The Secretary-General believes that the attacks we have seen in South Beirut and Teheran represent a dangerous escalation at a moment in which all efforts should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages, a massive increase of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and a return to calm in Lebanon and across the Blue Line.
Rather than that, what we are seeing are efforts...
In response to questions about the strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, the Spokesperson has the following to say:
We express grave concern over the strikes by the Israel Defense Forces on the densely populated southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, in the evening of 30 July, which resulted in scores of civilian casualties.
As we await further clarity on the circumstances, we again urge the parties to exercise maximum restraint and call on all...
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has joined the Secretary-General in voicing concern over the situation in Venezuela following the recent presidential election.
The UN Security Council on Tuesday lifted the arms embargo on the Central African Republic (CAR) government forces, while calling on all nations to take all necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply of all types of weapons and related materiel to armed groups operating there.
In a bid to prevent a polio epidemic in Gaza, UN humanitarians on Tuesday repeated continuing international calls for a ceasefire to allow a mass vaccination campaign to get underway.
The top UN humanitarian official for Gaza said on Monday that the situation in the war-ravaged enclave remains “absolutely catastrophic”, with Palestinian civilians enduring a “horrendous maelstrom of human misery.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has commended the people of Venezuela “for their determination to express their will peacefully through the ballot box,” his Spokesperson said on Monday.
New forced displacements have continued in Gaza as regional tensions escalate after a deadly strike in the Syrian Golan Heights, where 12 youngsters were killed over the weekend, UN humanitarians have said.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday strongly denounced the increasing attacks on healthcare facilities in Sudan, reporting over 20 such incidents in the last two months.
Senior UN officials on Monday voiced alarm over the continued escalation in conflict in Myanmar, amid reports of direct targeting of civilians in aerial attacks, and the abduction and forced recruitment of children by armed forces.
Secretary-General António Guterres and other United Nations officials have condemned Saturday’s rocket attack on a football field in the Golan Heights that killed at least 12 civilians, mainly children and teenagers. Urging restraint, they also warned against escalating violence in the region.
We deplore the death of civilians - young children and teenagers - in Majdal Shams. Civilians must be protected at all times.
We urge the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to put a stop to the ongoing intensified exchanges of fire. It could ignite a wider conflagration that would engulf the entire region in a catastrophe beyond belief.
UNIFIL and UNSCOL are in contact with...
In response to questions regarding the rocket attack on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan, the Spokesperson has the following to say:
The Secretary-General condemns the killing of 12 civilians, mainly children and teenagers in the Druze village of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-occupied Golan yesterday. He conveys his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured. ...
At the request of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mauritania, a study was conducted to better understand the linkages between climate change, peace, and security in the country, as well as to identify possible entry points for integrated UN action in anticipating, mitigating, and managing these climate-related peace and security risks.
Senior UN officials on Friday reiterated the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, and escalating threat to aid workers, urging immediate action prevent further deterioration.
The transfer of arms to Ukraine was the focus of debate in the UN Security Council on Thursday in the latest meeting convened by Russia to address the issue.
As President Biden on Thursday prepared to meet Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss progress on a Gaza ceasefire and the release of all hostages still held in the enclave, the spectre of further hunger and malnourishment continued to loom over Gazans, as UN humanitarians warned that farming and even small-scale gardening remain suspended.
About 150,000 people fled Khan Younis in a single day on Monday following evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military there, UN humanitarians have said, intensifying pressure on meagre food, water and places to seek shelter.
The head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) appealed on Wednesday for an immediate improvement in the security situation in Gaza, where dangerous operating conditions and attacks against humanitarian workers continue to hamper aid delivery to communities in need.
Recent attacks on three villages in East Sepik province, Papua New Guinea, resulted in at least 26 deaths - including 16 children – an event that has left UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk “horrified”, he said in a statement on Wednesday.
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon briefs UN Security Council 24 July 2024
Today, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (SCL), briefed the UN Security Council, alongside UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. The consultations followed publication of...
