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Month: November 2023

Stories from the UN Archive: The origin of #PalestineDay

Why 29 November? On that day in 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the partition of Palestine.

At the founding commemoration of the international day, the then-UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim expressed a view echoed by successive secretaries-general that “events of these last years have made the world painfully aware that the Palestinian people and the recognition and implementation of their rights are the key to any solution in the Middle East.” 

Watch how the UN created the international day here, part of our #ThrowbackThursday series showcasing epic moments across UN history, cultivated from the UN Audiovisual Library’s 49,400 hours of video and 18,000 hours of audio recordings.

Visit UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive playlist here and our Podcast Classics series here. Join us next Thursday for another dive into history.

When this picture was taken at Khan Younis in 1955, the tented refugee camp in the Gaza Strip had just been replaced by cement block houses. These youngsters were happy to have more weatherproof shelter against the summer sun and winter rains.
© UNRWA/J. Madvo

When this picture was taken at Khan Younis in 1955, the tented refugee camp in the Gaza Strip had just been replaced by cement block houses. These youngsters were happy to have more weatherproof shelter against the summer sun and winter rains.

Science points to ‘climate collapse’ as UN chief calls COP28 to action

While 2023 is not yet over, a provisional report from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that it is set to be the warmest on record, with global temperatures rising 1.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Mr. Guterres said that the race is on to keep alive the 1.5-degree limit agreed by world leaders in Paris in 2015.

“We are living through climate collapse in real time – and the impact is devastating,” he warned in a video statement accompanying the launch of the report on the first day of this year’s annual UN climate talks. 

Glaciers are breaking off from the Patagonian ice field in the far reaches of South America.
UN News/Nargiz Shekinskaya

Melting glaciers, rising seas

The UN Secretary-General recently visited two global warming hotspots, Antarctica and Nepal, where he bore witness to record low sea ice and was “shocked at the speed of receding glaciers”.

According to WMO’s report, the maximum Antarctic Sea ice extent for the year was a staggering one million square kilometres less than the previous record low, at the end of southern hemisphere winter.  

Glaciers in western North America and the European Alps also experienced an “extreme melt season”.

Because of continued ocean warming and melting of glaciers and ice sheets, record sea level rise was also observed, WMO said.  

Greenhouse gas levels keep climbing

Meanwhile, concentrations in the atmosphere of heat-trapping carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide reached a record high last year and continued to increase in 2023.  

WMO stressed that carbon dioxide levels are 50 per cent above the pre-industrial era and that the gas’s long lifetime “means that temperatures will continue to rise for many years to come”.

“These are more than just statistics,” said WMO chief Petteri Taalas, calling for action to “limit the risks of an increasingly inhospitable climate in this and the coming centuries”.

Dire consequences

From deadly Cyclone Daniel in Libya in September to devastating floods in the Horn of Africa following five consecutive seasons of drought and severe smoke pollution from Canada’s forest blazes, WMO’s report highlights the grim effects of climate upheaval on lives, health and livelihoods.  

Throughout the year, communities suffering from extreme weather around the world faced food insecurity and displacement.  

“Record global heat should send shivers down the spines of world leaders,” Mr. Guterres said. “And it should trigger them to act”.

Follow the roadmap

The UN chief reiterated his call on countries to “triple renewables, double energy efficiency… and phase out fossil fuels”.

According to WMO, last year renewable energy capacity grew by some 10 per cent worldwide, led by solar and wind power.

Mr. Guterres pointed to the existing roadmap to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Eight years on, he urged governments to set “clear expectations” for the next round of climate action plans and invest in their implementation.

Protect people

The COP 28 conference will see the first-ever “global stocktake” to assess collective progress on cutting emissions and ramping up adaptation efforts and support to developing countries hard hit by a warming climate.

The UN Secretary-General said that countries must “go further and faster in protecting people from climate chaos”.

This includes ensuring that every person on Earth is covered by early warnings against extreme weather by 2027 and operationalizing a “loss and damage fund” to assist vulnerable hit hard by floods, droughts and other climate disasters with “generous, early contributions” from richer nations, he said. 

Developed countries must honour the promise to deliver $100 billion per year in climate finance, which was first made at COP15 in 2009, and double the amount of funding going towards adaptation efforts, he insisted.

Delegates arrive at Expo City in Dubai for COP28.
© UNFCCC

COP28

The UN climate conference taking place from 30 November to 12 December in Dubai is the 28th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which entered into force in 1994.  

Over 60,000 delegates are expected to attend, including the member states of the UNFCCC, industry leaders, youth activists and representatives of indigenous communities.  

All eyes will be on the conclusions of the first global stocktake – referred to as a ‘temperature check’ on where the world stands in meeting commitments under the Paris Agreement – and countries’ willingness to use them as a springboard towards more ambitious, accelerated climate action. 

COP28 gets underway in Dubai with call for ‘terminal decline’ of the fossil fuel era

“We are taking baby steps and stepping far too slowly to work out the best responses to the complex climate impacts we are faced with,” Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change Simon Stiell told delegates gathered for COP28. 

The 28th annual meeting known as ‘COP’ after the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Cli​mate Change (UNFCCC), is scheduled to run through to 12 December. 

The action takes place at the sprawling campus of Expo City decorated with trees and foliage. It is located on the outskirts of Dubai and is expected to host over 70,000 delegates, climate negotiators and other participants coming together to shape a better future for the planet. 

And not a moment too soon: just hours ahead of the opening of the COP, the UN weather agency, known as WMO, issued a provisional report saying that this has “shattered” climate records accompanied by extreme weather which has left a trail of devastation and despair. 

What’s at stake 

In his remarks today, UN climate chief Stiell outlined just what’s at stake. “This has been the hottest year ever for humanity. So many terrifying records were broken,” he said, adding: We are paying with people’s lives and livelihoods.” 
 
“Science tells us we have around six years before we exhaust the planet’s ability to cope with our emissions. Before we blow through the 1.5-degree limit,” he warned, referring to one of the keystone targets under the landmark Paris Agreement. 
 
Ominously, a steady stream of reports published in the lead up to COP28 have shown that the world is way off-track in achieving climate goals. and in the absence of ambitious action, we are heading towards a temperature increase of 3 degrees by the end of this century. 
 
Against this backdrop, Mr. Stiell called on countries to deliver ambitious new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), or national climate action plans where every single commitment in 2025 – on finance, adaptation, and mitigation – must be in line with a 1.5-degree world. 

