{"id":318857,"date":"2026-06-15T14:58:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T18:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=318857"},"modified":"2026-06-15T14:58:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T18:58:58","slug":"the-78th-anniversary-of-the-nakba-board-of-peace-briefing-to-the-security-council-and-the-humanitarian-crisis-in-the-opt-action-by-the-un-system-relevant-to-the-question-of-palestine-may-2026-mon","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/the-78th-anniversary-of-the-nakba-board-of-peace-briefing-to-the-security-council-and-the-humanitarian-crisis-in-the-opt-action-by-the-un-system-relevant-to-the-question-of-palestine-may-2026-mon\/","title":{"rendered":"The 78th anniversary of the Nakba, Board of Peace briefing to the Security Council, and the humanitarian crisis in the OPT – Action by the ±¬ÁÏÍø System Relevant to the Question of Palestine (May 2026 Monthly Bulletin)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Disclaimer<\/strong>: The texts and links cited in this Monthly Bulletin have been\u00a0reproduced in their original form<\/u>. The Division for Palestinian Rights is consequently not responsible for the views, positions or discrepancies contained in these texts.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Contents<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. The 78th anniversary of the Nakba commemorated at the United Nations<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestinian Rights Committee brings focus on two-State solution to Europe<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Board of Peace: \u201cobligations apply to all parties\u201d, says High Representative for Gaza<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. ±¬ÁÏÍø report: large-scale violations, including atrocity crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Health and sanitation crises in Gaza deepen<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    <\/a>I. The 78th<\/sup> anniversary of the Nakba commemorated at the United Nations<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    On 15 May, the United Nations (±¬ÁÏÍø) Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People commemorated the 78th<\/sup> anniversary of the Nakba. The Chair of the Committee affirmed <\/a>that \u201cNakba continues because impunity continues\u201d. With reference to Gaza, the Chair remarked that the situation \u201cis not a ceasefire. It is less fire. And less fire is not peace\u201d. In a statement read by the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the ±¬ÁÏÍø, President Mahmoud Abbas called the Nakba a \u201cheinous crime<\/a>\u201d \u201cthat is ongoing until this very day\u201d and urged the world to \u201cstop denying the Nakba and the crime of ethnic cleansing inflicted upon the Palestinian people\u201d.<\/p>\n

    The President of the ±¬ÁÏÍø General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, recalled<\/a> that the New York Declaration<\/a> \u201cunderscores the urgency of addressing the root causes of displacement and conflict\u201d and \u201cthe need for justice and accountability\u201d. She urged the international community together with all parties to \u201cwork to end the illegal occupation, create a credible and irreversible pathway to achieve the two-State solution\u201d. The ±¬ÁÏÍø Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific emphasised<\/a> that remembering the Nakba \u201cimposes responsibilities\u201d to act to end unlawful practices, protect civilians, support Palestinian governance and institution\u2011building, and revive a credible political process toward a negotiated two\u2011State solution.<\/p>\n

    Throughout the commemoration, speakers framed the Nakba as a question of justice, memory, and international responsibility. The event honoured Palestinian resilience across generations while calling for concrete action to end displacement, protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, uphold international law, and achieve a just and lasting peace. The Committee Chair concluded, \u201cSilence and indifference can never be an option in the face of such human suffering.\u201d The message of the day was clear: \u201c78 years is too long,\u201d and the Palestinian people \u201chave waited long enough for justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

    More details and related content:<\/em><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. “The world must stop denying the Nakba and the crime of ethnic cleansing inflicted upon the Palestinian people” says President Abbas at the 78th Anniversary of the Nakba <\/a>(15 May)<\/li>\n
    2. President of the ±¬ÁÏÍø General Assembly urges to “work to end the illegal occupation, create a credible and irreversible pathway to achieve the Two-State-Solution” at the commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba <\/a>(15 May)<\/li>\n
    3. “The Nakba continues because impunity continues”, tells the ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestinian Rights Committee Chair at the commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba <\/a>(15 May)<\/li>\n
    4. Nakba is “the world\u2019s longest standing protracted refugee crisis”, ±¬ÁÏÍø Assistant Secretary-General says at the commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba<\/a> (15 May)<\/li>\n
    5. Families of Gazans killed recount tragic loss, denounce ongoing violence, displacement, as ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestinian Rights Committee marks Nakba anniversary <\/a>(15 May)<\/li>\n
    6. 428th Committee Meeting: Commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba<\/a> (15 May)<\/li>\n
    7. Video: Nakba commemorated at the United Nations<\/a> (22 May)<\/li>\n
    8. Video: \u201cThe Nakba continues because impunity continues\u201d ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestine Committee Chair at Nakba Commemoration<\/a> (23 May)<\/li>\n
    9. ±¬ÁÏÍøISPAL: About the Nakba<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n

