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Madam President,
Members of the Security Council,
Today’s briefing is devoted to the Secretary-General’s quarterly report on the implementation of resolution 2334. Since the 17 June cutoff date for the written report hostilities continued between Israel and Hamas, including Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airstrikes, artillery shelling, and ground operations across Gaza. The devastating human toll is mounting.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the total number of Palestinian fatalities since 7 October 2023 reached over 56,500, with 1,068 fatalities since 17 June, an average of 82 per day. On 19 June, Israeli forces reportedly struck three houses in Jabalia, killing at least 14 people from the same family, including two children and one woman. On 20 June, 12 people, including four women, were reportedly killed when the IDF struck a residential building in Deir al Balah. Amidst renewed evacuation orders and intensified airstrikes in Gaza City and Jabalia, another larger-scale military operation is expected in the area.
According to the Israeli sources, since 17 June, 9 members of the IDF were killed in hostilities in Gaza, including 7 soldiers killed when Hamas targeted their armoured vehicle with an explosive device. Israeli sources reported that more than 1,748 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in attacks in or originating from Gaza since 7 October 2023. Fifty hostages, including one woman, are still being held captive by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.
Attacks on Palestinians seeking aid continued, including frequent casualty incidents in the vicinity of militarized food distribution points and aid convoys. Since 17 June, at least 580 Palestinians have been killed either trying to reach Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution points or waiting for other aid convoys, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. On 17 June, at least 50 people were killed and 200 were wounded in Khan Younis when an IDF tank opened fire on a crowd of people waiting for WFP food trucks. On 24 June, IDF troops reportedly opened fire near GHF sites north of Al Bureij Camp and northwest Rafah, killing 49 Palestinians and injuring 197 others. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces continued operations in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. On 25 June, a 15-year-old Palestinian was killed during an Israeli operation in Al Yamun, west of Jenin. On the same day, an elderly woman was reported shot and killed by Israeli security forces in the Shu’fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.
Attacks by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank have intensified in recent days. On 19 June, armed Israeli settlers, in the presence of Israeli forces, reportedly opened fire on Palestinians in the town of Surif, northwest of Hebron, killing one and injuring seven others. On 25 June, three Palestinians were killed during an assault on Kafr Malik, including arson, by Israeli settlers in the presence of ISF. The following day, Israeli Security Forces dismantled the nearby Ba'al Hatzor settlement outpost leading to repeated clashes with settlers over several days. According to ISF, settlers threw stones at and assaulted Israeli soldiers, and on 27 June, ISF said settlers attempted to ram a military vehicle and threw stones, with ISF using live ammunition in response and possibly leading to the injury of a 14-year-old Israeli boy.
Madam President,
Allow me to highlight some of the Secretary-General’s observations regarding the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) during the reporting period.
The Secretary-General once again strongly condemns the horrific attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel on 7 October 2023 and their continued holding of hostages in horrific conditions. Nothing can justify these acts of terror. We remain appalled that hostages may be subjected to ongoing ill-treatment and that the bodies of hostages continue to be withheld.
The Secretary-General also unequivocally condemns the widespread killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, including children and women, and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques. The level of suffering and brutality in Gaza is unbearable. The continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people is unjustifiable.
We remain deeply concerned by Israeli military operations in Gaza that render large areas of Gaza uninhabitable. We reject the forced displacement of the Palestinian population from any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which would constitute a breach of international law obligations. We mourn the United Nations personnel killed in Gaza and strongly condemns the killing of all health and humanitarian personnel and journalists. Following almost 80 days of Israel’s denial of entry of all humanitarian and commercial supplies into Gaza, supplies have started to enter Gaza at wholly inadequate levels which do not meet the massive needs of the population. We call upon Israel to fulfil its obligations under international law, and allow the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. We strongly condemn the loss of lives and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza and we call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable
The United Nations will not participate in any aid delivery modality that does not comply with the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence, and neutrality.
I echo once again the Secretary-General's call for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza.
Madam President,
We remain deeply alarmed by the relentless Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The ever-growing settlement footprint contributes to settler-related violence, further entrenches the Israeli occupation, hampers the free movement of the population, and undermines the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
We are deeply concerned by the Israeli Government’s decision to resume formal land registration in Area C and the serious risk that this will facilitate further settlement expansion and entrenchment.