Simon Stiell, UNFCCC Executive Secretary addresses the Formal Opening of COP28, at Expo City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
COP28/Christopher Pike

Simon Stiell, UNFCCC Executive Secretary addresses the Formal Opening of COP28, at Expo City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Progress on Paris Goals

The Dubai COP will mark the culmination of a process known as the ‘Global Stocktake’ – an evaluation of the progress so far on achieving key provisions of the Paris accord: namely curbing greenhouse gas emissions, building climate resilience and mobilizing financial support for vulnerable countries. 

As such, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary said delegations at COP28 faced two options: The first would be to note the lack of progress, tweak current best practices “and encourage ourselves to do more ‘at some other point in time’.”

Or the conference could decide at what point it will have made everyone on the planet safe and resilient; to fund this transition properly including the response to loss and damage; and decide to commit to a new energy system. 

Indeed, he warned: “If we do not signal the terminal decline of the fossil fuel era as we know it, we welcome our own terminal decline. And we choose to pay with people’s lives. If this transition isn’t just, we won’t transition at all. That means justice within and between countries.” 

He also emphasized his focus on ensuring accountability for climate promises. 
 
“Yes, this is the biggest COP yet – but attending a COP does not tick the climate box for the year. The badges around your necks make you responsible for delivering climate action here and at home.” 
 
“I am committing the UNFCCC to track all announcements made and initiatives launched. So that long after the cameras have gone, we can ensure our promises continue to serve the planet,” Mr. Stiell added. 

Thursday’s events marked the meeting’s procedural opening, but the conference will begin in earnest on Friday with a ‘climate action summit’ featuring the UN Secretary General alongside world leaders who will present national statements on what their governments are doing to address the global climate crisis. 

UN affirms solidarity with the Palestinian people on International Day

The annual observation on 29 November marks the day in 1947 that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on partitioning Palestine into two independent States, one Arab and one Jewish.

The 1948 displacement of Palestinians from land that became Israel – known as the Nakba (“catastrophe” in Arabic) – is the subject of an exhibition currently on display at UN Headquarters in New York.

Barefoot and pushing their belongings in prams and carts, Arab families leave the coastal town of Jaffa which became part of the greater Tel Aviv area in the state of Israel.
UN Photo

Barefoot and pushing their belongings in prams and carts, Arab families leave the coastal town of Jaffa which became part of the greater Tel Aviv area in the state of Israel.

‘Humanitarian catastrophe’

The International Day has been commemorated since 1978.  This year, it took place against the backdrop of war in the Gaza Strip, where a truce between Israel and Hamas is set to expire after holding for six days.

Palestinians in Gaza are suffering “a humanitarian catastrophe”, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for the Day.

“Almost 1.7 million people have been forced from their homes – but nowhere is safe,” he said, while also warning that “the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, risks boiling over.”

A reminder of 1948

The plight of Palestine refugees remains the world’s longest unresolved refugee crisis, said Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the UN agency that has assisted this population for the past 75 years.

He added that “the appalling human tragedy we are witnessing in Gaza is reminiscent of the collective trauma experienced by Palestinians in 1948.”

UNRWA supports some five million Palestine refugees across the Middle East, providing education, healthcare and social protection, among other services.

Commitment to stay

“In Gaza, we are determined not only to stay, but to scale up our operation to meet the enormous needs of the community,” said Mr. Lazzarini, noting that over one million people are now housed in overcrowded shelters.

“In the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, we will continue to do whatever we can to protect our critical services delivery for as long as it is needed, providing vital stability to the region.”

Although UNRWA “remains a beacon of hope amid despair and destruction,” he stressed the urgent need for “a genuine political resolution that meets the legitimate aspirations of Palestinian refugees.”

Extensive destruction is seen in the Gaza strip following Israeli airstrikes on 10 October 2023.
WHO

Extensive destruction is seen in the Gaza strip following Israeli airstrikes on 10 October 2023.

Uphold rights, restore hope

Speaking at UN Headquarters in New York, General Assembly President Dennis Francis expressed sorrow “for the lives lost – both in the past seven weeks, and over the past seven decades.”

Like all human beings, the Palestinian people are entitled to their fundamental and inalienable right to live in dignity, with all liberties, he said.  This includes freedom of movement, as well as freedom from fear and want, and unfettered access to basic services.

“It is, therefore, imperative that we restore and sustain their hope – especially among the younger generations that have never experienced what peace looks or feels like,” he said.

By doing so, the international community will have “fulfilled our duty of care – in reaffirming the fundamental principle that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” he added.

Dialogue and diplomacy

Mr. Francis said ensuring that every Palestinian sees these inalienable rights as realised and respected, first and foremost requires permanent peace in the Middle East.

He also upheld the need to re-engage in dialogue while adhering to relevant UN resolutions and international instruments.

He welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and expressed support for all efforts to implement the truce and maximize its positive impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.  

“Peace for all’

“These days of respite from hostilities must be optimised to alleviate the dire needs of Palestinians – allowing them to mourn their dead, to have unhindered access to food and water as well as other urgently needed services,” he said.

The Assembly President said the UN “cannot lose sight of one of the ultimate and primary goals that brought our Organisation into being: Peace for all.”  

He appealed to the international community “to leverage its power to seek compromise, direct dialogue, while fostering trust and good-faith negotiations in the Middle East.” 

World News in Brief: South Sudan aid plan, rising cost of healthy eating, Europe’s diabetes burden

The conflict in neighbouring Sudan has had an impact on the country’s economy, increasing the prices of food and the number of vulnerable people who need assistance.

It is estimated that 7.1 million people in South Sudan will continue to be food insecure during the lean season, which runs from April to July, while roughly 1.6 million children will remain at risk of malnutrition.

‘Multiple shocks’ loom 

Humanitarians will continue to work to ensure that people no longer have to depend on aid, said Marie-Helene Verney, UN acting Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, speaking at the plan’s launch in the capital, Juba, on Tuesday. 

“Sadly, for most people, we expect multiple shocks, including the negative impact of climate change, which will continue to drive acute needs next year,” she added. 

Last year’s humanitarian plan called for $1.7 billion and is only 54 per cent funded.

Eating healthily costs 4.3 per cent more today than in 2020: FAO 

Eating healthily costs well over four per cent more than in 2020, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)  warned on Wednesday in its annual Statistical Yearbook, which also highlights the impact of natural and man-made disasters on agriculture.

FAO said disasters correspond to average losses in farming of $123 billion per year, which is five per cent of annual global agricultural output.

Although more than 870 million people worked in agriculture in 2021, representing 27 per cent of the global workforce, this is well below the number at the turn of the century, when one billion people worked in farming – the equivalent of 40 per cent of all those working. 

The FAO Statistical Yearbook also revealed that nearly 20 per cent of food is lost in sub-Saharan Africa after harvesting, representing the highest tally globally.

