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Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territory & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations
Summary
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The Secretary General of the United Nations expressed deep sorrow over the death of a UN staff member from the United Nations Office for Project Services due to strikes on two UN guest houses in Gaza. This incident, which resulted in serious injuries to five other UN personnel, has raised concerns about the safety and protection of UN sites, which are supposed to be shielded from attacks in accordance with international law. The Secretary General called for a comprehensive investigation and reiterated the importance of conducting conflicts in a manner that protects civilians. He urged for the respect of ceasefires to alleviate civilian suffering and for humanitarian aid to reach those in need. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with ongoing Israeli bombardments causing deaths, displacements, and destruction of infrastructure, severely disrupting humanitarian efforts. The closure of crossings into the Gaza Strip continues to exacerbate the situation. Additionally, the statement mentioned recent events in the West Bank, Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Ukraine, Turkey, and climate change concerns, reflecting a broad spectrum of pressing global issues.
Full Script
Good afternoon, everyone. I have the following statement, attributable to the spokesperson for the Secretary General on Gaza. The Secretary General was deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the death of a United Nations Office for Project Services staff member when two UN guest houses in Derelbala were hit in strikes. Five other UN personnel were seriously injured. The locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict were bound by international law to protect them and maintain their absolute inviolability. The Secretary General strongly condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation. He underscores that all conflicts must be conducted in a way that ensures civilians are respected and protected. The Secretary General senses deepest condolences to the family of the staff member killed. Today’s deadly strike brings the number of UN colleagues killed in Gaza since the 7th of October, 2023, to at least 280. The incident follows reports from yesterday which saw the deaths of hundreds, including many children, marking one of the deadliest days in Gaza since late 2023. The Secretary General stresses the need for the ceasefire to be respected to bring an end to the suffering of the people. Humanitarian aid must reach all people in need. The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. He also recalls that international law must be complied with at all times. Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that Israeli bombardments continue, resulting in many more deaths, hundreds according to local authorities, as well as mass displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Many of the casualties are women and children. This morning, evacuation leaflets were again dropped over Bethlehem and Bethanoun in North Gaza as well as eastern Kanyunas, ordering residents to leave their homes. The UN and our partners estimate that due to these evacuation orders, thousands of people have already been displaced. In Southern Gaza, humanitarian partners report that families have fled from east to west Kanyunas, seeking shelter with relatives or in open areas. In Rafa, many displaced people have moved towards the Mawasi area and other areas along the coast. In the north, many fleeing Bethanoun have sought safety in public and Anra run schools in Western Gaza City, while others have found temporary shelters in Betelaya and other neighborhoods in Gaza Governorate. Humanitarian needs include food, potable water, clothing and blankets. Reports indicate that some people risk returning to Betanoun this morning to collect personal belongings. The closure of crossings into Gaza for humanitarian and all other supplies is now in its 18th day, severely disrupting relief operations and worsening an already catastrophic situation. Our partners working in food security report that distributions of food have been disrupted due to the deteriorating security situation and the proximity of distribution points to evacuation zones. In addition, about 30 community kitchens providing cooked meals were forced to close yesterday. As of today, kitchens in east Kanyunas and north Gaza are still closed. Education has also been affected with learning activities in 163 temporary learning spaces suspended, leaving thousands of students without access to education. And turning to the West Bank, Ocha warns that Israeli operations are expanding into new areas. This morning, Israeli forces raided Ayen Betelma refugee camp in Nablus, ordering five families to vacate their homes which returned into military zones. The families were instructed not to return for three days. Fearing an extended operation in the camp, about 45 additional families have preemptively fled. The acting special advisor on the prevention of genocide, Virginia Gamba, and the special advisor on the responsibility to protect Moe Bleecker, are gravely concerned by yesterday’s reports of extensive Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip. The