Gaza Ceasefire Holds Unevenly

Nickolay Mladenov, the senior representative of the Board of Peace established by President Donald Trump, warned Wednesday that the status quo in Gaza directly threatens the lives of the enclave's 2.1 million residents. Speaking at his first press conference since taking the role, Mladenov stressed the urgency of advancing a peace plan that has made little progress seven months after taking effect in October 2025.

He described extremely difficult conditions in an enclave that the Israeli military has almost entirely destroyed, with roughly 60 percent of its territory lost to a broad border occupation. "The people of Gaza can no longer wait. They're impatient and let me be clear where that impatience comes from.

It is Palestinian impatience. It is not Israeli impatience. It is not American impatience. It is Palestinian impatience," Mladenov said. The Bulgarian diplomat, a former United Nations coordinator for Middle East peace, acknowledged that a ceasefire is in place but far from perfect.

Israeli forces have struck the Gaza Strip almost daily since October 2025, yet Mladenov said the guns have largely fallen silent across Gaza for the first time in two years, bringing relative stability.

Mladenov conceded that violations occur every day, some of them serious. These include continued civilian deaths, families living in fear, and delays plus restrictions that affect humanitarian access and daily life. More than 800 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza since the supposed end of hostilities in October 2025.

That brings the total to more than 72,000 since October 2023. Five soldiers have died in fighting inside the enclave over the past seven months. The senior representative of the Board of Peace said dismantling Hamas' arsenal remains essential before any further progress can be made on longer-term peace efforts.

Mladenov emphasized that the current situation is unsatisfactory for residents trapped in the enclave. He noted the near-daily strikes continue despite the ceasefire framework, creating ongoing insecurity. The diplomat spoke in Jerusalem on May 13, 2026, one day before the current date.

His comments mark the first time he has addressed the media in his new role overseeing the Trump administration's peace initiative. >"We have a ceasefire. It is holding. It is not perfect. " — Nickolay Mladenov, May 13, 2026 (Le Monde) The Board of Peace was created to facilitate negotiations and monitor the fragile truce.

Mladenov warned that without tangible steps forward, the humanitarian crisis will deepen and security risks will persist for both Palestinians and Israelis. He added that the relative stability achieved in the past year must be protected while addressing the daily violations that undermine trust in the process.