Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Guest/Briefing Today
Alright, good afternoon, everyone. Today, we will be joined virtually from Jerusalem by Nestor Owomuhangi, the Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in Palestine. He will brief you on his recent visit to Gaza and what he witnessed there — the impact of the fighting on women and girls. He will also speak about UNFPA’s work and its impact on the ground, as well as the urgent need for increased humanitarian aid. And, following that, Sharon Birch, the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, will be here to brief you. But first I have some notes.
**Lebanon
You will have seen that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) issued a statement this morning saying that two of its peacekeepers were injured after an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall. The injuries are fortunately — this time — not serious, but the peacekeepers remain in the hospital.
In a separate incident, Israel Defense Forces soldiers also fired on UN Position 1-31 in Labbouneh, hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system. An IDF drone was observed flying inside the UN position up to the bunker entrance.
Also, UNIFIL says that, yesterday, IDF soldiers deliberately fired at and disabled the position’s perimeter-monitoring cameras. They also deliberately fired on UN Position 1-32A in Ras Naqoura — where regular Tripartite meetings were held before the conflict began. Lights and a relay station were damaged.
UNIFIL reminds the IDF and all parties of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property, and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times. UNIFIL peacekeepers are present in south Lebanon to support a return to stability under a Security Council mandate. Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and of Security Council Resolution 1701. Our peacekeepers are following up with the IDF on these matters.
This comes as the recent escalation along the Blue Line is causing widespread destruction of towns and villages in south Lebanon, while rockets continue to be launched towards Israel, including civilian areas.
In the past days, our peacekeepers say incursions from Israel into Lebanon were seen in Naqoura and other areas. IDF soldiers have clashed with Hizbullah elements on the ground in Lebanon.
Later this afternoon, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, and the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will brief Security Council members on the situation in Lebanon. That meeting will be followed by consultations. We will let you know if there is any chance for a press encounter.
Staying in Lebanon, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that despite the challenges and a tense security situation, humanitarian organizations continue to deliver aid in coordination with national and local authorities.
Today, a joint mission comprising UN and NGO (non-governmental organization) partners delivered 12 trucks of aid to the towns of Rmeish, Ain Ebel and Debel in the south of the country. The supplies included food, water and hygiene kits, and will support more than 4,000 people. This was the first mission there since July 2024.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has also delivered 33 tons of medical supplies to the Ministry of Public Health, including emergency health kits to ensure safe deliveries for pregnant women, as well as essential medicine.
To maintain these efforts, we urgently need additional funding. While commitments are appreciated, immediate contributions to the $426 million Flash Appeal — which is 12 per cent funded — are vital to continue the response.
**Syria
Turning now to Syria, our colleagues from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and its partners continue to support new arrivals at five Syrian border points.
Since the start of the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, UNHCR and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent distributed relief items to more than 250,000 people at the Syrian crossing points, including hygiene kits, blankets, winter clothes, food and water. UNHCR has also established a dedicated help desk at the border crossing point for UNHCR and Syrian Arab Red Crescent lawyers to organize legal counseling and assistance for new arrivals.
The Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, allocated $8 million yesterday from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support the response to these newly arrived people.
The funds will help to scale up the emergency response, including shelter, food, protection and cash assistance both at the border crossings and in destinations in Syria.
Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the road through the main border-crossing between Syria and Lebanon (at Jdeidat Yabous) remains inoperable for vehicles following an airstrike on 4 October. This has significantly affected the movement of civilians fleeing hostilities in Lebanon, with people now faced with crossing on foot around large craters left by the attack or resorting to longer journeys through other routes. This has also disrupted a vital route to transport commodities between the two countries and has caused delays in the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the area.
Still in Syria, OCHA says that, on 8 October, a missile strike in the densely populated Mazzeh neighbourhood of Damascus hit a residential and commercial building, about half a kilometre away from a UN office. The attack resulted in seven deaths, including women and children, as well as injuries.
All parties should respect their obligations under international law — including international humanitarian law, as applicable — and all concerned should avoid attacks that could harm civilians and damage civilian infrastructure.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
In Gaza, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Mine Action Service — made a third attempt to reach Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, following Israeli orders for its immediate evacuation. While they had received assurances that their high-risk mission would be facilitated, Israeli forces ordered them to wait for five hours at a holding point south of Jabalia due to the intensity of the fighting nearby.
Members of the mission suggested several alternative routes and means of reaching the hospital, but none was accommodated. Ultimately, they had to abort the mission and return.
OCHA stresses once again that life-saving support must be facilitated in Gaza, and all assurances of safe access must be reliably delivered upon. Medical facilities must never become battle grounds and must always be protected.
Turning to the West Bank, OCHA reports that during the first week of October alone, Israeli forces killed two dozen Palestinians, including four children, across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. During this period, another 130 Palestinians, including at least 16 children and six paramedics, were injured, either by Israeli forces or settlers.
Yesterday, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Muhannad Hadi, highlighted concerns related to the upcoming olive harvest while leading a diplomatic visit to Kifl Haris village in the Salfit governorate, alongside humanitarian and development partners.
Mr. Hadi stressed that the annual olive harvest is a key economic, social and cultural event for Palestinians, and that last year, nearly 10,000 hectares of olive groves remained unharvested. The Humanitarian Coordinator has allocated $750,000 from the Humanitarian Fund to support olive farmers this year, saying they must have unimpeded and safe access to their groves.
**Secretary-General’s Travel
The Secretary-General arrived in Vientiane earlier today, where he will attend the 14th ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations]-UN summit.
