The United Nations on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the latest escalation of violence in Lebanon, despite the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, following an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut that reportedly killed four people – including a woman – and injured several others.
The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher on Monday called for “justice and answers” after Israeli forces killed eight Palestinian medics, six civil defence first responders and a UN staff member in an attack in southern Gaza.
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The UN Secretary-General on Saturday strongly condemned an attack on peacekeepers serving with UN mission MINUSCA in the Central African Republic which left one Kenyan ‘blue helmet’ dead.
The UN human rights chief sounded the alarm on Friday over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Haiti, calling it a “catastrophe” fuelled by gang violence, widespread impunity and a political process that is hanging by a thread.
Sharply declining aid could force tens of millions across the globe who rely on food aid into extreme hunger and starvation, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.
As the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has intensified in recent months, the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, has been working to protect civilians - including in areas under the control of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group in North Kivu province.
Lifesaving supplies in Gaza continue to run dangerously low, nearly four weeks into the total aid blockade and deadly bombardment of the enclave by Israel, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Friday of a rapidly deteriorating crisis in South Sudan, calling for urgent dialogue, the immediate release of detained officials and renewed commitment to the 2018 peace agreement.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan issued an alert on Thursday over the rapidly escalating crisis in the country, calling for urgent coordinated action to protect civilians and preserve the 2018 peace deal that ended five years of civil war.
A record 27.7 million people are in the grip of acute hunger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), amid ongoing conflict linked to massive displacement and rising food prices, global food security experts warned on Thursday.
For the first time in nearly two years of brutal conflict between rival militaries, the number of Sudanese internally displaced has fallen, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Thursday.
Armed groups affiliated with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have continued to expand their control in North and South Kivu – setting their sights on more territorial gains.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a warning on Thursday over the terrible impact on youngsters of renewed Israeli bombardment and the total aid blockade.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called on all parties to exercise restraint and uphold the peace agreement as violence escalates and reports emerge of the detention of First Vice President Riek Machar.
The world came together 50 years ago to ban biological weapons and in today’s volatile geopolitical climate we can ill-afford to let this moral safeguard “erode”, the UN’s High Representative for Disarmament Affairs said on Wednesday.
It has now been three and a half weeks since Israel imposed a complete blockade on all aid into Gaza, despite daily efforts by UN humanitarians to secure fresh access, they said in an update from the shattered enclave.
The United Nations on Wednesday welcomed recent diplomatic talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia, calling an agreement on freedom of navigation and security in the Black Sea a crucial step for global food security.
With thousands fleeing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) across the border into Burundi, aid operations are stretched to the limit, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen briefed the Security Council on Tuesday, pointing to the devastating violence on the coast earlier this month, which marked a grim new chapter in Syria’s fragile transition to a lasting peace.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday condemned the recent attack on a mosque in Kokorou village, in western Niger, in which at least 44 worshippers were killed and 20 injured.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) expressed major concern on Tuesday following the detention of at least 92 people by the Turkish authorities over the past week, including Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been charged with corruption and removed from office.
In Yemen, a decade of conflict has proved catastrophic for the country’s children living under the threat of airstrikes and staggeringly high malnutrition rates, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the immediate release of 52 United Nations personnel currently detained worldwide, including 23 being held by the de facto authorities in Yemen.
United Nations peace operations are facing mounting challenges as conflicts become more protracted, geopolitical divisions widen and transnational threats multiply, Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday.
Staff members of the United Nations around the world who are recruited locally are “particularly vulnerable” to detention and should be released and allowed to go home according to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
South Sudan is teetering on the brink of a return to full-scale civil war as violence escalates and political tensions deepen, the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) warned on Monday.
The UN Secretary-General on Monday took the “difficult decision” to reduce the aid operation inside the Gaza Strip following the resumption of deadly Israeli airstrikes – but pledged that “the UN is not leaving” the enclave.
The tight Israeli blockade of humanitarian supplies is pushing Gaza closer to an acute hunger crisis, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), said on Sunday.
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Israel’s renewed bombing campaign and intensifying ground operation in Gaza are reversing gains achieved during the brief ceasefire, UN humanitarians inside the devastated enclave said on Friday.
Classes cut short by air raid sirens have become a routine part of school life for many Ukrainian youngsters in the three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, a new UN report published on Friday details.
The Israel-Palestine conflict is descending further into violence, with mounting civilian casualties in the West Bank and a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the UN’s top envoy for the region warned on Friday.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday strongly condemned the looting of vital humanitarian supplies from Al Bashair Hospital in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, warning that the theft puts thousands of malnourished children and mothers at risk.
Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari
Briefing to the Security Council
on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question
20 March 2025
Madam President,
Members of the Security Council,
Thank you for the opportunity to brief the Council regarding the humanitarian situation faced by the remaining hostages in Gaza.
