Middle East, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm going to try to get through this reasonably quickly because we expect a number of speakers to go to the Security Council stakeout, particularly at 12:30. We expect that Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation will speak at the stakeout, and then at 1 o'clock, we anticipate a stakeout appearance by the President of Colombia and the President of today's Security Council session, Gustavo Petro. So that should all be taking place right after this. Speaking of the Council, the Secretary-General warned the Security Council this morning that the Middle East is being pulled deeper into crisis and the consequences reach far beyond the region. This week has brought wider attacks and further deterioration, he said. Mr. Guterres said that he is profoundly concerned it could trigger a full resumption of conflict. He said that the ceasefire is more like a lesser fire, as we have seen with the escalating attacks and rhetoric over the last 48 hours. We should not minimize the risk of lesser fire becoming full fire, in other words, full-scale war. The world needs to see a complete ceasefire, the Secretary-General said, with navigational rights and freedoms restored in line with international law and Security Council Resolution 2817, and serious negotiations on the nuclear issues, ensuring that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. On Lebanon, he warned that since March, we have witnessed a serious escalation as Israel intensified its operations in Lebanese territory, and Hezbollah fired deeper into Israel. All parties must work towards a diplomatic settlement that fully respects the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders, in line with Security Council Resolution 1701, he said. And he urged a continued UN uniform presence following the departure of UNIFIL. He added that the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is rapidly deteriorating. Despite the ceasefire announced 8 months ago, Gaza still faces profound uncertainty and immense human suffering. The Secretary-General urged all parties to implement in full and without delay the comprehensive plan facilitated by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye. Our humanitarian colleagues remain deeply concerned by reports of continued hostilities in the south of the country and the toll they are taking on civilians. Earlier today, the Israeli Army issued displacement orders for 3 localities in Nabatiyeh and South Governorates, affecting nearly 1,900 people. Meanwhile, access constraints continue to hamper the movement of people and aid operations in border areas. Local authorities in several border villages in Nabatea governorate report that road blockages are preventing urgent medical evacuations by the Lebanese Red Cross and restricting the delivery of humanitarian aid. We reiterate the urgent need to protect civilians, ensure safe and sustained humanitarian access, and respect international humanitarian law. And earlier today in Geneva, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, announced that he will soon be deploying a team to Lebanon to conduct an impartial and independent assessment mission. The team will collect information and evidence on alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law and related law committed by the parties to the armed conflict in the country since March 2, 2026. Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that the Rafah crossing has now reopened for the movement of a limited number of people in both directions. Today, the UN and our partners resumed our support for the medical evacuation of people seeking treatment outside of Gaza, and we've also offered to help those returning to Gaza. This follows a short closure of the crossing by the Israeli authorities earlier this week. You will recall that the Kerem Shalom crossing reopened yesterday for the offloading of cargo to enter Gaza. Yesterday, our teams were able to pick up food and fuel from the crossing, and more collection efforts were ongoing as of earlier today. However, our colleagues warned that Kerem Shalom remains the only crossing point for cargo to enter Gaza, which results in congestion and limits to our operations. Yesterday, the World Food Programme said that in May it reached about 1.4 million people with assistance, including food parcels, bread bundles, hot meals, and malnutrition treatment. To help feed families, WFP provided cash assistance to about 500,000 people, and hundreds of others were engaged in the Cash for Work program, working on carpentry and sewing. Meanwhile, our human rights colleagues said that yesterday, Palestinian armed elements detained several Palestinians, including 7 ambulance crew members from the Palestine Red Crescent Society on Salahdin Road in Gaza. 2 of them remain detained in an unknown location. The Human Rights Office called for the immediate release of the healthcare workers and called upon Israel's obligation to ensure public order and safety in Gaza and to refrain from, as well as prevent, such violations of international law, including the obstruction of medical services. Turning to the West Bank, there continues to be reports of violence by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians. Since the beginning of January and as of this Monday, 57 Palestinians, including 13 children and 2 women, were killed across the West Bank. Of these, 41 were killed by Israeli forces, 13 by Israeli settlers, and 3 by either Israeli forces or settlers. We reiterate our call for the protection of civilians, including healthcare workers, and full respect for international law. Speaking of the Council as well, today at the Security Council, the Secretary-General strongly urged the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained UN personnel in Yemen, as well as those from non-governmental organizations, civil society, and diplomatic missions. This comes as we mark 2 years of detention of our UN colleagues and other personnel in Yemen., and we expect a statement on that later today. And in fact, here's the statement that I expected. I have the following statement on the detention of UN and other personnel in Yemen. The Secretary-General reiterates his condemnation of the arbitrary detention of dozens of personnel from the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions by the Houthi de facto authorities in June 2024. He also again condemns the arbitrary detention of UN personnel in 2025, 2023, and 2021, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained. 