Palestinian Territory, UNIFIL, Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right. Good afternoon. This morning, as you saw, the Secretary General addressed the opening session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. He said that the New York Declaration and its annexes endorsed by the General assembly last year provide a clear and actionable path towards a two state solution. But what matters, he added, is a durable change on the ground, and that, as we all sadly know all too well, the situation is very fragile.

Since the October agreement, the Secretary General said more than 500 Palestinians have been killed. He urged all parties to implement the agreement in full, exercise maximum restraint and comply with international law and UN resolutions. He also called for the facilitation of rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief at scale, including, including through the Rafah crossing. Mr. Guterres noted that more than 37,000 Palestinians were displaced in the West bank in 2025 alone, a year that also saw a record high level of Israeli settler violence. He condemned once more, in the strongest terms, action taken by the Israeli government to demolish the UNRWA Sheik Jarrah compound in East Jerusalem.

Public threats by officials in Jerusalem against the staff of UNRWA are utterly abhorrent and must be met with unequivocal repudiation, he said. Turning the situation on the ground in the Rafah crossing, our colleague Tom Fletcher. Excuse me, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, welcomed the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing for people to leave and return to Gaza. He stressed, however, this is not enough and that Rafah must function as a real humanitarian corridor so. So we can have a surge in aid deliveries.

The World Health Organization said earlier today that yesterday when the crossing was open, it facilitated the evacuation of five patients and seven of their companions through the Rafah crossing. WHO added that its role focused on ensuring the safe transfer of patients from Gaza to the Rafah crossing. Today, more people expected to move through that crossing. WHO has been facilitating the movement of patients and their companions as they did yesterday. The UN Development Program is also set to provide bus transportation for returnees from the internal checkpoints to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.

And that is where, as we told you yesterday, ocha, with several other UN and NGO partners, has set up a reception area with medical, psychosocial and referral service. Meanwhile, we and our humanitarian partners continue to respond to the existing and emergency needs in Gaza. Her partners, leading on food security, report that as the end Of January, around 25 partners produced and distributed 1.7 million meals every day through more than 180 kitchens. Over half a million meals in the north and 1.2 million meals in the south. Our partners also report that they brought in around 6650 metric tons of animal feed during January and that the distribution is ongoing for both livestock holders and donkey owners that support essential services in Gaza.

Our Emergency Shelter Assistance Our partners report that during January more than 83,500 families received assistance including tents, mattresses, kitchens, utensils and warm clothes. Our partners working in shelter reiterate the urgent need to move beyond emergency items towards a more sustainable solution and our partners working on education, continue their efforts to increase enrollment capacity through setting up new learning spaces, expanding existing ones and supporting community led initiatives. Supplies are arriving gradually which should help with that effort. Moving north to Southern Lebanon and in answer to some of your questions yesterday and when I mentioned the substance that was dropped by the Israeli Defense Forces over areas near the Blue Line, I can tell you that our peacekeeping colleagues confirmed that they supported the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Lebanese authorities to collect samples north of the Blue Line to be tested for toxicity. The Lebanese authorities will test the samples and UNIFIL remains in contact with them as they work to obtain results as quickly as possible.

Separately this morning, peacekeepers on patrol observed two drones hovering over them near Kafr Kela sect in sector East. One drone carrying an unidentified object entered a range assessed as an immediate threat. Peacekeepers took defensive action, after which the drone dropped a stun grenade about 50 meters away, flying south towards Israeli territory. No injuries were reported and the patrol continued. UNIFIL informed both the Israeli and Lebanese armies as it does for all activities in sensitive areas along the Blue Line.

The use of armed drones is of course unacceptable and we reiterate the obligation of all parties to respect the Blue Line, ensure the safety of peacekeepers and avoid actions that endanger them. Earlier today in Washington, our Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher participate in an event hosted by the United States. This event focused on mobilizing resources for the humanitarian response and building support for humanitarian truce in Sudan. In his remarks, Mr. Fletcher said the horrific humanitarian crisis in Sudan had endured for more than 1,000 days and that is far too long. Too many days of famine, lives uprooted and destroyed and women and girls subjected to terrifying sexual violence.

Mr. Fletcher noted that the Secretary General has stressed that as this devastating war approaches its third year, the guns must fall silent and a path to peace must be charted. He reiterated our support for the work of the Quad, which is made up by the us, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and the work of the Quad to secure a Humanitarian truce including the demilitarization of key areas alongside the rapid scale up of life saving humanitarian assistance across the country. Meanwhile, on the ground, the continued insecurity in many regions is pushing more people to flee and deepening an already severe humanitarian situation. In South Kordofan state, an OCHA mission to the locality of Abu Jubaya last week found more than 10,000 displaced human beings are living in camps that are facing critical gaps in food, health care, water, sanitation, shelter and education services. Most of the newly displaced families fled insecurity and hunger in the state capital Kadougli and in the city of Dilling.