Europe leads the world in children with type 1 diabetes: WHO 

Countries must do more to detect and prevent diabetes – particularly in Europe, which has the highest burden globally of type 1 diabetes among adults and children. 

That’s according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which said Europe has nearly 300,000 children with type 1 diabetes. 

The region also sees the highest number diagnosed with the illness every year, placing a huge burden on individuals, societies and healthcare systems, including reduced quality of life, productivity losses and high treatment costs. 

WHO noted that vision impairment linked to diabetes is the most preventable cause of blindness among Europe’s working-age population. 

World must not look away from humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, UN chief tells Security Council

Briefing top diplomats, the UN chief said the world must not look away from the suffering of civilians in Gaza, calling for “a true humanitarian ceasefire” that leads to a lasting two-State solution.

The meeting has now ended in New York, but the frantic diplomacy continues to try and end the devastation in Gaza caused by Israel’s offensive to destroy Hamas, return the remaining hostages held by Palestinian militants, and provide a secure future for both Israel and Palestine. Here are the highlights from Wednesday’s meeting:

HIGHLIGHTS

  • “We need a true humanitarian ceasefire,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, describing a catastrophe on the ground in Gaza and underlining the need to release all hostages
  • Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, had “a message that resonates today as we mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People: There must be a new and different approach, or we are doomed to return to the path of managing a conflict that clearly cannot be managed”
  • Council members, including many ministers, roundly decried the unfolding humanitarian crisis and commended the ongoing pause in fighting, with some calling for the full implementation of its resolution 2712 on the crisis
  • “We cannot afford to lose more lives,” said the ambassador of Malta, penholder of resolution 2712, adopted in mid-November following several failed attempts
  • Non-Council members echoed those calls, with Qatar’s Prime Minister saying “it is high time to take real measures towards peace; the region will not enjoy peace and security without the establishment of a Palestinian State”
  • Israel’s ambassador said the Council has not addressed Hamas’s “central role in the ruin of the region”
  • “We are at a historic crossroad,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the observer State of Palestine
  • Read our explainer on international humanitarian law and other explainers here.
  • For summaries of this and other UN meetings, visit our colleagues at the UN Meetings Coverage in English and French

1:15 PM

Indonesia: Aid window ‘too narrow and too fragile’

Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, welcomed the adoption of Council resolution 2712, as well as the humanitarian pauses and release of hostages and prisoners.

“Out of this small glimpse of peace, we could see hope – families reunited and aid reaching those in desperate need,” she said, adding, however, that it is not sufficient.

“The humanitarian pause is too narrow and too fragile and will not be able to create a better situation in Gaza,” she cautioned.

Another day without fighting is a day worth fighting for

Calling on the Security Council to act to preserve trust in the multilateral system, she said it must ensure that hostility does not return with vengeance.

“Another day without fighting is a day worth fighting for,” she declared, adding that the warring parties must move beyond a humanitarian pause into a durable ceasefire.

Emphasizing the importance of the two-State solution, she said it is the right time to restart the peace process.

“As we honour this year’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, let us not turn a blind eye or remain silent to the struggle of the innocent people in Gaza whose only sin is being born Palestinian.”

12:58 PM

End ‘flagrant injustice’ of Israeli occupation: Jordan

Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Jordan, underscored that ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine is a viable way to ensure peace for Palestinians, Israelis and all others in the region.

“Those who purport to say that this conflict is a religious conflict are lying; they are trying to falsify history and reality,” he said, stressing that the conflict continues because of an “unfair occupation and flagrant injustice”.

He urged the Security Council to make a strong call for a ceasefire and to bring an end to the aggression.

“We demand the international community bring an end to the occupation, to bring an end to the conflict,” he said. “You all support the two-State solution,” which by definition would bring an end to the occupation.

“There is only one viable path to peace that we all want,” he continued, calling on the Security Council to adopt a resolution recognizing the Palestinian independent State, with Jerusalem as its capital along the pre-1967 borders.

12:48 PM

Türkiye: Swimming in ‘untrusted waters’

Hakan Fidan, Türkiye’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, warned against the paralysis of the Security Council, which has failed to rectify the historic injustice inflicted on the Palestinians for many decades.

We are all in untrusted waters

Without international laws, principles and moral, “we are all in untrusted waters,” he said, fearing more radicalization on all sides, fuelled by injustice and impunity.

Millions of people around the world are coming together to express their solidarity with the Palestinian people. The frustration and revolt sparked by the atrocities committed by Israel might lead to social upheaval in many countries, he cautioned, adding that the extension of the humanitarian pause in Gaza and the exchange of hostages and prisoners are, in his eyes, glimmers of hope.

At the same time, he said he was following “closely and with concern” the different scenarios for the “day after”.

Therefore, this dark episode must be translated into possibilities for resolving the conflict, otherwise, the symptoms may lead to a more catastrophic tomorrow, he said.

12:40 PM

Egypt: No more ‘empty statements’

Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Hassan Shoukry Selim, said that since day one, his delegation has been calling for the release of Israeli hostages.

But, what do the international community and the Security Council think of the fate of Palestinian prisoners “who are also ‘hostages’ held by the occupying Power?” he asked.

Egypt has presented an “apolitical” draft resolution on humanitarian aid, he said, calling on the Council to support it “to put an end to this catastrophe”.

“We must abandon double standards and translate compassionate words into action,” he said.

As for the next steps, the only possibility is to address the root causes of the conflict in an integrated and comprehensive manner to end the occupation.

“We must put aside ’empty statements’ and work hand in hand on the two-State solution,” he said, emphasizing that it is time for countries to recognize the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations.

12:30 PM

Qatar: Take ‘real measures’ to cement peace

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, said Palestinians “have gone through hell” in the past weeks.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

For its part, Doha has started close communications with parties to put an end to the bloodshed and ensure the return of hostages. Recalling recent high-level negotiations in which Qatar has been central, he said an agreement had led to an extension of the pause and the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. It also paved the way to get more aid into Gaza.

Prime Minister Al-Thani said he looked forward to further action by the Security Council, including a monitoring mechanism to oversee aid distribution. Above all, international humanitarian law must be upheld, without double standards, he stated.

“It is high time to take real measures towards peace,” he said. “Any attempt to avoid straight forward actions will only lead to an escalation of violence. We call for peace. The region will not enjoy peace and security without the establishment of a Palestinian State.”

What does humanitarian law really mean?

Many top diplomats invoked the importance of international humanitarian law in the Council Chamber on Wednesday morning. UN News produced an explainer last month, outlining exactly what it is and how it was designed to provide guardrails in times of conflict.