73 United Nations personnel remain arbitrarily detained. One United Nations colleague has died in detention. Some colleagues are being held incommunicado. These actions violate international law, cause deep suffering to families, and have severely constrained the ability of the United Nations and its partners to assist millions of people in need across Yemen. United Nations personnel, including those who are nationals of Yemen, are immune from legal process in respect of all acts performed by them in their official capacity. The Secretary-General underscores the importance of continued dialogue and engagement with the Houthi de facto authorities to secure the release of detained personnel and enable the resumption of humanitarian and development activities. The United Nations will continue to pursue all possible avenues to secure the immediate and safe release of those detained. The Secretary-General stands in solidarity with them and their families and reiterates that humanitarian workers should never be targeted detained for carrying out their vital work. The Secretary-General remains steadfast in the UN commitment to support the people of Yemen and their aspirations for a just and lasting peace. And also on Yemen, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen today concluded a meeting in Amman, Jordan, bringing together representatives of the Military Coordination Committee from the Government of Yemen and the Joint Forces Command. The delegations discussed recent developments in Yemen and the region, focusing on ceasefire planning, maritime security, and de-escalation steps. The Office of the Special Envoy plans to convene all three delegations of the Committee in the coming period. Also today, our Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grunberg, concluded a visit to Riyadh, where he met with the President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, and other senior Yemeni officials. As well as the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, the ambassadors of the permanent members of the Security Council accredited to Saudi Arabia, and other diplomats. The special envoy exchanged views on recent developments in Yemen and the region, underscoring the importance of maintaining stability, addressing urgent economic issues, and exploring practical ways to advance the political process under UN auspices. Mr. Grunberg is expected to be in New York next week. To attend the Security Council meeting on Yemen, and he will provide further details on all of these efforts. And from Afghanistan, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us they are concerned about violence and human rights violations stemming from increasing restrictions against women and girls and the escalation of hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Following an announcement last week by the de facto authorities that women must observe the existing strict dress code requirements in public areas, Dozens of women and girls were reportedly detained across Herat City, including a number of healthcare workers. According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, on Tuesday, a child was killed and others injured when the de facto authorities reportedly used live ammunition and force in Herat City to disperse a civil protest against the detentions. The UN mission said it is deeply concerned by the arrest of at least 30 women in Herat between the 6th and 7th of June. OCHA continues to call for an environment in which all Afghans, including women and girls, can move freely and safely, access essential services and humanitarian assistance. Our humanitarian colleagues note that women play a critical role in the ongoing humanitarian response, including in the healthcare, nutrition, education, and protection services. We also reiterate that security forces must avoid all unnecessary or disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters. Meanwhile, overnight, the de facto authorities in Afghanistan reported multiple airstrikes attributed to Pakistan in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika. The strikes reportedly hit homes of civilians, killing 13 people, including 11 children, 1 woman, and 1 elderly man, and injuring 14 others. We call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law, and we stress that civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected. The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy to Sudan, Pekka Havisto, has just concluded his second visit to Sudan since his appointment. During the visit, he engaged with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, and other senior members of the Sudanese authorities, as well as other political figures, women civil society leaders, the diplomatic corps, and the UN Country Team. During his discussions, Mr. Havisdoe focused on UN-led efforts towards de-escalation that could help reduce tensions and build confidence among all parties. He explored practical measures that could contribute to creating a more conducive environment for peace in a complementary way to the already existing efforts of our partners. The visit also afforded an opportunity for Personal Envoy Havisdoe to discuss the quintet's efforts on the political track with General al-Burhan, highlighting recent progress during exploratory workshops with Sudanese civilian and political stakeholders in Addis Ababa. Noting the importance of taking these gains forward, Personal Envoy Hafesto also underscored the critical importance of maintaining positive momentum towards fully inclusive, Sudanese-owned and led dialogue. Turning now to the Central African Republic, where— oh, sorry, I have out of order a UNIFIL note. I should have read this earlier. One second. Yesterday, UNIFIL continued to report intensive and widespread Israel Defense Forces air and ground activity across and just north of its area of operations UNIFIL recorded at least 15 IDF airstrikes involving fighter aircraft, helicopters, and drones. According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, airstrikes targeting Tayer yesterday killed at least 11 people and injured 44 others. Yesterday, UNIFIL detected 80 violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israel Defense Forces, amounting to more than 126 hours of overflight. UNIFIL also recorded a total of 447 projectile trajectories, of which 442 originated from IDF positions. The remaining 5 trajectories were allegedly fired by Hezbollah. Peacekeepers continue to be directly affected by