Others came from West Kordofan and East Darfur states. Some traveled via South Sudan. After long and dangerous journeys marked by theft, detention and family separation, they need obviously immediate humanitarian assistance. Moving to North Darfur, our partners report that more than 1,000 people have arrived in Tawila in recent days. Families face acute shortages of food, health services and basic household items.

We and our partners are giving hot meals through community kitchens, but more support is needed to meet other basic needs. Displacements also continues in the states of East Darfur and Blue Nile. With humanitarian needs sharply rising and resources stretched, OCHA appeals to donors for funding so our partners can scale up critical assistance for millions of people across the country. This year's humanitarian Appeal calls for $2.9 billion to reach more than 20 million people and just south in South Sudan. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us the situation there is deteriorating across the country and that is driven by renewed violence, civilian displacement and access constraints, particularly in Zhongle.

As we've been telling you since the end of December, renewed fighting and airstrikes in Zhongle have forced an estimated 280,000 people to flee their homes. Our ability to deliver critical aid remains restricted due to ongoing clashes and insecurity. Today, UNICEF warned more than 450 450,000 children are at risk of acute malnutrition nationwide as hostilities disrupt health and nutrition services. With six counties in Zhongli close to running out of therapeutic food assistance, cholera is also spreading in Duk County.

In Zhongli, overcrowding and display sites and limited access to safe water sanitation are leading to of course, more cases of cholera. We and our partners are expanding our treatment capacity and trying out preparing for a vaccination campaign. Humanitarian operations remain under serious threat. Facilities assets including vehicles, boats and offices and equipment have been looted or damaged and aid workers have faced intimidation, undermining responsibility efforts. The government has authorized a one day access window for hard to reach areas in Acobo county and that should be taking place on the 5th of February.

The UN's Humanitarian Air Service, excuse me, will operate a flight to pre position supplies. This is the second flight permitted there this week, helping deliver critical assistance. And from Ukraine our humanitarian colleagues tell us that several civilians were killed and dozens injured in the past 24 hours in another wave of overnight attacks. The attacks also damage energy infrastructure across eight regions. Some 2,000 high rise residential buildings in the regions of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro are currently without heating.

Many other regions are also experiencing temporary power outages. That's what local authorities are telling us. The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Shmale said that repeated strikes on critical civilian infrastructure are disrupting the daily lives of millions of people, creating life threatening conditions for the most vulnerable, including older people and children. Aid organizations are providing first aid in psychological support and setting up new warming points where people can get heat as well as hot meals and charge their devices. UN agencies are providing generators and other supplies.

We, along with our humanitarian partners also continue to support frontline communities despite limited access. Yesterday's OCHA Crisis Response Director Edemu Surnu joined a convoy that delivered food, medicines, hygiene supplies and solar lamps to the residents of Frontline community of Antonivka in the region of Kherson. Just a senior appointment that we shared with you last night, but I'm just reading into the record. Secretary General appointed Robert van der Zee of the Netherlands as his representative for the investment assets of something that's very dear to my heart, which is the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund. The older I get, the more important it gets.

He succeeds Pedro Antonio Guazo Alonso of Spain, to whom the Secretary General is grateful for his service. The the Secretary General also wishes to extend appreciation to Toru Shindou, the Chief Investment Officer in the Office of Investment Management who served as the acting representative from 16 July to August 15 last year.

Currently, excuse me, Mr. Van der Zee has been serving as the Acting Representative as Secretary General and previous to that he served as the Chief Financial Officer for the World Food Program. He has about 30 years of experience in this field. We welcome him.

Later this week you will see a lot of police officers from different countries in the building because we are hosting the 20th Chiefs of Police of UN Police Components Conference which is taking place on the 4th to the 6th of February. Bringing together senior UN Police leaders from peacekeeping operations and special political missions around the world. The participants will engage with senior UN leadership to address evolving security challenges and set priorities for the year ahead. Discussions will focus on the future of UN policing and the critical role that UN police play in advancing peacekeeping priorities, from harnessing data and new technologies to strengthening gender responsive policing and operational pressures such as. Such as liquidity challenges in the field.

Some participants will also brief the Security Council on Thursday in the afternoon. If you have interest to speak to any one of these police people, please speak to our peacekeeping colleagues. And we have a quiz today. Two additions to the honor roll, the more associated with Scotland. Bagpipes are also the national instrument of.

Of which country where they are known as the Beno. You're not Googling, are you? No. Okay, okay. The instrument is also known as the guida in the local language.

In the national language.

We're happy to take money from anyone, but Wales is not a member state of the United Nations. It is Bulgaria.

And this is a good one. In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon. During his trip, Armstrong brought a recording of classical music that he played on the moon. In which country was the composer of that music born?

Do you want the name of the piece at least? Austria. No. New World Symphony. Who wrote the New World Symphony?

