Plenary

The General Assembly today continued its emergency session on the situation in the Middle East, with many Member States echoing urgent calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and the provision of adequate aid to civilians in Gaza.

During a time of staggering displacement, conflict and violence, the growing workload of the Human Rights Council reflects the importance and relevance of its work, its President said, as the General Assembly today took up the intergovernmental body’s annual report.

Despite intimidation, cyberattacks and a heavy caseload, the International Criminal Court will not be deterred from its work, including helping victims get restitution, its President stressed, as the General Assembly today took up the Court’s annual report.

Calling for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities, the General Assembly today demanded the unhindered provision of essential aid to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip, as the body continued its emergency session on the situation in the Middle East. The Assembly also failed to unequivocally reject and condemn the terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting on 7 October.

The worsening tension, unspeakable violence and harrowing suffering must end now, UN General Assembly President stressed today at an emergency meeting on the situation in the Middle East, during which he condemned the killing of all civilians on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides and urged all parties to abide by international law and immediately allow for aid to access the Gaza Strip.

As the world faces an onslaught of conflicts and challenges to international law, the growing docket of the International Court of Justice continues to reflect a wide variety of legal disputes involving countries from every region of the world and tackling questions that concern all of humanity, its President told the General Assembly today.

While the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals has reached a critical juncture in its lifespan, the conclusion of its in-court activity “does not mean we are closing down”, its President said today as she briefed the General Assembly on its work over the past year.

Delegates pointed to the link between poverty and conflict and stressed the importance of finding a path to peace through sustainable development at a moment when Africa is plagued by food insecurity and violence, as the General Assembly today debated the causes of conflict on the world’s second-largest continent.

The General Assembly today elected 15 Member States to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe.

The General Assembly today committed to tackle several major global health challenges, adopting three declarations that laid out measures to better prepare for and respond to pandemics, give everyone access to health coverage and care for people suffering from tuberculosis.