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Original article: Mil días de la Gaza devastada: Proteger la paz, preservar la solución de dos Estados

By Vera Baboun, Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Chile
July 3, 2026

It has been 1,000 days since the catastrophic escalation in Gaza began, serving as a painful reminder that the Palestinian people remain under occupation and bear a monumental humanitarian burden.

The scale of fatalities, material losses, forced displacement, and widespread destruction is unprecedented. Behind every statistic lie shattered lives, destroyed homes, children robbed of their futures, and communities struggling daily for survival.

In light of findings from recent independent United Nations investigative mechanisms that have documented genocidal actions and other serious violations of international law, the suffering unfolding before the world demands much more than humanitarian solidarity; it calls for political will and decisive international action.

After a thousand days, it is impossible to disconnect this humanitarian catastrophe from the ongoing Israeli occupation and the absence of a fair, durable, and negotiated political solution that enables the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign state.

Humanitarian assistance in Gaza remains essential, but it alone cannot resolve a crisis that is fundamentally political in nature. The devastation of homes, hospitals, schools, and civil infrastructure, coupled with the forced displacement of people, illustrates an unbearable human cost. There will be no sustainable peace as long as the international community only addresses the consequences of violence without tackling its root causes.

Each day without a credible political solution prolongs suffering and distances the prospects for a just and lasting peace.

Israeli occupation’s attempts to alter the reality on the ground in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continue to undermine the viability of the two-state solution. The expansion of settlements and other unilateral measures create facts on the ground that hinder the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state.

Of particular importance is the report published on June 23, 2026, by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, which documents serious violations of international law committed against Palestinian children since October 2023.

According to the Commission, at least 20,179 Palestinian children have been killed and 44,143 have been injured due to the actions of the Israeli Occupation Forces.

The report documents the devastating physical and psychological impact experienced by minors, examines evidence of deliberate attacks on Palestinian children—even after the Gaza peace plan of October 2025—and warns about the alarming increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

These findings are not political assessments but the conclusions of an independent investigation mechanism established by the United Nations, forming an extraordinarily robust body of evidence that the international community can no longer afford to ignore.

Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, significant diplomatic advances have been made. The growing recognition of the State of Palestine by numerous countries reaffirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and strengthens the viability of the two-state solution. Along with the findings of the United Nations investigative mechanisms, these developments highlight that the status quo is unsustainable.

The time has come to transform political and legal support into concrete actions that ensure the protection of civilians, accountability, and respect for international law—indispensable conditions for achieving a just and lasting peace.

After a thousand days of devastation, protecting peace and preserving the two-state solution has become an unavoidable responsibility for those who believe in international law and justice.

Only a collective and determined action that ends the occupation and realizes the Palestinian people’s right to an independent and sovereign state can pave the way for a just and lasting peace in the region.

Vera Baboun, Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Chile

La entrada A Thousand Days in Devastated Gaza: Safeguarding Peace and Maintaining the Two-State Solution se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.