Okay, sorry. Antonin Dvorak from the Czech Republic. So we thank our friends in Sofia and Prague. So just for the record, Bulgaria paid 2,000,260 and the Czech Republic $11,001,571. And we thank both of them.

Edie.

Thank you. Steph. Since we're very focused on Sudan, can we get an update on what is actually happening in this effort to get all of the disparate parties to join together to try and get both sides into talks? I know there was this meeting in Egypt, but the results did not give us any clarity on the that issue.

No, the clarity is not something that we have, but I will try to get you an update as soon as I can.

And secondly, there was this donors conference in Washington this morning, and apparently the press conference was cancelled. So in favor of something called a fireside chat, can we get an update on what actually happened? Since Under Secretary General Tom was there.

I kind of mentioned, I flagged to you at the beginning of the briefing what he said. We're waiting for an official announcement, but this is really from my understanding about the US Providing funds through the United nations for the humanitarian assistance in Sudan.

And there will be some kind of a release that you will send around. If I get it, I will not sit on it. That I promise. Sinan denamov.

Thank you, Stephan.

I have two questions. First, the US and Iran are expected to meet in Turkey this Friday to discuss the nuclear program agreement. I wonder if, I mean does the UN have any role? I mean like Secretary General has any role? Is he going to monitor the situation or will be any role?

Yeah, I mean obviously we've seen the reports of talks possibly starting later this week. We are very keen for a diplomatic solution to lower the tensions that we're seeing in the region. And we'll be monitoring closely and I'll leave it at that for now. Second question please.

There are reports that eight convoys heading to Kobani have been stopped at the Turkish border according to local resources.

Is the UN in contact with the Turkish authorities to ensure.

I will check on that for you.

Just one follow up on Kobani yesterday you said there were still shortages of water, communications, medical supplies, food, among other basic services. Any update on that? Why is there's an agreement between Damascus and the sdf?

Why aren't they getting their electricity back? The people in Koban.

Well, listen, we understand the shortages are still going on. I think people are trying to work through all of the, all of the needs from our part. We're trying to deliver as much as we can and we hope that obviously people will benefit from all basic services.

As quickly do you hear from your people on the ground what causes the, you know, the failure to deliver, let's say power and other basic.

I don't have. No, I do not. Thank you. Okay, Stefano, thank you.

Stefan is a follow up question was asked you but yesterday but I don't think you're. I mean again your answer. I'm not sure if I understood. I don't know if that's a you problem or a me problem. No, it's very rare that the President of the United States give basically an interview dedicated to the United nations and in that case Issei and Politico headliners call me and I will fix the problems.

So did Secretary Jack.

As soon as I have something as I've been saying on potential contact between the Secretary General and the President, I will let you know. As far as obligations of member states to pay up, we know what they are and they're very clear. And the cash flow problem of the UN could be solved if member states who have an obligation to pay pay.

Yes, but yesterday you in answering you said oh well, the Secretary General have constant contact with the ambassador of the United States at the un.

But in this case again the President of the United States says publicly in an interview to the Secretary General call me. And we fixed the problem. Why he didn't call him yet?

Well, I just don't think you and I have fixed our problem. Because I have.

No, I don't think I have anything more to say on what you're asking me. Okay. Yes, Gabriel. Then we'll go to the screen.

Thanks, Steph.

Is the Secretary General planning to attend the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics this week?

I will have announcement for you on that in the next couple of days. Okay.

And on rough, you said that the WHO reported five. They helped five Palestinians evacuate.

That was just via the Rafah crossing, correct?

That's correct.

And our reporters in Gaza are saying, citing local health officials and people there, that it was 16. So I just want to be clear. Your numbers from the who, you're not suggesting those are the total?

That's just what the UN helped facilitate.

Correct.

And what my. From what I read, it's five patients and seven accompanying people. Right.

So that gives us a total of 12. And as we've also said before, there are some patients who are getting out through other routes through bilateral agreements that may not involve the World Health Organization. We don't have a monopoly on that. Okay, we'll go to the screen, please. Abusiof, please.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Stefan. This is Abu Sufyan from Bangladesh. The political crisis inside Myanmar is having a devastating impact on south and Southeast Asia. Several Bangladeshi have been also killed in clashes between the armed forces of Arakan State and the country's central government forces. Does UN Secretary General have any message to save South Asia from.

From this conflict?

Well, as you know, we have continuously denounced the violence that has been inflicted on civilians in Myanmar with devastating impact on their lives, on their livelihoods, negative impact on the countries in the region which have been. Many of which, especially Bangladesh have opened their doors and are hosting a huge amount of refugees. We continue to support the work of ASEAN and others to try to bring an end to the conflict and the crisis in Myanmar.

Okay, any other questions? Thank you all.

I'm told there was a press conference in Washington. It wasn't televised, but it was a press conference. Whether they were sitting down by a fire and answering questions.