12:15 PM

West showing ‘blatant double standards’ over Gaza: Russia

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stated that for over two months, a conflict of biblical proportions has gripped the Middle East.

“It is no exaggeration to say that it has become one of the most lethal regional conflicts in recent decades,” he said, noting the devastating impact on civilians, in particular children.

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of Russia addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of Russia addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

He also highlighted the efforts of all humanitarian workers on the ground, risking their lives to deliver vital aid, and paid tribute to those killed.

Mr. Nebenzia questioned the “blatant double standards” of Western delegations vis-à-vis the Palestinian people.

“How many times have Western delegations requested Security Council meetings on Ukraine? The answer is at least twice a month,” he said. “How many times have these delegations requested Security Council meetings on the Middle East? Zero.”

He asked “why are you being so timid, or is it that the fate of the Palestinian population is much less interesting for you from a domestic political perspective in your capitals?”

It is time to think about the day after, he said.

“There are many questions about the ways to rebuild Gaza and, in general, the future long-term solution to the Palestinian question,” he said. “Without a solution to that, it will not be possible to ensure a truly sustainable security situation for Israel. Russia is actively working in this direction.”

12:01 PM

France: Council must condemn Hamas attack

French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière said the truce must become permanent through a lasting ceasefire, and all hostages must be released.

Condemning the Hamas attacks against Israel on 7 October, he said the Council must do the same unambiguously and without further delay.

Welcoming progress in getting aid into Gaza, he echoed other Council members’ calls for increased access. For its part, France has begun treating wounded Palestinians on its hospital ship and has sent tonnes of aid to Gaza, he told ministers.

Calling on Israel to halt settler violence in the Palestinian Occupied Territory, he worried that unless action is taken, the conflict could spill over throughout the region.

“To bring an end to the cycles of violence, there must be a relaunch of a credible peace process,” he said. “Further procrastination would undoubtedly result in an escalation of violence.”

A Palestinian State is the only viable way forward, he said.

Food is distributed to displaced people in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
© UNRWA

Food is distributed to displaced people in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

11:46 AM

Avoid ‘regional conflagration’: Malta

“We cannot afford to lose more lives”, said Maltese Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, who led the successful Council resolution negotiations earlier this month. 

“We cannot return to further bloodshed and insecurity; it is in this spirit that Malta echoes the Secretary-General’s call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” she said.

Ambassador Vanessa Frazier of Malta addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Ambassador Vanessa Frazier of Malta addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

She called on all parties to urge de-escalation and exercise the utmost restraint.

She reiterated Malta’s “strong condemnation” of the terror attacks by Hamas and called for the release of all hostages, immediately and unconditionally. But, countless children caught up in the conflict are continuing to live in “increased anguish and deprivation”.

She said the World Health Organization’s (WHO) statement that more now could die from disease than bombing in Gaza, was “gravely concerning, and immediate action is needed to prevent this scenario”.

“Avoiding a regional conflagration is of utmost importance and must be avoided at all costs,” she said. “It is imperative that we consider a credible foundation for future peace.”

Malta reaffirmed its commitment to a two-State solution along the pre-1967 borders, addressing the legitimate aspirations of both sides, with Jerusalem as the future capital of two nations, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions and internationally agreed parameters.

Within this dire context, and particularly today on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, she said it remains clear this is the only viable path to peace. 

11:30 AM

Time for ‘unifying action’: Ghana

Mavis Nkansah-Boadu, Ghana Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said that events over the past few days “remind us all of the consequence of ‘elusive peace’” in the Middle East during the past 75 years.

Foreign Minister Mavis Nkansah-Boadu of Ghana addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Foreign Minister Mavis Nkansah-Boadu of Ghana addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

“As we contemplate a Gaza after tomorrow, we cannot overlook the totality of peace required in Palestine, which demands of the parties their full commitment to seek the narrow and difficult path for a renewed and constructive dialogue on a political horizon,” she said. 

Absent progress from the international Quartet on Middle East peace, she strongly encouraged the Security Council to consider appointing a special rapporteur from among its members to unify its position on how to further proceed with the two-State solution. 

She said a positive response from donors was essential to keep funding UN aid agencies’ work on the ground and stressed the importance of the UN force (UNIFIL) working to keep the peace along the ‘blue line’ between Lebanon and Israel.

She emphasized the importance of protecting civilians as a key responsibility of the Council, saying that no effort should be spared to de-escalate the conflict and prevent its spread. 

She renewed Ghana’s commitment to support efforts towards lasting peace “and unifying action by all of us”.

11:15 AM

UAE: Gaza aid must be increased ‘in sustained manner’

The current truce is “a sign of hope”, said Khalifa Shaheen, the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of State. He expressed his appreciation for the diplomatic efforts of Qatar, the US and Egypt in bringing about the pause.

He also stressed the importance of the Council’s resolution this month relating to international law and the release of detainees.

Underlining the relevance of the UN chief’s briefing on progress made regarding aid, he said it was vital to improve aid mechanisms “in a sustained manner and at sufficient scale”.

Recent events have demonstrated the need for the international community to stop merely managing this conflict, he said.

“Instead, we must work to revive hope for the possibility of reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive political solution to the Palestinian issue,” he said.

Moving forward, a suitable environment must be created for resuming serious negotiations, based on the agreed upon references to achieve a two-State solution, so that these steps begin to be implemented immediately after a ceasefire is reached.

He underscored that achieving sustainable peace will not be possible without ending the Israeli occupation of all Palestinian and Arab territories and establishing an independent Palestinian State, based on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in security, peace and mutual recognition.  

10:52 AM

United States: Pause is ‘glimmer of hope’

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the pause has provided a “glimmer of hope”.

“While the work we do in this Chamber is important, often times progress occurs outside these walls,” she said, adding that, from day one, the United States’ approach has been driven by direct diplomacy.

However, much more humanitarian assistance is needed as well as civilian protection, she said.

“We know Hamas continues to use people as human shields, but this does not lessen Israel’s responsibility to protect civilians under international humanitarian law,” she said.

Welcoming the release of some hostages, she said many families are “living in hell”, adding that “we will not rest” until all are freed. As such, the US wants to see the pause extended, she said, adding that “the ball is now in Hamas’s court.”

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

‘We need a two-State solution’

She expressed concern that the conflict may spill over, including in Lebanon, together with a rise of settler violence in the West Bank and a spike in dehumanizing rhetoric playing out in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic messages online.

“We need a two-State solution,” Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said, as this is the only way to end this cycle of violence once and for all.

“Let us work together. We must commit to diplomacy, and let us do everything possible at long last to deliver on the promise of peace and the hope for a brighter future.”