ongoing hostilities. Yesterday, UNIFIL personnel at a checkpoint west of Kleya in Sector East witnessed intense ground combat in close proximity to their position. Armed individuals were observed firing AK-47s and a light machine gun from a residential building adjacent to the checkpoint. The same UNIFIL position was exposed to significant risk throughout the day, including 24 artillery impacts landing as close as 300 to 400 meters, 3 suicide drone detonations nearby, and an airstrike in the vicinity. Peacekeepers were forced to take shelter. While no personnel were injured, the facility sustained damage, including cracked walls and shattered windows. We reiterate that UN premises and personnel must be respected and protected at all times and must never be targeted under any circumstances. In a separate incident, UNIFIL discovered a grenade and a drone near the main gate of a position near Marjayoun in Sector East. The area was secured and a UNIFIL Explosive Ordnance Disposal team safely neutralized both devices. Working in coordination with OCHA, UNIFIL's liaison branch, facilitated the deconfliction of 6 planned humanitarian missions to the Tahrir, to the Tahrir area in Sector West yesterday. However, all were subsequently canceled following new displacement orders issued by the IDF affecting Tahrir and surrounding areas. This underscores the increasingly constrained humanitarian space and the growing impact on civilians. Continued displacement orders are forcing people to flee while disrupting The delivery of life-saving assistance. One second. Turning now to the Central African Republic, where our colleagues from the peacekeeping mission MINUSCA took part yesterday in a ceremony marking the handover of 7 of its field bases in the presence of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Valentine Rugwabiza, and the Prime Minister. Our colleagues note that this handover is more than a technical formality. It marks the new phase the mission is entering, progressively shifting from supporting stabilization efforts to consolidating the gains achieved in peace, elections, and the extension of state authority. In practical terms, MINUSCA is reconfiguring its field presence and concentrating its efforts and resources in areas that continue to require particular attention, while remaining agile and ready to rapidly deploy uniformed and civilian personnel elsewhere when needed. Today's ceremony took place at one of the bases located in Mbayeki, about 2 hours by road from Bangui. It reflects the progress achieved jointly by the Mission, the Central African authorities, and the national defence and security forces in restoring security in areas that no longer require a permanent MINUSCA presence. The handovers of these bases from the Mission to the government involves not only infrastructure and equipment, but also contributes to further strengthen state capacity and extend state authority. As Special Representative Rugwabiza underscored, this reconfiguration and associated handovers do not mean that the Mission is leaving the Central African Republic, nor abandoning the Central African people, whose protection remains at the core of MINUSCA's mandate. The Peace Building Fund has approved $4.8 million for a new program in central Mali to strengthen communities and local institutions in areas affected by violent extremism and terrorism. In a region— in a region where armed group activity has displaced communities and disrupted access to basic services, the initiative implemented by the UN Development Programme, UN Women, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime will support local authorities, community groups, and local partners in advancing Mali's national policy to prevent violent extremism and terrorism. It will place particular focus on supporting victims of terrorist acts, especially women and young people in the country's most affected areas. Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Tuesday, the head of MONUSCO, Special Representative James Swan, and the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Sha, continued their first joint regional engagement. From the 7th to 8th of June, they participated in the African Union's semiannual assessment meeting on the crisis in Eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region, convened in Lomé by President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo and the African Union designated mediator. This meeting provided a a key platform to align regional mediation efforts, take stock of progress, and reinforce collective support for ongoing peace initiatives. On the sidelines, Special Representative Swan and Special Envoy Shah met with Dr. Mubita Luwabelwa, Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. They discussed support to the Extended Joint Verification Mechanism Plus, designed to oversee and report on the permanent ceasefire in Eastern DRC. And to strengthen coordination between the United Nations and regional organizations. Last week, the verification mechanism headquarters was opened in Goma after having been constructed with MONUSCO support. Yesterday, Special Representative Swan and Special Envoy Shah were in Addis Ababa engaging with the African Union Commission Chairperson on strengthening UN-AU partnership and ensuring sustained high-level coordination in support of regional peace efforts in the DRC. This mission underscores the United Nations' commitment to working in a coordinated manner with regional actors to advance complementary political processes towards a durable and inclusive peace in the Great Lakes region. Today is the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations. In his message, the Secretary-General says that we are living through a period of turbulence and transformation. On this day, he underscores the power of open communication to help solve even the most intractable global challenges. And last, we would like to announce a new exhibit that goes up later today in the UN Visitor Center entitled "From Uprooted to Unstoppable." Time to the World Cup, and in honor of World Refugee Day and to mark 75 years since the 1951 Refugee Convention was signed, this UNHCR-hosted exhibit spotlights the transformative power of sport to change the lives of young refugees. It includes a mural created by artist Carling Jackson that depicts UNHCR's Game Changing Team, a symbolic soccer team of players with a refugee or displacement background that embodies courage, talent, and hope. And it will be on display until the end of July. Yes, please.