special advisors say that these developments signal a troubling and dramatic escalation of violence with irreversible consequences. It is essential that the mutual imperatives of the peace process, integrating aspects of prevention and protection, are prioritized urgently. Ms. Gamba and Ms. Bleecker also expressed their deep concern of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza exacerbated by Israel’s decision on 2 March to suspend the entry of aid into the territory. They urged all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions, prevent further loss of life, and engage in a solid political solution. And now it’s about the UN interim force in Lebanon. A UNIFIL peacekeeper was wounded this morning after stepping on a mine while on an operational activity in the southern Lebanese village of Zipkin. He was immediately evacuated to a nearby UNIFIL facility where he received initial treatment. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Beirut. His condition is stable and his injuries are not life-threatening. This terrible incident highlights the dangers of unexploded ordnance in south Lebanon. UNIFIL has increased its capacity in demining and will continue to do so over the coming months. Separately, today, UNIFIL peacekeepers also observed seven Israel Defense Force activities north of the blue line in violation of Resolution 1701. UNIFIL reiterates its call for a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territories so that the Lebanese armed forces with UNIFIL support can deploy in all of south Lebanon. Yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers found rocket launchers, rocket propelled grenades, and other unauthorized weapons and ammunition caches in seven different locations in south Lebanon. The discoveries were all reported to the Lebanese Army for their action. And as UNIFIL marks the 47th year of its establishment, head of mission and force commander Lieutenant General Erol de Lazaro stated that successfully implementing Resolution 1701 can only be achieved through our joint efforts to prevent escalations, maintain stability, and reinforce state authority in southern Lebanon. The Secretary General is now in Brussels, in Belgium, and he started his meetings with European Union leaders. Earlier today, he met with Roberto Mazzola, the President of the European Parliament, and he is scheduled to meet with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Antonia Costa, the President of the European Council, and Gaia Callas, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Tomorrow, at the invitation of Antonia Costa, the Secretary General will take part in a working lunch with the heads of state and government of the European Union at the opening of the European Council. We expect Mr. Gutteres and Mr. Costa to do a brief stakeout as they enter the European Union building, and you will be able to watch them live on UNWebTV. While in Brussels, the Secretary General is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart de Weber. As a reminder, on Friday morning, the Secretary General will deliver remarks in Louvain, where the universities KU Louvain and UC Louvain will jointly award an honorary doctorate to the United Nations. The ceremony will be webcast live on UNWebTV. And the Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, will travel to Windhoek, the Republic of Namibia, on behalf of the Secretary General later today, to attend the 35th Independence Anniversary celebration and the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony of Nittumbu Nandi Ndwetwa, who will become Namibia’s first female president. During her visit, she will meet with the President-Elect to continue to strengthen the UN-Namibia relationship. She will also engage with the UN country team to assess progress on the Sustainable Development Goals in Namibia, and she will return to New York on Sunday. Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our peacekeeping mission continues to protect civilians in North Kivu and in Turi province, where 60 percent of the force is currently deployed. Our colleagues in the mission report that over a thousand civilians sought refuge at the mission base in Fataki, Jugu territory, where they spent the night after fleeing clashes between the Kodeco armed group and a coalition of Ugandan and Congolese armed forces. A patrol has also been deployed in the area to reinforce the protection of civilians. The mission continues to monitor the situation closely and remains fully committed to supporting peace and stability efforts in the region. Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that in North Kivu, dozens of civilians were killed over the past two days during clashes in Walikale territory. In a Turi province, authorities reported the clashes yesterday in the town of Fataki displaced more than 5,000 people. Calm has now reportedly returned, but a number of humanitarian partners have suspended their movements in the area. In South Kivu, our humanitarian partners are struggling to deliver assistance to more than one million people in Nuvira and Fizi due to ongoing clashes. Ojiye says it is particularly urgent to deliver medical supplies in Nuvira, where Mpox and cholera continue to spread. And I was asked about mediation efforts concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and I can say that the Secretary General is grateful to the Emir of Qatar for Qatar’s mediation between the DRC and Rwanda. He emphasizes that the ceasefire agreed must be observed. We fully support the agreement for continued discussions as envisioned under the Rwanda Nairobi processes. The Secretary General emphasizes the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution 2773. Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that escalating attacks in the cities of Omdurman and Khartoum are putting civilians at grave risk. As fighting intensifies, there are reports that residential areas are increasingly being targeted. Local responders say a drone strike yesterday in the Imtodad Naseer area of East Khartoum reportedly killed five women and injured several others. And on Monday evening, several people were reportedly killed by artillery shelling in the Karari area north of Omdurman, with more than 40 others injured, including children. Qatar renews its urgent call for all parties to the conflict to refrain from targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. Under international humanitarian law, all sides must take every possible measure to protect civilians and ensure safe passage for those seeking safety and assistance. Meanwhile, in North Darfur, armed clashes in and around El Fashe continued to displace thousands of people into Zamzam camp, which is under siege and facing famine, and where resources and services are already critically overstretched. Track points around the camp are blocking civilian movement, further isolating vulnerable people in dire need of assistance. The situation in Zamzam camp remains catastrophic. Families are struggling to survive, and food, nutrition, and medical assistance is urgently needed. Water trucking has been suspended due to security risks, increasing the likelihood of waterborne disease outbreaks. Ocha stresses that immediate humanitarian assistance and access are critical to prevent further loss of life. We continue to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities across Sudan and full, unhindered humanitarian access to ensure life-saving aid reaches those most in need. Our colleagues in South Sudan are deeply concerned about the current political tensions and deteriorating security situation, including the aerial bombing of Nasir upper Nile state, which is causing civilian casualties. The special representative of the Secretary General and head of the UN mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Hasim, warned that the country is poised on the brink of relapse into civil war and is urging all parties to adhere to the ceasefire and immediately address the Nasir tensions through dialogue rather than further military confrontation. Mr. Hasim is also called for an immediate return by the parties to consensus-build decision-making and intensive dialogue to resolve grievances and rebuild their trust. He stressed that the parties must de-escalate political tensions now before it is too late. And we will try to have Mr. Hasim speak to you by VTC, possibly on Friday. Turning to Ethiopia, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that they are closely monitoring developments in the Tigray region, people they are still recovering from the impact of the recent conflict and hosting more than half a million internally displaced people. We stress the critical importance of preserving the gains made under the cessation of hostilities agreement and call for its full and sustained implementation as the foundation for lasting peace and stability in Ethiopia. Our colleagues warned that a relapse into conflict would have devastating humanitarian consequences. Further undermining fragile recovery efforts and placing additional pressure on already vulnerable communities. Meanwhile, we, along with our humanitarian partners, continue to support the government-led response. As you have seen in a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary General strongly condemned yesterday’s attack in Somalia targeting a convoy carrying President Hassan Sheikh Mohammed, which resulted in casualties. He reaffirmed the UN’s full solidarity and support to the people in government of Somalia in their fight against terrorism and in furthering efforts towards peace and stability. Turning to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that several people were killed and wounded in attacks today and yesterday in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kivi, and Sumi. Squares of homes, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure were also damaged. This is also according to authorities and aid workers on the ground. In the Sumi region, two hospitals were damaged, forcing rescuers to evacuate numerous patients and health workers. Humanitarian organizations mobilized to support those impacted, including by providing materials to repair homes, hygiene items, and other vital aid. This morning, the Security Council held closed consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force, Assistant Secretary General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Khaled Kiari briefed the Council members. Our colleagues from the World Meteorological Organization today released a report, which says that human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, with some of the consequences being irreversible over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The State of the Climate report confirmed that 2024 was likely the