I would like at the outset to recognize Mr. Eli Sharabi and his unimaginable experience of pain and his remarkable resilience in the face of such immense loss. I extend to him my condolences for the tragic loss of his dear family - wife, two daughters and brother. I pay him, all hostages, living and deceased, and their families and loved ones my deepest respect and support.
I again extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families who lost their family members and loved ones during and after the horrific attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel on 7 October 2023.
The UN continues to unequivocally condemn the appalling acts of terrorand continued holding of hostages in Gaza. Nothing can justify the intentional killing, torture, sexual violence, and destruction -- entire families murdered, burned in their homes, taken hostage. The events of that horrific day will not be forgotten.
The participation in Security Council meetings of surviving hostages, and their heart-wrenching testimonies, and many months of agony, serve as a stark reminder but also as a crucial symbol of endurance and hope for those still waiting to see their loved ones back home.
Since the attacks, the Secretary-General and other senior UN officials have regularly met with the families of hostages and have been deeply moved by their stories, and by the torment and anguish they have endured.
Madam President,
The ceasefire and hostage release deal that took effect on 19 January offered a glimmer of hope and respite by reuniting 25 Israeli hostages with their loved ones and returning the remains of eight deceased hostages, who were killed on 7 October or while in captivity, to their families.
Their release and return were sadly also a moment of great anxiety, as most of the living hostages were paraded in front of crowds, and the coffins of the deceased, including those of two young children who were killed in captivity, were displayed publicly by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups during appalling ceremonies that violated international law.
The UN has repeatedly condemned the parading of coffins containing the bodies of dead Israeli hostages and public displays accompanying the release of living and deceased hostages, including statements made under duress.
As of today, at least 59 hostages, alive and deceased, including Eli’s brother’s body, Yossi Sharabi, are still being held captive by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. The testimonies of those released provide terrifying accounts of their captivity, including physical and psychological torture, sexual violence and deprivation, indicating that those left behind continue to suffer in horrific conditions, exposed to trauma and suffering since their abduction.
The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.
Until their release, they must be allowed to receive visits and support from the International Committee of the Red Cross, and they must be treated with dignity and respect in line with humanitarian principles.
Madam President,
The resumption of hostilities on 18 March adds further despair and uncertainty for those remaining hostages, their families and their loved ones.
This resumption of hostilities amidst significant Israeli airstrikes in Gaza has also been devastating for the civilian population in the Strip. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, including women and children.
Since the resumption of hostilities, one United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS) staff member has also been killed and several have been insured. Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Lazzarini also informed that in the past few days another five UNRWA staff have been confirmed killed.
I reiterate that civilians must be protected, including UN personnel.
The rights and dignity of all those affected by the conflict – whether in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, or elsewhere – must be respected and protected.
We call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The return to hostilities threatens all civilians in Gaza, I echo the Secretary-General’s call for the resumption of serious negotiations for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be re-established, and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
With every passing day we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes.
This was also very clear from the rescued hostage Ms. Noa Argamani’s remarks to the Council last month, where she told us that every moment under captivity was lived in danger. The resumed hostilities in Gaza, compounded with the lack of access and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, are exposing the remaining hostages to constant danger and life-threatening conditions.
As USG Fletcher briefed you earlier this week, a renewed ceasefire is the best way of protecting civilians – in Gaza, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel – releasing hostages and detainees and allowing aid and commercial supplies in.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting human rights, defending humanitarian principles, and supporting all efforts that promote peace, stability, and a more hopeful future for all people in the Middle East.
We are also convinced that the only path to durable peace will be achieved when Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
The UN stands ready to do all it can to support the parties in reaching that objective and it will continue to do all it can to support an end to this suffering.
Once again, I reiterate the Secretary-General’s deep concern for this conflict’s unbearable impact on the victims and his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.
Thank you,
Madam President.
UN chief António Guterres on Thursday hailed positive announcements from the White House, Kremlin and Kyiv aimed at stopping crippling attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia, linked to Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour.
A senior UN political affairs official called for Israel and Hamas to restore the shattered ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday and release all remaining hostages, while one of those freed told the Security Council of his 500-day ordeal in captivity.
Dozens of civilians, including local humanitarian volunteers, have been killed by artillery shelling and aerial bombardment in the eastern part of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reported on Thursday.
In just one month, intensifying violence has forced over 60,000 people to flee their homes in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, marking another grim record in the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
An increase in attacks on media outlets in Haiti by armed gangs which control most of the capital Port-au-Prince is intended to intimidate journalists and instill chaos according to the UN agency for culture, UNESCO.
Israeli bombardments continued across Gaza on Wednesday, killing hundreds more people – many of them women and children – and leaving widespread destruction in its wake, according to local authorities.
At least one UN staffer has been killed and at least five others injured – several very severely – following an explosion at two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
