UN Peace Operations

The Board of Peace has stated that its policy regarding UNRWA's role in Gaza remains unchanged, according to Middle East Monitor. The announcement comes amid ongoing international debate over the UN agency's operations in the Palestinian territories, where Israel has moved to restrict UNRWA's activities. The statement signals continuity in how the body approaches humanitarian coordination in Gaza despite shifting political circumstances.

The Board of Peace has decided to exclude the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operations in Gaza. The move aligns with repeated Israeli government calls to sideline the refugee aid agency, and marks a significant shift in who will deliver humanitarian assistance in the territory. Observers are weighing what the decision means for aid delivery to Palestinian refugees, given UNRWA's long-standing role as the main UN agency serving them in Gaza and the wider region.

Hamas has accused the Board of Peace of aligning with Israel after the body excluded UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, from its operations in Gaza. The Palestinian group says the exclusion demonstrates bias against Palestinians and undermines the agency's critical humanitarian role. The dispute adds new friction to international efforts over Gaza's future and the delivery of aid.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met with South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Co-operation at UN headquarters. The meeting is part of regular diplomatic engagements between the UN leadership and member state representatives. No details of the discussion have been released, but such talks typically cover cooperation on peace and security, development priorities, and South Africa's role in African and global affairs.

The United Nations has issued its weekly roundup on peace operations covering 26 September to 2 October 2026, released through its Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The briefing gathers developments across UN field missions and political engagements for the week. No further details are available beyond the schedule notice itself.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo delivered remarks on peace operations during a media stakeout at the United Nations Security Council. The intervention comes as the Council continues to debate the future of UN peacekeeping mandates in the region, where conflict in eastern DRC remains a pressing security concern.

Accord, a South African peace institute, has published a piece arguing that United Nations peace operations must be fundamentally reset to cope with modern conflict. The argument is that missions designed for inter-state wars are struggling with today's asymmetric wars, political fragmentation and shrinking international consensus for intervention.