first calendar year to be more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era. This is the warmest year in the 175-year observational record. The Secretary General said that our planet is issuing more distress signals. But this report shows that limiting long-term global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible. Leaders must step up to make the benefits of cheap, clean renewables for their people and economies, with new national climate plans due to this year. The full report is online. And tomorrow, we will be joined virtually from Damascus by Adam Adelmullah, the UN resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for Syria, and he’ll brief on the situation in the future. And last, we would like to say thank you to our friends in Tallinn and Chisinau for their full payments to the regular budget. The payments from Estonia and Moldova bring the number of fully-paid member states to 79. Yes, Edi and Dadeji. Thank you, Farhan. A couple of follow-ups first on the deaths of the UN ops staffer. Can we get some details on how many people were in these guest houses? Were they all UN employees? Were they international, national staffers? And any more details on what hit that guest houses? Was it a drone? Was it a missile? We’re still trying to identify what caused that explosion. It was clearly an explosion. We do not know whether it was fired from land, from the sea, from the air. That part is unclear. It is clear that it was an explosive ordinance that was either dropped or fired at the infrastructure and detonated inside the building. And there was some earlier confusion about whether this was some sort of unexploded ordinance. It’s clear that it was not unexploded ordinance. The other points in terms of details that I could provide, the premises that were hit today, had also been damaged yesterday in strikes. And so the location of the building had already been de-conflicted with Israel Defense Forces. But yesterday there was damage to the premises. And that what was happening is that this accommodation, a UN OPS accommodation, was hit at about 11.30 a.m. local time today while people were trying to examine the damage from the previous night’s incident. And as far as I’m aware, a number of the casualties are very serious. I’ve confirmed one death, but there’s at least one other person in very critical condition right now. Deshi. A follow-up. When you read out this and when I saw the statement from UN OPS, they didn’t really specify or confirm who is behind this. Like from which party? Is it IDF? Is it Hamas? So you have no information? I think it is too soon to determine. Like I said, the information we have is that this was an explosive ordinance that was either dropped into the building or fired at the building. It was not a mine or anything like that. It was some form of ordinance being dropped or fired either by land, sea or air. So we will need to be further investigated in terms of being able to determine responsibility. So if you’re talking about responsibility, how would you expect there would be the accountability to hold in such a circumstance? You don’t even know who did this. I think that will be clearer as it is investigated. I mean, obviously there were people, including qualified people who can investigate this further. But unfortunately, some of them are among the casualties. Some of them are injured. And others are trying to work with determining whether their colleagues will live. So there’s a lot of confusion. But there are people who have this particular expertise who are available once the problems of the last few hours are dealt with. So let me make it clear. So so far, it’s too early to say who did this, right? I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves about that. Another question. Yesterday I asked you whether you would consider the ceasefire deal has been ended. Today, IDF started what they call limited ground operation in Gaza. What’s the reaction from the Secretary General on the latest development? The Secretary General has made it very clear. And you saw the statements he’s put out on this that he wants a return to the ceasefire. Is that the violation of ceasefire deal? Any conflict does not go in conformity with the cessation of hostilities. Gabriel. Thank you, Farhan. Do you know when we can get the name of the person that was killed? Unfortunately, the practice about this, where we unfortunately are too well versed in how this works. And the person’s national government and the person’s family members and next to Ken will have to be informed. Later on, I assume that there will be some information provided. I also think if you’re in touch with the UN Office for Project Services, they will probably provide information when they can. Thanks, Farhan. And the two, you said two UN guest houses. People might not know exactly what that is. Are those UN offices or are they homes? Or can you explain it? There are accommodations for people who are working. And in this case, people who are from outside coming into Gaza to do work. And are those normally identified with the UN logo or UN premises? I believe so. But the basic point is that those sites were specifically de-conflicted with Israel Defense Forces. And so just to clarify that, Israel has the GPS coordinates of all UN homes or offices in Gaza. They have all of the information they need to so that those sites are de-conflicted. In