The demolition and seizure of Palestinian-owned structures, including internationally funded humanitarian projects, entail numerous violations of international law and raise concerns about the risk of forcible transfer.
The escalating violence in the occupied West Bank is alarming. Military operations by Israeli security forces in the northern West Bank have resulted in high levels of fatalities, including women and children, significant population displacement, and destruction of homes and infrastructure, particularly in refugee camps.
We are concerned that the Palestinian Authority continues to face a deepening fiscal crisis, that threatens to further undermine Palestinian institutions and basic service delivery. Increased Israeli clearance revenue deductions and measures that introduce instability to the Palestinian financial sector should be urgently resolved.
The international community must provide immediate support to the Palestinian Government to strengthen its governance capacity, address its fiscal challenges, and prepare it to reassume its responsibilities in Gaza. This will require the establishment of political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe, start early recovery and reconstruction, address Israel’s legitimate security concerns, and lay the groundwork for a political process to end the occupation and establish a viable two-State solution.
We welcome reform steps undertaken by the Palestinian Authority, including the appointment of a Vice President of Palestine. and encourage continued reforms, urging international partners to support these efforts.
We regret the need to suspend the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and welcome the continued commitment of the co-chairs France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to convene the conference as soon as possible.
Madam President,
Allow me also a brief comment regarding the recent military escalation between Iran and Israel, which the Council has discussed in the past days.
I reiterate the Secretary-General’s, condemnation of the tragic and unnecessary loss of lives and injuries to civilians and damage to homes and critical civilian infrastructure. The Middle East region has been devastated by conflict and cannot withstand yet another major escalation. We welcome the 24 June ceasefire agreement announced by President Trump and commend the efforts of the United States, in coordination with Qatar, to end the hostilities.
We hope that this ceasefire can be replicated in the other conflicts in the region – nowhere is this more needed than in Gaza.
Thank you.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deepening at an alarming rate, a senior United Nations official warned on Monday, as Israeli military operations and attacks on civilians seeking aid continue to exact a devastating toll on lives and infrastructure.
Critical shortfalls in global humanitarian funding now threaten millions of Sudanese refugees fleeing war to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday.
The crisis in Gaza is worsening, UN humanitarians warned on Monday, as ongoing hostilities and access restrictions drive displaced communities deeper into despair.
Civilian casualties and violations in Ukraine have significantly escalated in recent months, including a sharp rise in often deadly drone attacks, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said in a report published on Monday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed on Friday in the United States capital, Washington, DC.
In accordance with the six-point agreement of 12 August 2008 and implementing measures of 8 September 2008, the 64th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place on 25-26 June 2025 in the Palais des Nations.
The Co-Chairs – UN Representative to the Geneva International Discussions Cihan Sultanoğlu, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus Christoph Späti and EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Magdalena Grono – welcomed the participants’ continued commitment to this important process. Against the background of increased tensions in the wider region, they emphasized the need for the GID to make progress and deliver on its core agenda items for the benefit of all conflict-affected people.
On 25 June, as previously agreed with all participants, the Co-Chairs hosted an information session on the topic of “freedom of movement and external mobility” with presentations by two external experts.
On 26 June, in Working Group I, the participants reviewed the security developments on the ground since the 63rd round in March 2025. They continued their discussions, with a particular focus on non-use of force and international security arrangements. In this context, the Co-Chairs emphasized the importance of commitment to the principle of non-use of force and acknowledged the substantive exchanges of views on this agenda item.
In Working Group II, the participants discussed humanitarian issues, including crossings, documentation, livelihoods, missing persons, cultural heritage and education. Building on the information session held the day before, the participants also had additional exchanges on issues relating to freedom of movement and external mobility. Due to a walkout by some participants, the agenda item “internally displaced persons and refugees” could not be discussed.
The participants commended outgoing Cihan Sultanoğlu for her personal commitment and substantive contribution over the past seven years as UN Representative to the Geneva International Discussions and wished her success in her future endeavors.
The participants agreed to hold the next round in November 2025 in Geneva.