10:45 AM

Every civilian life lost, ‘a tragedy’: UK

Lord Tariq Ahmad, the United Kingdom’s Minister of State at the Foreign Office, said that as the world looks to the Middle East, “a tragedy is unfolding in front of our eyes.”

United Kingdom’s Minister for the Middle East, Lord Tariq Ahmad, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

United Kingdom’s Minister for the Middle East, Lord Tariq Ahmad, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

“Israel has suffered the worst terror attack in its history, and Palestinians are experiencing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis as a result of the ensuing Israeli military action,” he said.

He emphasized that every civilian life lost is a tragedy.

“Every life matters – Israeli or Palestinian. Every innocent civilian life lost – Palestinian or Israeli – is a tragedy. Indeed we also collectively mourn the loss of all innocent lives, including those of UN personnel delivering vital lifesaving aid in Gaza,” he said.

He noted that the past week of military pause had provided a much needed respite, with the agreement being an important opportunity in giving hope to the families of the hostages and for allowing vital humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“But, this should not be a one-off; we must collectively build from it,” he urged. “Hostages must be released, aid must get in and civilians must be protected.” 

10:35 AM

China: Dialogue is best way to save lives

Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China, which holds the Council presidency for November, said in his national capacity that the way out of crisis and conflict is through the two-State solution.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi (center) of China, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Foreign Minister Wang Yi (center) of China, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

“Dialogue and negotiation is the best way to save lives,” he said, adding that at this crossroads of war and peace, the international community must work towards finding solutions.

“Resumed fighting will most likely turn into a calamity that encompasses the whole region,” he said, expressing hope that the pause will be the beginning of a negotiated ceasefire.

Civilians must be protected with more robust actions, and the UN must play a greater role in humanitarian efforts in Gaza, he said, announcing that China will provide another package of aid.

Two-State solution remains path to peace

Only the implementation of the two-State solution can restore peace, he said, calling for bolstered diplomatic efforts in this regard, including restarting direct Israel-Palestine negotiations.

The Security Council should shoulder its responsibility and heed the calls to take further action promptly, he said, adding that China has submitted a paper on resolving the conflict.

Humanitarian aid is delivered to UNRWA shelters in the northern Gaza Strip.
© UNRWA

Humanitarian aid is delivered to UNRWA shelters in the northern Gaza Strip.

10:20 AM

Israel: ‘Shocking’ Council failure to condemn Hamas

Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN, said that Jewish people have experienced genocidal attempts and attacks more than once, “from Hitler and the Mufti and the terror organizations that follow in their footsteps”.

Ambassador Gilad Erdan of Israel addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Ambassador Gilad Erdan of Israel addresses the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

He noted that on 7 October, Hamas unleashed “an unprovoked act of pure evil upon evil upon Israel”, massacring the most Jews in one day since the Holocaust.

“Yet, shockingly, here we are two months later, and Hamas’s savage crimes have still not been condemned by this body [the Security Council] or any other UN body,” he said.

‘Elephant in the room’

Mr. Erdan went on to state that Iran armed, funded and trained Hamas, adding that its “central role in the ruin of the region has not even been addressed here”.

“It is not as if Hamas is fighting Israel alone. Hezbollah missiles have been raining down on northern Israeli towns. and Iran doesn’t hide its aim of Israel’s destruction,” he said, asking whether Iran’s central role in destabilizing the security of the Middle East does not deserve to even be raised in the Council.

“It is clear that the UN has been co-opted by those that have no real interest in a solution,” he said. “Every UN body has been weaponized against Israel.”

10:08 AM

Palestine: ‘We are at a historic crossroad’

Riyad Al-Maliki, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the observer State of Palestine, said a truce must become a ceasefire.

“This is not a war,” he said. “This is a carnage that no one can justify. It must be brought to an end.”

People must be allowed to go back to their homes, Mr. Al-Maliki added.

Riad Malki,  Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, speaks at the Security Council open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Riad Malki,  Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, speaks at the Security Council open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

“Over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel,” he said. “Over 10,000 of them are women and children. They have been killed by Israel. They did not lose their life; it was taken away. No one is safe in Gaza, not the children, not the doctors, not the humanitarian personnel, not the journalists, not the UN staff. They were killed at an unprecedented pace in modern history.”

‘We need international protection’

“We are at a historic crossroad,” he said.

The protection of Palestinians cannot be ensured by the occupying forces who are complicit in these crimes, he said.

“We need international protection and international action to end impunity so as to prevent the recurrence of these crimes that occur daily and in broad daylight,” he said. “What our people are enduring now is the result of the international community’s failure to provide such protection and accountability.”

There is no Palestine without Gaza. Gaza bleeds, Gaza suffers, Gaza aches, but Gaza lives

These actions have consequences far beyond the borders of Gaza.

‘Palestine lives’

He said Israel is trying to intimidate those criticizing it and defending the rule of international law across the globe, including governments that consider themselves allies of Israel, the Secretary-General and UN agencies, human rights and humanitarian organizations. Israel is not seeking security.

“If it was, it would choose peace,” he said, adding that Israel, and this Israeli government more than any other, considers that the strategic threat it is confronted with is Palestinian statehood.

“Gaza has a very special place in our national history,” he said. “Its name today is how many people spell Palestine around the world. It cannot be erased. Our people cannot be uprooted from it. Its Palestinianness cannot be altered. There is no Palestine without Gaza. Gaza bleeds, Gaza suffers, Gaza aches, but Gaza lives. And Palestine lives. Free Palestine. That is the only path to peace.”

10:02 AM

Warnings went unheeded: Wennesland

Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the Security Council that amid the surging violence and extensive Israeli movement restriction, the Palestinian Authority’s longstanding fiscal crisis has worsened significantly.

The economic activity in the West Bank has ground to a halt, and the economy of Gaza has collapsed, he said.

Tor Wennesland,UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, addresses the Security Council.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Tor Wennesland,UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, addresses the Security Council.

The decrease in revenue for the Palestinian Authority is impacting many critical services and the payment of public sector salaries, including to the security forces, he stated, warning “the situation is “boiling and getting worse rapidly”.

“In the months before the war, I warned this Council regularly that more must be done to help stabilize the situation in the West Bank,” Mr. Wennesland said. “That is more the case now than ever before.”

He went on to note that while much is unknown about how this war will end, some absolutes are clear.

“Acts of terror like those Hamas and others committed against Israel on 7 October must not be allowed to happen again, and Palestinians in Gaza in must never ever again experience the horrors they have endured,” he said.

Mr. Wennesland emphasized that the only viable path is one that leads to the end of the occupation and the realization of a two-State solution, in line with UN resolutions, previous agreements and international law.