      <\/a>II. ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestinian Rights Committee brings focus on two-State solution to Europe<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      On 6 May, a delegation of the Bureau of the ±¬ÁÏÍø\u00a0 Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held consultations<\/a> with European civil society organizations in Brussels, focused on strengthening dialogue with groups working on the question of Palestine and to identify concrete ways to advance international law and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The Chair of the Committee emphasized that Europe\u2019s role remains central, given its political, legal, humanitarian, and economic leverage, alongside the need to translate commitments into concrete action. The event concluded<\/a> with recommendations which included inter alia<\/em>: suspension of the EU\u2013Israel Association Agreement; adoption of a comprehensive ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements, full small arms embargo, and targeted sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for serious violations of international law; full cooperation with the International Criminal Court; support for the Palestinian ownership in all diplomatic and reconstruction processes; countering disinformation, and translation of solidarity into concrete political, legal, economic and diplomatic consequences for violations of international law.<\/p>\n

      Simultaneously, from 4 to 8 May, the Committee Bureau Delegation held diplomatic engagements in several European capitals. The Delegation visited Paris<\/a>, France (4 May), Brussels<\/a>, Belgium, including the European Headquarters<\/a> (5 &7 May), and Madrid<\/a>, Spain (8 May). In their meetings, the Delegation emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum from the\u00a02025 Conference on the Two-State Solution<\/a>\u00a0and the “New York Declaration<\/a>” to revitalize the political process leading to a solution of the conflict. The Delegation also addressed the grave developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; the escalation of illegal settlement activity; the risks posed by the Israeli E1 settlement plan; Israel’s withholding of Palestinian clearance revenues; and the impact of these measures on the Palestinian Government’s ability to meet its obligations.<\/p>\n

      More details and related content: <\/em><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Committee delegation visits Paris, France, 4 May 2026 <\/a>(4 May)<\/li>\n
      2. Committee delegation visits European Union’s headquarters, 5 & 7 May 2026<\/a> (5 May)<\/li>\n
      3. Chair summary of 2026 CEIRPP-Civil society consultations – Engagement with European civil society organizations: Mobilizing the European Union for peace in Palestine<\/a> (6 May)<\/li>\n
      4. Committee engagement with European civil society organisations in Brussels, Belgium<\/a> (6 May)<\/li>\n
      5. EU\u2019s political and legal obligations by Claudio Francavilla, Associate Director, Human Rights Watch (Brussels)<\/a> (6 May)<\/li>\n
      6. “There is no way Israel can continue to violate international law in the face of sustained global collective action” Remarks by Dr. Shir Hever, Political Economist, at 2026 CEIRPP-CSOs Consultations<\/a> (6 May)<\/li>\n
      7. Video: ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestine Committee consultations with European civil society organisations in Brussels<\/a> (6 May)<\/li>\n
      8. Video: Gaza\u2019s development pushed back by 77 years – Agn\u00e8s Bertrand-Sanz of Oxfam<\/a> (6 May)<\/li>\n
      9. Committee Delegation visits Brussels, Belgium, 7 May 2026\u00a0<\/a>(7 May)<\/li>\n
      10. ±¬ÁÏÍø Palestinian Rights Committee brings focus on two-State solution to the EU<\/a> (8 May)<\/li>\n
      11. Committee Delegation visits Madrid, Spain, 8 May 2026 <\/a>(8 May)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n

        <\/a>III. Board of Peace: \u201cobligations apply to all parties\u201d, says High Representative for Gaza<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        On 21 May, the Security Council held a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine, discussing the first report of the Board of Peace<\/a>. The High Representative for Gaza briefed<\/a> on the implementation of Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution\u00a02803<\/a>. He said that the ceasefire in Gaza is \u201cholding in a way that is not perfect\u201d, that the architecture of the Roadmap \u201crests on the principle of reciprocity\u201d and that the transition and decommissioning of all weapons and militant infrastructures in Gaza are \u201cthe only credible road to real reconstruction, to the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and to a Palestinian political horizon\u201d. He further stated that \u201cobligations apply to all parties\u201d and that the continued killings, Israeli restrictions and delays affecting humanitarian flows \u201cshape daily Palestinian perceptions of whether the war is over and if this process can genuinely deliver safety, dignity and recovery\u201d.<\/p>\n

        In his briefing, the ±¬ÁÏÍø Deputy Special Coordination for the Middle East Peace Process warned<\/a> that the situation across the Occupied Palestinian Territory is \u201cincreasingly precarious\u201d with settlement expansion, settler-related violence, and incitement driving tensions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. He stressed that \u201crecovery in Gaza must advance the underlying political objectives: the reunification of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under a single, legitimate, sovereign Palestinian government\u201d.<\/p>\n

        More details and related content: <\/em><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Implementation of ±¬ÁÏÍø Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025): Report of the Board of Peace through the Office of the High Representative for Gaza (S\/2026\/418) <\/a>(15 May)<\/li>\n
        2. ±¬ÁÏÍø Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process condemns arson attack on mosque in Jibiya, calls for accountability <\/a>(16 May)<\/li>\n
        3. Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza briefs the Security Council<\/a> (21 May)<\/li>\n
        4. \u201cRecovery in Gaza must advance the underlying political objectives: the reunification of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under a single, legitimate, sovereign Palestinian government\u201d, ±¬ÁÏÍø Special Coordinator tells Security Council <\/a>(21 May)<\/li>\n
        5. Ceasefire, \u2018far from perfect\u2019, remains basis for Gaza recovery, speakers tell Security Council amid calls for urgent, full implementation<\/a> (21 May)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n