Thanks, Farhan. You mentioned Ukraine. You mentioned what the Security Council said on Ukraine, but there was a rejection this past week by President Putin of President Zelensky's proposal to meet face to face. Is there any negotiation going on? Is there any attempt to get negotiations back on track, or is it all on the battlefield right now?

Thanks. Well, we are not arranging any talks between the two leaders. Obviously, we encourage all efforts to get the leaders of the Russian Federation and Ukraine to negotiate. But at this stage, it's nothing where the UN has a direct role in bringing that about. Yeah, Edith.

Thank you, Farhan. The Secretary-General, in his speech, to the Security Council today was— gave some pretty strong predictions of the threat of full war in Iran and the Gulf, and also the demand for ceasefires in Lebanon, Gaza, and the escalating attacks by settlers in the West Bank. Can you tell us what kind of talks he's been having with leaders in the region to try and reinforce these calls for ceasefires?

Well, he and our officials in the region have been working with all of the parties in the various conflicts. You just heard, for example, what Hans Grundberg is doing regarding the process in Yemen. Similarly, Janine Hennis-Plaschert, our special coordinator in Lebanon, has been working with authorities in Lebanon and also recently traveled to Israel. And you have seen what Ramiz Al-Akbarov, our senior official in the occupied Palestinian territory, has been doing trying to deal with issues involving Israel and Palestine. Regarding the Iran-US situation, of course, we told you just yesterday or possibly the day before about Mr. Arnaud's travels, and he is also in Washington right now talking with both government officials and officials of different think tanks as well as the World Bank and IMF. In his efforts to deal with aspects of the Middle East crisis.

And since we're talking about talks on Sudan, I note that the new envoy has now met with the government side. Is he planning to go and try and talk to the RSF leaders?

He's certainly willing and open to talk to all sides. We don't have anything to report of a meeting just yet. He just concluded his visit to Sudan. Abdelhamid, and then you, and then I think I'll have to clear the stage because Ambassador Nebenzia is coming to the stakeout very soon. So Abdelhamid first.

Thank you. I have a question on the West Bank and a question on Western Sahara, so I'll try to be as brief as possible. In the West Bank today, there was a Diplomatic delegation visited Khan al-Ahmar, which is threatened by the small tribes and the settlers to uproot this community. Was the UN involved in this visit? Did they organize it? Any of the UN officials accompanied the diplomats?

I'm not aware of UN involvement, but I will check. What's your Western Sahara question?

Recently, Stéphane de Mistura visited the refugee camps in Tindouf, and I have noticed that he was not received by senior Polisario officials. Does that indicate there is displeasure with Stéphane de Mistura?

Mr. de Mistura is continuing with his efforts. He is going to try to meet with as many officials from the various sides as possible and will to see who he can meet with, but that visit is ongoing.

Yeah, a follow-up to that. Recently, there were 3 members of the Polisario were killed by a Moroccan drone inside the, what is called the buffer zone. Was there any statement on that, any investigation? What do you, what can you tell us? Because when the Polisario attacked the city of Asmara, there was some investigation and We heard from the— from MINURSO.

What I can tell you is we're deeply concerned about the reports concerning a drone strike that targeted a Frente Polisario military vehicle in the Midjek area, resulting in 3 fatalities. The UN mission MINURSO is seeking security clearances from the parties to conduct an investigation of that incident. And of course, you're aware that this is happening while Mr. de Mistura is in the region. And we call for respect of the ceasefire in the context of the personal envoy's efforts to advance the political process. And Mr. de Mistura has expressed his concern regarding these recent events and recalls that military actions from any side risk jeopardizing the progress made towards a lasting, mutually acceptable solution to the conflict. Okay, a last question from you.

Thank you, Farhan. Just a quick one, if you don't mind. The Secretary-General told the Security Council today, quote, "I commend the United States for facilitating talks between Israel and Lebanon." The comment seems somewhat counterintuitive given that the United States has been complicit in actions by Israel that contributed to the escalation and the renewed fighting in Lebanon. With that being said, does he believe that Washington's diplomatic efforts outweigh concerns regarding its role in the conflict?

Thank you. He's made clear his concerns about the roles of all the various parties, including the US, Iran, and others in the current conflict. And I would refer you to the full speech that he's just made. And of course, regarding Lebanon, he is concerned about the continued attacks in Lebanon. But that is why, as he said just now, He's calling for all parties to abide by a cessation of hostilities. All right. Mr. Nbenzia is waiting for you.