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Madam President,
Madam President,
Madam President,
Madam President,
Madam President,
Madam President,
Madam President,
Madam President,
I thank you.
Attacks with short-range drones killed at least 395 civilians and injured 2,635 between February 2022 – the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – and April 2025, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMMU) reported on Thursday.
The head of UN Peacekeeping affirmed the critical role played by the “blue helmets” in Lebanon and Syria during a press conference at Headquarters in New York.
As the Foreign Ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed a draft peace agreement in Washington this Friday, tensions and violence continue to grip eastern DRC.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, warning that the humanitarian crisis has reached “horrific proportions” and that the world must not let the suffering of Palestinians be overshadowed by other regional conflicts.
Three years into the conflict in Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) continue to pursue a military solution, violating international law and the rights of civilians in the process.
Myanmar is spiralling deeper into humanitarian catastrophe, the UN’s top human rights official warned on Friday, as escalating military attacks, crippling aid restrictions and collapsing international support push millions toward starvation and despair.
The first delivery earlier this week of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed in their search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
As the Central African Republic (CAR) prepares for upcoming elections, the country continues to grapple with a fragile security and humanitarian context, the UN Security Council heard on Thursday.
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are increasingly being subjected to forced displacement and land seizures, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported on Thursday.
The conflict-impacted people of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) urgently need much more international assistance than they are getting today, the UN’s top aid official said on Thursday.
It wasn’t an average Thursday morning in Manhattan. In the early hours, UN diplomats (and UN News) hit the streets in their sneakers – from Times Square to East River – following a route that traced the shape of “UN@80”.
The UN is monitoring the situation in Kenya in the wake of deadly antigovernment protests on Wednesday.
Deadly hostilities continued along the front-line regions of Ukraine on Wednesday, displacing civilians and damaging civilian infrastructure, the UN has reported.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday that his “number one priority” is for its inspectors to return to Iran’s nuclear sites to evaluate damage caused by recent bombing and to verify stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
The UN Secretary-General has warned that the world today is failing to protect civilians from mass atrocity crimes, calling for a renewed global commitment to the Responsibility to Protect – a principle adopted two decades ago that remains, in his words, “a moral imperative” and “an unfulfilled promise.”
Dozens of civilians – including children and school staff – were killed or wounded in Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities this week, in what UN human rights monitors described as a “foreseeable” tragedy caused by strikes on populated areas.
When Sila, a young woman from Idlib in Syria, was three-years-old, she woke up to missiles falling around her, forcing her and her family to flee their home.
Madame President,
Thank you for the opportunity to brief the Council on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015).
As the Secretary-General noted in his latest report, with less than four months left until the termination of its provisions, the objectives of resolution 2231 (2015), and those of the JCPOA, have yet to be fully realized. This is regrettable.
The JCPOA was adopted in 2015 to ensure that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear program would be exclusively peaceful. It included sanctions relief, nuclear program restrictions and monitoring and verification.
The JCPOA has faced many challenges since its inception, including the withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in 2018 and Iran’s withdrawal from some of its commitments as outlined in the Plan.
Still, over the last few months, JCPOA participants increased their efforts to identify a way forward for full implementation of the plan. In addition, Iran and the United States engaged in five rounds of bilateral talks, facilitated by Oman.
Regrettably, neither of these initiatives produced a way forward to ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
The military escalation between Israel and Iran since 13 June and United States air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on 21 June complicated prospects for achieving full implementation of Resolution 2231 (2015).
Iran’s strikes yesterday on a base in Qatar, an action which the Secretary-General condemned, further exacerbated insecurity in an already tense region.
Madame President,
Earlier today the Secretary-General welcomed the announcement by the United States, in coordination with Qatar, of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran and urged them to respect it fully.
This is a significant achievement that potentially pulls Iran, Israel and the region back from the brink.
The people of Iran and Israel have already suffered too much.
According to the Iranian Ministry of Health, since the start of the conflict at least 606 people have been killed, with 107 killed in the past 24 hours, and 5,332 injured. According to Israeli authorities, 28 people were killed and 1,472 were injured during the conflict.
Madam President,
In its quarterly report of 31 May 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) observed that the significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by the Islamic Republic of Iran was of serious concern.