“Our past efforts have certainly not been enough, a message that resonates today as we mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People,” he said. “There must be a new and different approach, or we are doomed to return to the path of managing a conflict that clearly cannot be managed.”

09:50 AM

Guterres: Don’t look away from ‘epic humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza’

Welcoming the arrangement reached by Israel and Hamas, with the assistance of the governments of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, Mr. Guterres said the UN was working to maximize the positive potential of the current pause in fighting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“The pause has enabled us to enhance the delivery of aid into and across Gaza,” he said, noting that for the first time since 7 October, an inter-agency convoy delivered food, water, medical supplies and other essential items to northern Gaza, specifically to four shelters in Jabalia camp operated by the UN agency to assist Palestine refugees (UNWRA).

Aid simply ‘inadequate’

But, the level of aid remains completely inadequate to meet the huge needs of more than two million people, he said.

At the same time, he stressed that all hostages must be released.

The arrangement announced on 22 November has so far led to the release, over five days, of 60 hostages – 29 women, 31 children – held by Hamas and other groups since 7 October, he said, adding that in addition, another 21 hostages were released during the same period. The arrangement also saw the release of 180 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israeli jails, mostly women and children.

“This is a welcome start, but as I have been saying from day one, all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally,” he said.

The Security Council resolution calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law, he said “much, much more is required to begin to address human needs in Gaza.”

Success will be measured in lives that are saved, suffering that is ended, and hope and dignity that is restored

That includes full restoration of water and electricity services and urgently addressing the collapse of food systems and deteriorating public health.

The Rafah border crossing does not have enough capacity, especially considering the slow pace of procedures, to meet these and other needs, he said, urging the opening of other crossings, including Kerem Shalom, and the streamlining of inspection mechanisms to allow for the necessary increase of lifesaving aid.

‘True humanitarian ceasefire’ needed

However, humanitarian aid alone will not be sufficient, he said, adding that the private sector is needed to bring in critical basic commodities to replenish completely depleted shops.

The UN chief also highlighted the “numerous accounts of sexual violence during the abhorrent acts of terror by Hamas” on 7 October, which triggered the current crisis.

He called for them all to be “vigorously investigated and prosecuted…Gender-based violence must be condemned. Anytime. Anywhere.”

“Success will be measured in lives that are saved, suffering that is ended and hope and dignity that is restored,” he said.

“The people of Gaza are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world,” he said. “We must not look away.”

He welcomed the ongoing intense negotiations to prolong the truce.

“But, we believe we need a true humanitarian ceasefire, and we must ensure the people of the region finally have a horizon of hope by moving in a determined and irreversible way toward establishing a two-State solution, on the basis of United Nations resolutions and international law, with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security,” he said. “Failure will condemn Palestinians, Israelis, the region and the world to a never-ending cycle of death and destruction.”

09:43 AM

Secretary-General António Guterres is in the Security Council Chamber primarily to report back on the latest dire humanitarian situation, according to the resolution the 15-member organ adopted in mid-November.

He told ambassadors and ministers that more than two thirds of those killed in Gaza so far have been children and women.

In a matter of weeks, a far greater number of children have been killed by Israel than in any year by any party to a conflict since he has been Secretary-General, the UN chief said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the Security Council Meeting on the Middle East.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the Security Council Meeting on the Middle East.

Over the past days, there has been a “glimmer of hope and humanity” for both hostages and their families, and civilians in Gaza amid the ceasefire, he said.

Before the current ceasefire, “we witnessed serious violations of international law in Gaza”, he said, with 80 per cent of Gazans now forced from their homes.

He also said rocket attacks on Israel have continued by Palestinian militants along with the use of civilians as human shields.

“This is also inconsistent with international humanitarian law obligations,” the UN chief said.

09:36 AM

The meeting has just been called to order by the Chinese foreign minister. A host of foreign ministers from the region and beyond are being invited to speak in addition to Council members, together with Palestine and Israel.

Wednesday marks the sixth and final day of a truce between Hamas and Israel that was facilitated by Qatar. Humanitarians have urged the warring sides to support repeated international calls to extend the pause in fighting, which has facilitated the reported release of at least 85 hostages by Hamas and of more than 180 Palestinian prisoners by Israel. 

China holds the presidency until the end of November, and the meeting around the horseshoe table will take place at a ministerial level, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi due to be in the chair and many other top diplomats from world capitals in attendance. 

The meeting is due to start at 9:30am local time.

Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to report back on the implementation of that 15 November resolution – the first expression of unity on the Council over the crisis since the Hamas terror attacks and subsequent Israeli offensive – along with Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland.

Here’s are highlights from that mid-November meeting, which you can watch in full here, or catch up with UN Meetings Coverage summaries in English and French:

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 15 NOVEMBER

  • The UN Security Council succeeds in finding unity, adopting resolution 2712 on the Israel-Palestine crisis that began on 7 October, with 12 members voting in favour, none against and three abstentions (Russia, United Kingdom, United States), calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors” in Gaza for “a sufficient number of days” to allow full, rapid, safe and unhindered access for UN agencies and partners
  • The Council “calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, especially children, as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access”, by the terms of the resolution
  • The Council, by additional provisions in the text, calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in Gaza of basic services and aid indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law
  • The resolution does not condemn the Hamas attacks of 7 October which began the current wave of violence and battle for control of Gaza
  • The Council rejected an amendment proposed by Russia, with five votes in favour, one against and nine abstentions
  • “Our vote today translates into real human lives,” said the ambassador of Malta, penholder of the newly adopted resolution
  • Ambassadors from the UK and US separately regretted to note that the draft failed to condemn Hamas and voiced support for civilian protection and rapid aid delivery measures
  • Russia’s ambassador said a real ceasefire is needed and “the Council will need to make a decision on further steps”, including what observers to send to the conflict area and which UN contingent will be involved
  • “This madness must be brought to an end,” said Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the UN, adding that: “It is time for peace”
  • Israel’s Ambassador said the crisis could be brought to an immediate end if all Israeli hostages are returned unscathed and Hamas laid down their arms and turned themselves in

Impact of ‘failed promises’ on climate, evident in Antarctica: A UN Resident Coordinator blog

Maria José Torres Macho travelled to Antarctica with the UN chief, António Guterres, ahead of the global climate conference, COP28, which is getting underway in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates:

“The sleeping continent hides under its beauty, its undeniable role as a key climate regulator for the planet. While we enjoyed the majestic and infinite white landscape of islands, glaciers and icebergs spotted with penguins, sea lions, whales and a distinct biodiversity underwater, we confronted the reality that scientific evidence is putting in front of decision makers at this year’s UN Climate Conference -COP 28: the planet needs the Antarctic to remain as it is.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Chile, Maria Maria Jose Torres Macho (second from left) joins the Secretary-General and the delegation from the Government of Chile on a visit to Antarctica.
© UN Chile

The UN Resident Coordinator in Chile, Maria Maria Jose Torres Macho (second from left) joins the Secretary-General and the delegation from the Government of Chile on a visit to Antarctica.