          <\/a>IV. ±¬ÁÏÍø report: large-scale violations, including atrocity crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          A report<\/a> of the Office of the ±¬ÁÏÍø High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) between 7 October 2023 and 31 May 2025, released on 18 May, found that Palestinian armed groups committed serious violations on 7 October 2023, some of which amounted to war crimes and potentially other international crimes. The report also found that Israeli authorities \u201cintensified a pattern of severe violations\u201d of the Palestinians\u2019 rights across the OPT, and that the Israeli military\u2019s conduct in Gaza \u201cinvolved egregious violations of international law\u201d. It concludes that the Israeli actions \u201cindicate a pattern of conduct\u201d directed towards collective punishment of Palestinians and forced displacement, which is \u201cethnic cleansing\u201d large parts of the OPT, and that \u201cthe cumulative effect of Israeli policies and practices\u201d has been to consolidate the system of discrimination, oppression, domination and segregation\u201d across the OPT, \u201cdeepening the denial of the Palestinian people\u2019s right to self-determination\u201d. These violations occurred within the broader context of Israel\u2019s consolidation of its continued unlawful presence in the Palestinian territory, the expansion of unlawful Israeli settlements across the West Bank, and more than 18-years of unlawful closure and blockade of Gaza, which was intensified during the reporting period.<\/p>\n

          More details and related content:<\/em><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. ±¬ÁÏÍø Human Rights Chief: When attacks on the media are normalized, freedom itself begins to decay – Video message on World Press Freedom Day<\/a> (1 May)<\/li>\n
          2. \u201cStop targeting journalists\u201d: Voices from conflict zones on World Press Freedom Day<\/a> (4 May)<\/li>\n
          3. Palestine: Human Rights Bulletin (Reporting period: 1 April – 30 April 2026) [EN\/AR]<\/a> (8 May)<\/li>\n
          4. Israel must immediately release Gaza-bound Flotilla activists, say ±¬ÁÏÍø experts <\/a>(8 May)<\/li>\n
          5. OCHA: Diplomats visit communities displaced by settler violence<\/a> (11 May)<\/li>\n
          6. ±¬ÁÏÍø High Commissioner for Human Rights urges repeal of special military tribunal law passed by Israeli Knesset <\/a>(13 May)<\/li>\n
          7. OHCHR report on practices and policies affecting human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem (7 October 2023 \u2013 31 May 2025) <\/a>(18 May)<\/li>\n
          8. ±¬ÁÏÍø report on large-scale violations, including atrocity crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory, remarks by Head of Human Rights Office <\/a>(18 May)<\/li>\n
          9. Special Rapporteur on torture warns of persistent risks for Palestinian detainees, implores Israel to change course <\/a>(19 May)<\/li>\n
          10. ±¬ÁÏÍø Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms Israel\u2019s decision to establish military facilities at the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound<\/a> (20 May)<\/li>\n
          11. International Court of Justice Order on fixing of time-limits: Reply and Rejoinder – South Africa’s genocide case against Israel <\/a>(21 May)<\/li>\n
          12. OHCHR: Israel must halt forcible displacement of Khan al Ahmar and settlement expansion in E1 <\/a>(22 May)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n

            <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>V. Health and sanitation crises in Gaza deepen<\/strong><\/h2>\n

            The World Health Organisation (WHO) recorded<\/a> 216 attacks on health care, 112 deaths and 305 injuries among health care personnel in Gaza from 1 January to 31 December 2025, according to data released on 1 May. \u00a0In a separate report on 12 May, WHO estimated<\/a> that 43,000 of the 172,000 people injured in Gaza since October 2023 have sustained life-changing injuries, a quarter of those with life-changing injuries are children (approximately 10,000). On 8 May, the ±¬ÁÏÍø Children\u2019s Fund (±¬ÁÏÍøICEF) reported<\/a> that in 2025 in Gaza all 320,000 children under five were at risk of acute malnutrition. On 25 May, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned <\/a>that severe shortages of engine oil continue to disrupt critical water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services across Gaza and displaced families are increasingly affected by skin infections and other illnesses, as rats and insects enter shelters and contaminate food. Similarly, ±¬ÁÏÍøICEF reported<\/a> on 29 May about the impact on children and families of deteriorating hygiene conditions, as growing quantities of waste accumulate in and around displacement sites, shelters, and overcrowded communities and inaccessible disposal sites.<\/p>\n

            On 20 May, according to the ±¬ÁÏÍø Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (±¬ÁÏÍøRWA), medical surveillance teams continued to report<\/a> an increase in ectoparasitic infections, such as scabies, as well as chickenpox. ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA further reported that since the start of the war in Gaza up to 18 May, 391 ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA colleagues have been killed in Gaza (310 ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA personnel, and 81 persons who were supporting ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA).<\/p>\n

            More details and related content:<\/em><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Updates by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)\n