The IAEA reiterated that its verification and monitoring activities related to the JCPOA have been “seriously affected by the cessation of implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments” under the Plan.
The Agency also again noted that it had lost its continuity of knowledge on many aspects of Iran’s nuclear programme, as it had not been able to perform verification and monitoring activities in the Islamic Republic of Iran for more than four years.
In addition, the IAEA noted it was unable to verify the total stockpile of enriched uranium in the country and had not done so since February 2021.
During the reporting period, the Secretary-General received several communications from JCPOA participants.
On 17 March, the Permanent Representatives of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation shared a joint statement adopted at their meeting of 14 March in Beijing in which they stressed the importance of resolution 2231 (2015), including its timeframes.
In a separate letter received the same day, the Permanent Representative of China shared a proposal for the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, highlighting the JCPOA as the basis for a new consensus and cooperation through dialogue and a step-by-step and reciprocal approach.
In letters received on 9, 11 and 12 June, the Permanent Representatives of France, Germany, the United Kingdom the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation shared their different views regarding the causes of the impasse in the implementation of Resolution 2231 (2015).
Despite their diverging outlooks, all five Member States reiterated the importance of negotiations and reaffirmed their commitment to finding a diplomatic solution.
Madame President,
I will now turn to the restrictive measures set out in annex B to resolution 2231 (2015). The only measures that remain in effect pertain to nuclear activities and transfers. Those measures will remain in place until 18 October 2025, unless decided otherwise by the Council.
The Secretariat received no allegations of violations of these provisions during the reporting period.
Moreover, no new proposals have been submitted in the procurement channel in the last six months of the reporting cycle.
The Security Council, however, received eight notifications regarding the nuclear-related restrictive measures for certain activities consistent with the JCPOA.
Madam President.
At the heart of this conflict is the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Following the deadly clashes of the past 12 days, the ceasefire agreement is an opportunity to avoid a catastrophic escalation and achieve a peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue.
Diplomacy, dialogue and verification remain the best option to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme and to bring about concrete economic benefits to the people of Iran.
As the Secretary-General said earlier today, the United Nations stands ready to support all efforts that advance peace, dialogue and stability in the region.
Finally, Madam President
The Secretariat will continue to support the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015) until the termination date of 18 October.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency Samuel Žbogar of Slovenia for his leadership as Security Council Facilitator for the implementation of the resolution.
I also thank the Coordinator of the Procurement Working Group of the Joint Commissioner for our continued cooperation.
Thank you, Madame President.
The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday welcomed the ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel which was announced on social media overnight by US President Donald Trump.
Once a teenager without legal status or access to education, Madiha Ali Changezi is now speaking out as a living example of what refugee resettlement can achieve.
Libya once again stands at a critical juncture in its political transition, after armed clashes erupted in Tripoli last month, further destabilising the country, the UN Special Representative for the country told the Security Council on Tuesday.
At least 410 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to fetch from controversial new aid hubs in Gaza – a likely war crime – the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
The Security Council met Tuesday in New York over the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action put in place in 2015 to prevent Iran from weaponising its ambitious nuclear programme, which has been in effective limbo since the US withdrawal in 2018 and Iran’s rejection of parts of the deal. UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo described the US-brokered ceasefire overnight between Israel and Iran as a “significant achievement” and “an opportunity to avoid a catastrophic escalation and achieve a peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue.” Follow our Meetings Coverage Section live coverage below and UN News app users can follow here.
A fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States between Iran and Israel appears to be holding, marking a tentative halt to a dangerous regional escalation that included airstrikes, retaliatory missile attacks and mounting civilian casualties.
After surprise US bombing raids on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities over the weekend, the head of the UN-backed nuclear watchdog on Monday appealed for immediate access to the targeted sites to assess the damage that is likely “very significant”.
The United Nations has condemned a suicide bombing on Sunday at a Damascus church that killed at least 25 worshippers, including women and children during mass, as a “heinous crime”.
Afghanistan is already grappling with immense humanitarian and economic challenges and growing instability in the wider region following airstrikes by Israel and the United States in Iran is compounding the situation, the UN’s top envoy in the country told the Security Council on Monday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is “deeply alarmed” by the further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, his Spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.