The UN Secretary-General has welcomed a new agreement signed on Tuesday in Beijing by Hamas and Fatah, together with smaller Palestinian factions, aimed at ending years of political rivalry as the war in Gaza grinds on.
Yemen is at risk of returning to full-scale war and the international community has a common interest and responsibility to stop this from happening, UN Special Envoy for the country Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council on Tuesday.
Gazans uprooted by the Israeli military’s latest evacuation orders have fled their shelters and homes “running for their lives”, with barely any belongings and little idea where they will end up, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
Renewed attacks on civilians in eastern Burkina Faso by non-State armed groups have forced thousands to flee to neighbouring Niger in search of safety, amid a deepening emergency, UN humanitarians have warned.
Thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to brief the Council regarding the recent developments in the Middle East region.
On 19 July, an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) struck a residential building in the populated urban center of Tel Aviv.
One Israeli civilian was killed by shrapnel, and ten Israeli civilians were injured and evacuated to hospitals. A fire broke out at the scene and damages were caused to buildings and vehicles by the strike’s impact.
The Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying it was “in retaliation” for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. They announced they had launched a new drone called “Yafa” and further declared that Tel Aviv would now be a primary target.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that its initial assessment identified the UAV as a modified Iranian Samad-3 drone launched from Yemen and that its forces had intercepted another UAV in the same time frame.
The Secretary-General condemned the deadly attack. He “remains deeply concerned about the risk such dangerous acts pose for further escalation in the region.” Since then, however, we have witnessed additional exchanges, making the situation more precarious.
On 20 July, Israel carried out multiple airstrikes in and around Hudaydah Port in Yemen. The IDF spokesperson characterized the strikes as “necessary and proportionate”, against Houthi military targets, including Hudaydah Port, which Israel claimed was used by the Houthis as the main supply route for the transfer of Iranian weapons from Iran to Yemen.
The IDF stated the strikes were in response to previous Houthi “terror attacks” on Israel for the last nine months, which have numbered more than 200 aerial attacks against Israeli civilians and infrastructure.
The IDF further noted that it had operated alone and that this was the first time it struck Yemen. Defence Minister Gallant said in a separate statement that, “The fire that is currently burning in Hudaydah is seen across the Middle East and the significance is clear.”
Meanwhile, the Houthi military spokesperson characterized the strikes as a “brutal aggression against Yemen,” and said the Houthis would respond to “this blatant aggression” and threatened to strike the “vital targets of the Israeli enemy.”
A preliminary update from the Houthi de facto Ministry of Health indicates 9 deaths, over 80 casualties due to the strikes, as well as considerable damage to civilian infrastructure.
There are no verified figures currently available, and it is not clear how many of the reported casualties are civilians. All UN personnel in Hudaydah are safe and accounted for, and there was no damage to UN premises in Hudaydah.
You will shortly hear from General Beary, Head of the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement.
Minor displacements have also been reported from neighbourhoods near the Hudaydah Port. The extent of damage to the Port remains unclear, and fires are still burning. However, local authorities have advised that the port is functioning at a limited capacity.
Hudaydah port is a lifeline for millions of people in Yemen. Yemen relies heavily on imports of essential items such as food, medicine, and fuel, with the majority of these goods arriving through Hudaydah.
It is essential for the port to be open and operating. Moreover, Hudaydah Port is in a densely populated urban center where thousands of people live. Any military campaign in its vicinity risks having devastating consequences for civilians.
The Secretary-General urged once again, on 20 July, for “all concerned to avoid attacks that could harm civilians and damage civilian infrastructure.” He “remains deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region and continues to urge all to exercise utmost restraint.”
On 21 July, the IDF stated on social media that its Aerial Defense Array successfully intercepted a surface-to-surface missile that approached Israeli territory from Yemen using the "Arrow 3" Aerial Defense System. The projectile did not cross into Israeli territory.
Mr. President,
We have also witnessed a deeply worrying continuation of exchanges of fire across the Blue Line, which as we have stressed repeatedly, risks further regional conflagration.