Safeguarding Antarctica is essential to halt the acceleration of climate change and keep to the 1.5°C warming limit.

Data collected by scientific teams deployed in Antarctica is showing two extremely worrying trends:
  • The melting of ice is happening at triple speed than in previous decades (more than 1.5 million square km have been lost in 2023 alone) causing rising sea levels that would be catastrophic to the survival of coastal communities
  • The impact of the increasing temperatures in the Antarctic is affecting the jet streams

‘Antarctica is geographically remote for most of us, but its future is closely linked to that of future generations,’ said the Secretary-General during his stay, referring to up how the consequences of what happens there will catastrophically affect the rest of the world.

‘What happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica,’ he added.

A view from Chile 

Thousands of miles north in Chile, where I serve as the UN Resident Coordinator, the effects of Antarctica’s melting ice and rising sea levels cannot be ignored.

From cycles of drought, desertification and wildfires to deadly heatwaves, coastal erosion and other extreme weather events, I’ve seen first-hand how climate change is ravaging communities and upending livelihoods across the country.  

The UN is supporting government efforts to prevent biodiversity loss in Chile.
Unsplash/Toomas Tartes

The UN is supporting government efforts to prevent biodiversity loss in Chile.

The impact of Chile’s water crisis is particularly severe, with rural populations facing the heaviest burden.

As these threats loom larger, our UN team in Chile is working closely with the national authorities to scale up urgent action to combat the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Together we are supporting the Government to realize its ambitious national agenda to protect Chile’s biodiversity, reduce emissions through the expansion of carbon markets and steer social, economic and environmental transitions that support renewable energy. But, Chile’s role in combatting climate change goes beyond its own borders. 

Leading from the South

Known as ‘the door to the Antarctic’, Chile is a logistic enabler for many countries that have scientific bases in the territory and benefit from the vital work of the Chilean Armed Forces.

During my visit to the continent, I listened to many stories from scientists and officers who spoke about the special mystique and beauty of the Antarctic. I was particularly struck by their sense of sacrifice and their willingness to spend an entire year away from their families in order to protect this endangered territory. 

COP28 is getting underway in Dubai, UAE.
© UNFCCC/Kiara Worth

COP28 is getting underway in Dubai, UAE.

At the national level, I was also impressed by the strong leadership of the President of Chile and his team for organizing this visit and helping to amplify the conversation on climate action and the unique role of the Antarctic ahead of COP28. 

Towards COP28 

The need for strong regional leadership and renewed commitments towards climate action could not be timelier. 

Just days before we travelled to Antarctica, the world reached a grim new milestone. For the first time in modern recorded history, the planet is on average two degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, falling short of the commitments made in the Paris climate agreement. 

In Antarctica, I saw the impact of these failed promises, but also witnessed the determination of the Secretary-General to convey a strong message from the South: to end the world’s addiction to fossil fuels, COP 28 must be a call to action, not just words. The commitment and cooperation I saw on my visit to Antarctica shows that this is possible. 

As the Secretary-General put it: ‘People in Antarctica are guided by cooperation, not competition; this is the spirit we need at COP28.'”

UN Resident Coordinator:

  • The UN Resident Coordinator, sometimes called the RC, is the highest-ranking representative of the UN development system at the country level.
  • In this occasional series, UN News is inviting RCs to blog on issues important to the UN and the country where they serve.
  • Learn more about the UN’s work in Chile here.
  • Find out more about the UN Development Coordination Office here.

Israel-Palestine crisis: Gaza City a ‘ghost town’, reports UN aid agency

Aid deliveries for UNRWA shelters in the northern Gaza Strip.
© UNRWA

“As we drove through Gaza City it was like a ghost town; all the streets were deserted,” said Thomas White, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza. “The impact of heavy airstrikes and shelling was so visible. Roads are riddled with craters, complicating aid deliveries.”

Truce deadline looms

Wednesday marks the sixth and final day of a truce between Hamas and Israel that was facilitated by Qatar. Humanitarians have urged the warring sides to support repeated international calls to extend the pause in fighting, which has facilitated the reported release of at least 85 hostages by Hamas, and of more than 180 Palestinian prisoners by Israel.

The pause has also enabled humanitarian actors, primarily the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies and UN agencies, to “enhance” desperately needed aid deliveries into and across Gaza, according to aid coordination office, OCHA.

The UN office’s latest aid update noted that a Palestine Red Crescent Society convoy had reached the north on Tuesday carrying food, medical supplies, water, and non-food items, although the bulk of aid distribution has focused on the south, where most displaced Gazans now live.

Aid workers’ courage

In a statement, UNRWA said that on Monday a six-truck convoy had reached Jabalia, the largest and most built-up refugee camp in Gaza, located north of Gaza City. 

UNRWA colleagues in Jabalia continue to serve their communities day in, day out, including one of the agency’s sanitation services chiefs – “despite the unspeakable grief of his wife and daughter being killed”, said Mr. White.

Some 200 aid trucks have been able to cross into the enclave via Egypt every day since the pause in fighting came into force on Friday 24 October.

Images provided by UNRWA on X on Wednesday showed volunteers unloading sacks of supplies into a warehouse and a static fuel tank being filled.

More than 15,000 Gazans have been killed during Israeli airstrikes, according to the enclave’s health authorities, including about 6,000 children.

Tedros’s dire warning

In a related development, the head of the UN health agency issued a fresh warning on Wednesday about the high risk of diseases spreading among those displaced by the violence.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated dire assessments that “given the living conditions and lack of healthcare, more people could die from disease than bombings”.

Latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed to 111,000 acute respiratory infections, 75,000 cases of diarrhoea and tens of thousands of people suffering from scabies, lice, skin rashes and jaundice.

According to UNRWA, more than 1.8 million Gazans – around 80 per cent of the population in the enclave – have been displaced since Hamas’s terror attack on southern Israel on 7 October which left 1,200 dead and some 240 taken hostage.

The displaced had left their homes in the north, in line with an evacuation order issued by the Israeli Defense Forces, issued on 13 October.

Syria: ‘A dozen different powder kegs’

Najat Rochdi, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, told ambassadors at the Security Council that Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus airport this weekend, following several other airstrikes and artillery fire on locations across the country, reportedly killing one civilian airport worker.

