Gaza, Peacekeeping & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right. Good afternoon, everyone. Tomorrow, the World Meteorological Organization will release an update on El Niño forecasts and implications on climate and weather patterns, including extreme heat. In the face of scorching heat domes, raging wildfires, and rising sea temperatures, the new forecasts project that El Niño will intensify in the next 3 months, with above-normal temperatures worldwide. As part of this release, the Secretary-General is expected to deliver remarks tomorrow At approximately 12:15 PM New York time. Hold on one second. Let me silence this. One second, please.

Okay.

Okay, um, sorry. As part of this release, the Secretary-General is expected to deliver remarks tomorrow at approximately 12:15 PM New York time. We will keep you updated on this. Turning to Ukraine, the Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest overnight missile and drone attack by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. which reportedly resulted in many civilian casualties and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure. Any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur, are a clear violation of international humanitarian law and must stop immediately. The Secretary-General reiterates his call for urgent de-escalation leading to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire. Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that aid organizations are responding following another wave of large-scale overnight missile attacks, while continuing to support people affected by hostilities along the front line. Attacks between yesterday and the early hours of today killed at least a dozen civilians, including 3 children, and injured more than 100 others. Homes, schools and other civilian infrastructure were damaged across several regions. This is according to what Ukrainian authorities are telling our colleagues on the ground. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is at the attack sites to verify these reports. Following these attacks, our partners on the ground, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and NGOs supported by UN agencies, quickly mobilized to provide first aid, psychosocial support, emergency shelter assistance and other assistance to affected regions— affected residents in the Dnipro region, Lviv, and Kyiv, complementing the efforts of local emergency services and local authorities. Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners continue to scale up assistance across Ukraine. This week, we and our partners delivered a humanitarian convoy carrying vital medical and hygiene supplies to frontline communities in the Dnipro region. In the first half of this year, aid organizations have reached nearly 2.5 million people with at least one form of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine. On the Middle East, OCHA warns that the humanitarian consequences of the regional escalation are worsening by the day, with civilians increasingly at risk and essential infrastructure disrupted across the region. Since yesterday, civilian casualties have been reported in Iran and Kuwait, while damage or disruption to critical infrastructure has been reported in Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Jordan and Egypt remain vital lifelines for humanitarian operations, including medical evacuations and aid deliveries. OCHA continues to monitor the humanitarian impact and calls on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by protecting civilians and civilian vital infrastructure. In Iran, a new wave of strikes was reported today in the province of Fars, in the provinces of Fars, Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Khuzestan, including the country's main oil-producing region. According to local sources, a strike in Keshem in Hormozgan province hit a residential building, killing 3 civilians, including a 2-year-old child. 2 other children were reportedly injured. The Iranian Ministry of Health says that as of the 27th of July, at least 60 people have been killed and 670 injured since hostilities escalated again a month earlier. UN agencies and our humanitarian partners already operating in the country continue to support the response to the growing humanitarian needs. Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that we continue to receive reports of civilian casualties, including young children, and displacement caused by strikes and shelling across Gaza. OCHA stresses that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected and should not be targeted. The UN and our partners continue to provide support to affected families through a system set up for a rapid joint response. Last week, our partners received over a dozen requests for assistance and mobilized responses to 180 families whose shelters and belongings were damaged by shelling and fire. Many of the families were newly displaced. Our partners provided emergency shelter materials, bedding, water containers, clothing, hygiene and dignity kits, and food assistance. Meanwhile, our humanitarian colleagues and partners report that over the past week, approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of debris were cleared from roads, camps, displacement sites, and public facilities across Gaza. The UN Development Programme, says that it recycled and repurposed about 6,000 metric tons of debris for soil stabilization, helping to facilitate safer movements for communities and improve access to humanitarian services. However, this is only a fraction of the more than 60 million tons of debris that have been generated since the onset of hostilities in October 2023. Insecurity, access restrictions, limitations on the entry of essential heavy machinery and spare parts, As well as shortages of engine oil, continue to constrain efforts to clear debris. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon continues to observe Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace using both drones and fighter aircraft, as well as military activities on the ground in south Lebanon. In the 3 days since Monday, peacekeepers recorded 80 air violations. UNIFIL peacekeepers recorded extensive Israel Defence Forces artillery and mortar firing operations, along with multiple points of impact across both sectors and areas north of the Litani River. UNIFIL units also recorded extensive IDF operational footprint expansion, high-density armored maneuvers, active engineering works, and direct kinetic engagements across both sectors. Yesterday, UNIFIL observed IDF tanks firing 4 rounds into residential structures, causing fires southeast of Hula, and 11 rounds east of Eta'ebbe. On Tuesday, peacekeepers observed an armed drone launched from the vicinity of al-Bayyadeh, which overflew a UN position before returning to the same area later. Concurrently, peacekeepers at UNIFIL headquarters in Nakoura observed one surveillance drone conducting a vertical takeoff from a building currently used by the IDF just outside the UNIFIL headquarters. Peacekeepers also face several restrictions and impediments to freedom of movement across the area of operations, Including several roadblocks. UNIFIL's explosive ordnance disposal teams also continue to discover and safely dispose of explosive hazards found in the mission's area of operations. On the humanitarian front, in the 3 days since Monday, UNIFIL, through its liaison branch and in coordination with OCHA, facilitated 12 humanitarian missions in Sector West and 1 in Sector East. In Yemen, our Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Indrika Ratwatte, has allocated $10 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to respond to deepening food insecurity in the country. The new funds will allow UN agencies and our partners to rapidly scale up the delivery of emergency treatment for acute malnutrition among children and pregnant and lactating women, and critical health water and sanitation services. More than 18 million people, or over half the population, are facing acute food insecurity, which is IPC Phase 3 or higher, including over 5.5 million people feared to be in emergency conditions, which is IPC Phase 4, based on the latest available data for the whole country. We have an announcement from our peacekeeping colleagues. The Head of UN Peacekeeping, Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will visit Fiji and Australia from July 31st to August 6th. He will be accompanied by Acting Military Advisor Lieutenant General Cheryl Pierce and Police Advisor Faisal Shakir. Fiji is a decades-long troop-contributing country which concurrently deploys over 100 peacekeepers— 150 peacekeepers to missions worldwide. There, Mr. Lacroix will meet with government officials, including Prime Minister Sita Veni Rabuka, and visit the Blackrock Camp, which is where many peacekeepers from the region are trained before their deployment to peace operations. Next, from the 3rd to the 6th of August, Mr. Lacroix will travel to Brisbane, Canberra, and Sydney in Australia, which contributes 25 peacekeepers, including 2 in senior roles in South Sudan and Golan, and support peacekeeping through training and funding of specific military capabilities. Under-Secretary-General Lacroix will open the 2026 UN Police Peacekeeping Training Program and meet with senior foreign affairs, defense, and police officials. He will also visit the Australian War Memorial, which includes a dedicated monument to Australian peacekeepers who served across the globe, from Timor-Leste to the Middle East. He will also engage with academia and civil society at Sydney's Lowy Institute. We have an update from our peacekeeping colleagues in the Central African Republic. In Amdafok in Vakaga Prefecture, one month after In support of the extension of state authority, MINUSCA has continued to facilitate the deployment of additional personnel and equipment from the Central African Armed Forces. The Mission also supports— supported a series of high-level visits to the area, including those of the Chief of Defence Staff, together with the Deputy Force Commander of the Mission and a delegation of 10 members of parliament from the Fertit region, demonstrating a sustained national engagement in the area. On the humanitarian front, MINUSCA facilitated the delivery of an additional 1,087 kilograms of relief items from Burao to Amdafuk. Since the attacks of June 30th, the Mission has facilitated the delivery of more than 5 metric tons of humanitarian assistance, enabling humanitarian partners to reach nearly 18,000 displaced people under challenging security conditions. The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo says that Rwandan authorities yesterday returned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo 39 people who had previously been repatriated to Rwanda under MONUSCO's Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement Programme. MONUSCO confirms it was not present for the transfer of these individuals back to the DRC and is not involved in this return in any capacity. Under its Security Council mandate, the mission's DDRRR program supports the voluntary disarmament, resettlement, and repatriation of foreign combatants in the DRC and their dependents. MINUSCO is committed to safeguarding the independence, integrity, and transparency of that process and will continue working with all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of its Security Council mandate. The incident comes amid worsening insecurity and repeated attacks on civilians. Local civil society organizations report that at least 23 displaced people were killed in and around the site during the first half of this year. Plein Sabo hosts more than 76,000 displaced people, many of whom have fled repeated violence. Humanitarian conditions remain extremely challenging, with limited access to food, clean water, and other basic services, while insecurity continues to hinder humanitarian access. Between July 6th and 22nd, the World Food Program provided food assistance to more than 48,000 of the most vulnerable displaced people at the site. Additional distributions are planned next August. And, and the site is located in the Fataki Health Zone where confirmed Ebola cases have been reported. While no Ebola cases have been confirmed within the site itself, Overcrowding and poor living conditions increase the risk of disease transmission. OCHA reiterates its call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, particularly children, and to facilitate safe, sustained, and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need.