On 20 July, the Israeli Defence Forces said that 40 rockets, as well as drones, were fired across the Blue Line, injuring two soldiers and igniting fires.
Unconfirmed media reports in Lebanon said that the Israeli Defence Forces struck a Hezbollah munitions depot and a vehicle, with possible injuries and damage to civilian infrastructure.
In addition, this morning this Council heard from the Special Envoy for Syria of the profound risk of regional escalation.
Last week, Israel carried out strikes that the Syrian Government said hit military sites in southern Syria and a residential area in Damascus. Israel said this was in response to the launch of two drones from Syria.
Further strikes attributed to Israel over the past month were reported in Tartous, Damascus, rural Damascus, and near the Lebanese border.
Mr. President,
In Yemen, the fragile gains resulting from the 2022 UN-brokered truce are being eclipsed by violent escalation in the region.
The Houthis continue to launch attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, in contravention of Security Council resolutions 2722 (2024) and 2739 (2024).
Verified incidents are reflected in the written monthly reports of the Secretary-General, based on information received from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As of today, the IMO has verified 42 Houthi attacks.
The Houthis have also claimed several “joint military operations” with the so-called “Islamic Resistance in Iraq”, purportedly in support of the people in the Gaza Strip.
The “Islamic Resistance” group is also believed to have launched a drone attack against a base in Iraq hosting personnel of the International Coalition to fight ISIS – the first such attack since February.
At the same time, Israeli military operations have intensified across Gaza in recent weeks, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Palestinian armed groups in Gaza continued to launch rockets indiscriminately towards Israeli population centers.
Mr. President,
These latest developments show the real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.
As the Secretary-General said on 21 June “the risk for the conflict in the Middle East to widen is real and must be avoided.
One rash move, one miscalculation could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the borders and, frankly, beyond imagination.”
On Gaza, the Secretary-General has been very clear: “we need an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and an unconditional release of hostages.” And we need all the parties to recommit to a political horizon towards the two-State solution.
On the Blue Line, I echo the Secretary-General in calling on the parties “to urgently recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities.”
Furthermore, allow me to reiterate the Secretary-General’s remarks that “attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea area are not acceptable as they endanger the safety and security of global supply chains and have a negative impact on the economic and humanitarian situation worldwide.”
Mr. President,
Allow me to close with a few words on the issue of detained personnel in Yemen.
We remain profoundly concerned about the well-being of Yemeni personnel from the United Nations, national and international non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, and civil society that are arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities.
We urge the de facto authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all of them. And we further request that they are treated with full respect for their human rights, and that they are afforded the ability to contact their families and legal representatives.
The Secretary-General and other senior UN officials continue to work through all possible channels to secure the immediate and unconditional release of those arbitrarily detained.
Thank you, Mr. President.
A UN convoy has been hit by “heavy shooting” from Israeli forces at a checkpoint while en route to Gaza city, the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Monday.
A recent surge in cross-border deadly attacks risks escalating violence across the Middle East and requires immediate de-escalation efforts, top UN officials warned the Security Council on Monday.
The threat of regional conflict affecting Syria has not abated, particularly in the face of recent Israeli strikes on the war-torn country, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Monday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has responded to Israel’s airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, which reportedly killed at least six people and injured more than 80, by calling for all parties involved in the conflict to “exercise utmost restraint”.
To add to the devastation of war and the complete breakdown of law and order, Gazans now have to contend with the threat of highly infectious polio disease linked to the disastrous sanitation situation created by the conflict, the UN health agency said on Friday.
The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees UNRWA welcomed the decision by the United Kingdom on Friday to resume funding of the agency “at a critical time, as the agency continues to come under harsh and unprecedented attacks”.
The UN relies on cooperation with regional and subregional organizations “now, more than ever” amid mounting global tensions and challenges, a senior official said on Friday in a briefing to the Security Council.
Heavy fighting in Sudan has severely curtailed humanitarian aid deliveries across vast areas of the southeast, the UN World Food Programme, WFP, said on Friday.
