Nikolai Mladenov, the United Nations envoy to the Middle East, warned on Monday that if the agreements achieved by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority under Egypt mediation are not honored, the result would be "devastating" to Gaza residents. He explained, "Whether the excuse is security arrangements or whether the sides fall into the provocations of extremists, everyone in Gaza will suffer from the collapse of the agreement."
Mladenov hinted that the possible move by the United States to close the PLO's office in Washington, DC could sabotage the reconciliation, adding, "All sides must remain committed and involved in the Middle East, and only through dialogue can we build."