Thanks.

Turning to Sudan's North Kordofan State, The World Food Programme has completed this month's food distributions for nearly 73,000 displaced people in Sheikh Khan locality, including the state capital, El Obeid. At the same time, the International Organization for Migration has supported the delivery of essential household items to more than 1,000 families affected by recent violence in Arahad town. In West Darfur State, our humanitarian partners this week reached more than 10,000 people in Artala village in Mukjar locality with healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene services. This was after local reconciliation efforts restored access following 4 weeks of insecurity linked to intercommunal clashes. Elsewhere in Sudan, the World Health Organization and health authorities are responding to a growing dengue fever outbreak. More than 1,000 cases and 5 related deaths have been reported in Blue Nile State this month, and more than 130 cases in South Kordofan State. Meanwhile, in White Nile State, local authorities and our partners are assessing needs and supporting families affected by recent heavy rains and flooding. More than 600 homes have been damaged in Rabak locality, with additional damage reported in Kosti and Guli localities. OCHA continues to call on donors to provide additional funding for the humanitarian response. This year's humanitarian appeal for Sudan remains about 40% funded, with over $1.1 billion received against the nearly $2.9 billion required. Our peacekeeping colleagues with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei, or UNISFA, report that a 5-day weapons-free operation has resulted in a noticeable reduction in the visible presence of weapons and unauthorized armed actors in public areas, including along main supply routes and in local markets. The operation, conducted around UNISFA's 3 sectors, contributed to the protection of civilians, and supported community engagement in line with the mission's mandate to maintain a safe and demilitarized Abyei area. It sought to deter the public display of weapons and the presence of unauthorized armed actors, while promoting freedom of movement and facilitating humanitarian access. The campaign aims to support the withdrawal of unauthorized armed elements from the Abyei area and its full demilitarization, helping to reduce the risk of intercommunal tensions and strengthen the overall security environment. UNISPA remains committed to working alongside communities, local authorities, and all stakeholders to promote long-term peace and security in Nabieh. Today is the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, and this year's theme is Trapped Behind the Scam. In a message, the Secretary-General said that on this day, we shine a light on the fastest-growing form of human trafficking: forced online scamming. The Secretary-General noted that across the globe, people are being lured by false promises of decent work, only to find themselves trapped by criminal networks and coerced into carrying out scams on others. He stressed that this mounting threat demands a united global response, one that brings together intelligence services, law enforcement, and financial regulators to trace networks and starve perpetrators of their funds. And today is also the International Day of Friendship. This year, as the world faces profound ruptures between nations, within societies, and even within families, the call to friendship is not sentimental. It's essential. It's about reaching across what breaks us and daring to believe in something better. And with that in mind, Evie.

Uh, thank you, Farhan. The Associated Press has a story today Quoting teenagers conscripted by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces saying that they were trained by Colombian mercenaries, does the Secretary-General have any comment on this practice?

Of course, we have taken a stand against— sorry, hold on one second. Shut this phone down. We've taken a stand against the practice of mercenaries contributing to the worsening of fighting in many different conflicts, including in Sudan. We want to make sure that there's no outside engagement or support or further militarization of the conflict in Sudan, which has gone on for far too long. and has included many outside participants. Yes, Pam.

Sorry, thank you, Farhan. Since the straw polls with the Security Council have been predictive in the last few years, at least in 2016, 2006, is there any sense that once it's leaked or it comes out that the, that the Secretariat, that your office will discuss these candidates and where it's heading?

There's not even the slightest chance that we will discuss the candidates. Thank you for asking. Namo.

Thank you, Farhan. You might have been asked this question before, but does the Secretary-General believe a process that selects the head of this organization should be conducted in a room that the public can't see into?

Well, we certainly encourage as much transparency as is possible, but at the end of the day, this is a decision in the hands of the respective member states. As you're aware, according to the UN Charter, the selection of a new Secretary-General is conducted— is part of a process conducted first by the Security Council and then by the General Assembly, and we leave the matter in their hands, and we trust and expect that they will be as transparent as possible.

Abdul Hamid.

Thank you, Farhan. My first question is about the police in London arrested a number of pro-Palestinian activists and demonstrators who are protesting putting many other of their friends on trial Do you have anything to say to that?

Well, I don't have any specific comment on the legal processes of each individual country, but clearly, as a point of principle, we want all countries to allow for freedom of expression and for peaceful protest.

My second question about this— the city of Nablus, it is surrounded by 25 7 major checkpoints, and tens of electronic gates. In fact, the biggest city in Palestine is now completely cut off and under siege. So can the SG see the bigger picture of the threat of settlements and Israeli occupation?

Yes.

occupation forces?

Yes, the Secretary-General has repeatedly warned about the threat posed by settlements, that the fact that they are flagrantly illegal under international law, the threat that they constitute to the two-state solution, and we have spoken out about this recently. And you will have seen, of course, that our Deputy Special Coordinator on the ground, Remiza Lakbarov, briefed the Security Council about his concerns, including, uh, concerning the city of Nablus. Yes, please.

Thank you, Farhan. As you mentioned last night, the Putin regime carried out yet another deadly attack against Ukrainian— Ukraine, killing civilians, including a family of 10 near Kryvyi Rih. If the Secretary-General were to meet President Putin today, What would he say to him personally in light of this latest attack?

Well, I don't think that the Secretary-General says things personally that are different from what he's been saying publicly, and you heard what we just said publicly. And it's very clear, again, that the Secretary-General firmly believes in the need for urgent de-escalation in this conflict that would lead to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire. All right, have a good afternoon, everyone.