Poland raises Gaza humanitarian concerns, UN troop safety in Lebanon in talks with Israel

Poland expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the conditions affecting its peacekeeping troops in Lebanon during talks with Israel, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Wojciech Zajaczkowski met Israeli Ambassador to Poland Yaakov Finkelstein to discuss developments in the Middle East and bilateral relations, the ministry said in a post on the US social media platform X.

“The discussion focused on the situation in the Middle East, particularly in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, as well as Polish-Israeli relations,” it said.

“The Polish side expressed concern over the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian population,” the ministry added, pointing to worsening conditions in Gaza.

Warsaw also raised concerns about its troops serving in southern Lebanon, citing “deteriorating conditions affecting the Polish contingent” within the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.

“It also emphasized the importance of the principle of sovereignty in bilateral relations,” the ministry said.

The remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had been extended by three weeks following ambassador-level talks at the White House. The US-brokered truce, which took effect on April 16, had been set to expire on Sunday.

Since March 2, expanded Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 2,200 people and displaced over 1 million, according to Lebanese authorities.

In Gaza, large parts of the population remain displaced, with many living in tents, schools and open areas amid severe humanitarian conditions after widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.

On April 14, Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel had committed around 2,400 ceasefire violations, including killings, arrests and blockade measures. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the violations have killed 972 Palestinians and injured 2,235 others.

The ceasefire followed nearly two years of war that began on Oct. 8, 2023, resulting in extensive damage to infrastructure across the enclave.