collapsing and the economy is not functioning.

Mladenov outlined three immediate priorities. Firstly, he stressed the importance of keeping the Rafah crossing open to permit more people to cross in and out of Gaza, warning that any restrictions would directly impede the implementation of phase two of the ceasefire.

Regarding humanitarian aid, Mladenov pointed out that the current flow is inadequate for the scale of need and emphasized the necessity of increasing the number of trucks allowed to bring goods into Gaza. He mentioned that while the pipeline is ready, access must be improved to meet the demands.

He also highlighted the urgent need for accelerating temporary housing solutions, as over 2 million people are enduring undignified living conditions. Mladenov acknowledged that "no plan is perfect" but urged full implementation of the ceasefire deal, arguing that it is the only document connecting decommissioning, reconstruction, civilian transition, and the reunification of Palestinian institutions into a coherent sequence.

"If we are serious about advancing peace between Israelis and Palestinians, then we must be equally serious about implementing this plan," Mladenov concluded.