She added that the airstrikes coincided with reports of rocket and missile launches from southern Syria over the Occupied Syrian Golan towards Israel.

“The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) claims that a drone strike in Eilat in southern Israel came from an organization in Syria, against which the IDF says it carried out airstrikes in response,” Ms. Rochdi said.

Do not play with fire

Within Syria, the 12-year-long conflict continued unabated, with airstrikes, bombardment, clashes and assassination attempts in several places, she added, underscoring the urgent need of de-escalation and urging a renewed on the political process.

“To continue such violence is to play with fire. Just one miscalculation – one stray artillery shell or misjudged airstrike – could ignite a dozen different powder kegs that lie within Syrian borders,” Ms. Rochdi said.

“We need more than just good intentions: we need sustained de-escalation operationalized through robust channels between all stakeholders. We need the killing, injuring and displacement of civilians, and the destruction of infrastructure not just to decrease, but to end.”

Political solution vital

The senior UN official also underscored the importance of a credible and comprehensive approach to a political solution, one that puts all issues of concern on the table.

“Attention on Syria has ebbed somewhat given the terrible crisis in the region. But Syria is a piece of that puzzle too. And the situation in Syria is too dangerous to be left unattended,” she said.

“If we do not give the Syrian parties and people a horizon of hope and a political path to resolving their conflict, I fear that the situation will boil over again and again, spilling across a region that is already in a moment of historical crisis”, she added.

Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations at OCHA, briefs the Security Council meeting on Syria.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations at OCHA, briefs the Security Council meeting on Syria.

Funding at unprecedented lows  

Also briefing the Security Council, Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations at the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, highlighted the plight of millions of displaced people in Syria, worsened by the approaching winter.

“The lack of protection against cold temperatures poses significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable segments of the population such as children and the elderly,” she said.

According to UN estimates, 5.7 million people across Syria need critical shelter assistance to help them through the cold winter months. Inadequate shelter, lack of proper heating and insufficient clothing and household items are among their most pressing needs.

Ms. Wosornu said that humanitarians are trying their best to meet and prioritize these needs, amid limited resources.

Support needed now

“We have so far provided 26,000 families with dignified shelters, with efforts ongoing to provide similar support to another 7,000 families. But we are facing a troubling 70 per cent shortfall in the funds required to deliver this vital support.”

She informed Council members that with just one month left in the year, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria is only 33 per cent funded.

“I cannot overstate the impact this lack of resources is having on our ability to meet the needs of millions of people in desperate need throughout Syria,” she added, calling for more donor support to save lives and stem a further, catastrophic, deterioration in the humanitarian situation.

World News in Brief: Burkina Faso attack, ending AIDS, Syrian child casualties, new UN migration ambassador

A large number of fighters from the militant Islamist group JNIM attacked a military base, homes, and a camp for displaced people in the city of Djibo, on Sunday.

At least 40 people were killed and more than 42 injured. The attackers also set fire to 20 shops and three sites for displaced people.

Stop attacking civilians

“Attacks on civilians are inexcusable and must stop, and those responsible must be held to account following thorough, impartial and independent investigations by the authorities,” OHCHR Spokesperson Seif Magango said in a statement.

He recalled that “deliberately targeting civilians or individuals not taking direct part in hostilities constitutes a war crime.”

Michel Kouakou (left), UNAIDS Country Director Mozambique, and UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima in Maputo, Mozambique in June 2023.
Courtesy of the United States President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Michel Kouakou (left), UNAIDS Country Director Mozambique, and UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima in Maputo, Mozambique in June 2023.

Support communities that ‘light the way to the end of AIDS’ 

AIDS can be ended as a public health threat by 2030 but only if governments and donors fully support grassroots communities on the frontlines of the disease. 

That’s the message from UNAIDS in a report released ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December, which shows how communities have been the driving force for progress. 

From the streets to the courtrooms to parliaments, community advocacy has secured groundbreaking changes in policy. 

Through campaigning, they have opened up access to generic HIV medicines, thus driving down the cost of treatment from $25,000 a year per person in 1995 to less than $70 in many countries. 

Ready to lead

UNAIDS recalled that every minute, a life is lost to AIDS. while 4,000 girls and young women become infected with HIV every week.  Out of the nearly 40 million people worldwide living with HIV, more than nine million do not have access to lifesaving treatment.

Although communities across the world have shown that they are ready, willing and able to lead, they must be properly resourced, said UNAIDS chief Winnie Byanyima. 

“Too often, communities are treated by decision-makers as problems to be managed, instead of being recognised and supported as leaders,” she said, “Communities are not in the way, they light the way to the end of AIDS.”

Rise in violations against children caught in Syrian war 

Children continue to suffer from the long-term consequences of the war in Syria, with a marked increase in violations against them, a new UN report on children and armed conflict has revealed.

The report covers the period from July 2020 to September 2022. A total of 5,219 grave violations against 5,073 children were verified, including killing, maiming, abduction and recruitment and use in fighting.

Recruited into combat

This represents a 10 per cent increase over the previous reporting period, though the actual number is likely to be higher due to access restrictions and insecurity. 

Most violations were committed in the northeast and northwest, with armed groups accountable for 65 per cent, while 13 per cent were attributed to Government and pro-Government forces.

Cases of recruitment and use more than doubled over the previous report, with most children being used in combat roles. Child casualties, which were already high, increased by 30 percent with explosive ordnance being the leading cause of death and injury.

H.E. Sheikha Hind and Sir Mo Farah unveiled England bench during World Innovation Summit for Health
WHO

H.E. Sheikha Hind and Sir Mo Farah unveiled England bench during World Innovation Summit for Health

Olympian Sir Mo Farah new Goodwill Ambassador for UN migration agency 

Four-time Olympic champion long distance runner Sir Mo Farah of the United Kingdom has been appointed as the first ever global Goodwill Ambassador for the UN migration agency, IOM. 

Mr. Farah, 40, retired from running in September after a long and celebrated career. Last year, he revealed that he had been trafficked as a child from Somalia to the UK. 

“No child should ever go through what I did; victims of child trafficking are just children. They deserve to be children. They deserve to play and to be kids,” he said.

Mr. Farah plans to use his position to raise awareness of issues affecting “people on the move”, including protection and trafficking. He will also advocate for the transformative power of sport, especially for women and girls.

IOM Director General Amy Pope said the UN agency is honoured to have Mr. Farah as its inaugural global Goodwill Ambassador.

“A champion on and off the track, and a survivor of human trafficking, he brings true dedication, commitment and drive to IOM’s work, helping millions of people on the move and inspiring us all,” she said.   

 

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