other words, spared from any attack. Abdulhamid, and then we’ll go to Volodymyr. And then Stefano. The first question, Farhan, following your briefing, what happened in Gaza and what’s happening in the West Bank, is there any other name to what happened in that Israel is attempting to completely obliterate the Palestinian people as a whole? That’s the sort of analysis that I leave it to journalists to provide. That’s what we’re doing is providing as many facts as we can. What’s your other question? What’s your other question? What’s your other question? My second question, the statement issued by Ms. Gamba and Ms. Bleaker, they put it in the title, alarmed by escalation of violence in Gaza. Is that escalation of violence only? Violence? Is that what you call with Israeli attack, that massive power, and you call it violence? Abdulhamid, with respect, you are free as reported to use whatever words you wish to use, just as the professional diplomats at the United Nations are free to use the words that they use. Okay, Volodymyr. Thank you, Farhan. We could see that Russia has rejected President Trump’s proposal for an immediate full ceasefire in Ukraine and instead put forward some sort of childish demands that Ukraine cannot defend itself, which contradicts the uncharted provision on self-defense. How would you react to these Putin’s conditions? I think I’ll leave my answer at where I put it yesterday in terms of welcoming the fact that there is dialogue between the United States and the Russian Federation on these issues. Obviously, there are certain things such as the need to protect the safety of shipping in the Black Sea that are in conformity with some of the Secretary General’s aims, but his overall aims, as you are well aware, is for a peace in line with the United Nations Charter, with the principles of territorial integrity, and with the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. Stefano. Thank you, Farhan. In Istanbul, the mayor of Istanbul has been arrested. His name is Ekremi Mamoglu, and there are about 100 people being arrested. Do you have any reaction about this? Because there are some concerns that this is a political motivated arrest. All I can say is that from the information we have, we certainly hope that the normal rules for due process will be followed, and that this will go in accordance with the laws of Turkey. And then another question, I don’t know if it was asked before. I mean, there is any reaction from the UN what’s happening with the closing of here in this country of Voice of America and Radio Liberty. I mean, they had a very important function. There has been a reaction from the UN or not? Well, we certainly want all the voices of journalists to be able to express all of their various viewpoints. In terms of the decision making behind this on the part of the US government, I wouldn’t get involved into that, but we want to make sure that however it is achieved that diversity of journalistic voices can continue to operate. Edie. Thank you, Farhan. A couple of follow-ups. First, you said that the guest houses were for basically people who don’t live in Gaza. So can we assume that those who were there and were hurt and were either non-Palestinians or foreigners? I wouldn’t want to make too much of an assumption about all the people who were involved in this particular incident, whether they were national or international. I do believe that the person who has died so far is an international staff member. And you said that there was a team investigating what happened the day before at the guest houses today. Can we assume that at least some of those team, that team, were hurt? Yes. Yes, that is the case. And on a completely different subject on Mr. Kiar’s briefing to the council on Andof, can we get a little more substantive readout about what he told the council about the situation on the Israeli-Syrian border where Andof is? Well, it was in consultations, but certainly it’s in line with the reporting that the Secretary General has been providing, including on the work being done by Andof. And so it has to do in recent months with the violations of Andof’s area of separation by the various groups. Gabriel and then Amelie. Thanks Farhan. Just a quick one just to follow up on Gaza. Is it your assessment that this was an attack specifically and not an accident, correct? I think it’s early enough that I do not want to speculate on what the reasoning is for what happened. As it is right now, we’re trying to make sure first we have the clear details about what it was that happened before we go on further to understand why it happened the way it did. I would also refer you to the fact that UNOPS has put out remarks on this, including by their executive director. And I would refer you to what he said. Amelie? Yes, hi Farhan. Sorry for my connection issues. I hope I didn’t miss a much. Just a follow-up on Gaza. You mentioned UNOPS dead and five injured, including one seriously injured. But there was reports earlier about the second person dead not directly working as a UN staff. Do you confirm the second death? I do not. Although the information I have been somewhat upsetting that person is still for now alive. Inshallah, I hope that person will continue to live, although right now the situation has been very difficult in recent hours. I wish you all a good afternoon.
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