In advance of the official meetings that will take place tomorrow, the Secretary-General met with Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. They discussed the international financial architecture.
Tomorrow, he will deliver opening remarks to the ASEAN-UN Summit. In his remarks, the Secretary-General is expected to underscore the importance of the ASEAN-UN partnership, which is growing stronger.
He will also address the ASEAN countries’ critical role in continuing to pursue peaceful means of resolving disputes in the region.
The Secretary-General will, in addition, speak on the issue of climate change, as the ASEAN countries represent one of the most climate-vulnerable regions on earth. We also expect him to highlight the need for the implementation of the Pact for the Future and its relevance to the ASEAN region.
Tomorrow, we also expect the Secretary-General to hold meetings with the President and the Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, as well as with other leaders present in Vientiane. And the Secretary-General will speak to the media tomorrow.
**Deputy Secretary-General’s Travel
Today, our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, delivered remarks at the opening session of Pre-COP29 — in Baku, Azerbaijan.
She underscored that the negotiations on the new climate finance goal at COP (Conference of Parties) 29 are an opportunity to reimagine climate finance, rebuild trust and drive progress for climate ambition.
In addition to participating in plenary discussions and a side event titled ‘Roadmap to Mission 1.5’ organized by the COP Presidency Troika, the Deputy Secretary-General held bilateral meetings with a number of delegations. In her engagements, she underscored the UN’s commitment to an ambitious outcome at COP29 and in supporting countries to deliver ambitious, 1.5-aligned climate plans, which are due next year.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that yesterday, we and our partners were able to reach South Kordofan in Sudan with some 210 metric tons of supplies.
The seven-truck convoy led by the UNICEF crossed multiple conflict lines to reach four towns in the state, including the capital Kadugli, with nutrition, water, sanitation, health and education support.
This is despite challenges surrounding the movement of aid across conflict lines. Access has been extremely challenging for humanitarian organizations due to insecurity, movement restrictions and heavy rains. Trade links have also been severely disrupted, driving up prices for food and other staple goods to some of the highest levels seen in the country.
Extreme hunger and malnutrition are rising rapidly in these areas, which have been isolated for months due to the ongoing conflict. More than 1.3 million internally displaced people across Greater Kordofan, including the Nuba Mountains, are facing acute hunger.
Humanitarian organizations are urgently trying to scale up assistance to people in need across Sudan. We once again remind the parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and facilitate aid operations — including by ensuring that both humanitarian supplies and personnel can move unhindered across conflict lines and across borders.
**Central African Republic
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), jointly with UN Women, has announced support for a project to enhance women’s registration on electoral lists, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive elections. The joint project aims to register 500,000 women on electoral lists, focusing on overcoming socio-cultural barriers and improving access to civil documents.
**Myanmar
In Myanmar, while civilians continue to face the dangers of an expanding conflict, humanitarians say that an estimated one million people are also suffering from the impacts of deadly flooding.
Since 9 September, torrential monsoon rains and the remnants of Typhoon Yagi have submerged 70 out of the country’s 330 townships. The flooding caused significant damage, especially in the Northwest, Southeast, and in Rakhine State, resulting in substantial livelihood losses for vulnerable communities.
To strengthen emergency relief efforts, the Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, allocated $4 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund at the end of September.
Meanwhile, conflict persists in the north-west, north-east, south-east and in Rakhine State, forcing civilians from their homes and resulting in casualties.
Humanitarian organizations, trying to help people affected by floods and conflict, are hindered by damaged roads and bridges, restrictions imposed by parties to the conflict, violence and severe underfunding.
The $994 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is currently just under 30 per cent funded with $284 million received. More resources are urgently needed so that our partners can respond to surging needs.
**Protection of Children
This morning, the Secretary-General’s Special Representatives holding mandates related to the protection of children presented their annual reports to the General Assembly.
Najat Maalla M’jid, the Special Representative on Violence Against Children, said that levels of violence against boys and girls across the world are unprecedented and increasing.
The report she presented this morning says that every year, at least one billion children experience violence. That is about half of the world’s children. The report also assesses the progress made since the establishment of her office in 2009 and includes recommendations for concrete, proven, and cost-effective solutions that, if implemented, could bring about positive change for children.
For her part, Virginia Gamba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, presented her office’s report to the General Assembly, which, it is important to note, is different from the report of the Secretary-General that is presented annually at the Security Council. This report emphasizes that the evolving nature, expansion and increasing complexity of armed conflict has led to a significant rise in grave violations against children.
Both reports are online.
**World Mental Health Day
And today is World Mental Health Day, which focusses this year on prioritizing mental health in the workplace.
In his message, the Secretary-General says that work is important for well-being; but well-being is also important for work, reminding us that there is no health without mental health.
**Questions and Answers
Deputy Spokesman: Are there any questions for me before we get to our guests? Yes, Edie?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. First, on the attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers, what reaction has the United Nations received from the Israeli Defense Forces?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we certainly are in touch with the Israeli Defense Forces and we’re trying to make sure that all further such activities that endanger the safety of peacekeepers are halted, and we’ll continue that dialogue with them.
Question: Have you gotten any explanation?
Deputy Spokesman: There’s nothing to share on that just yet. Obviously, it’s up to the Israelis to explain their own actions.
Correspondent: And I’ll come back.
Deputy Spokesman: Oh, okay. Tony?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. A follow-up actually on UNIFIL also. Regardless of the communications going on between United Nations and Israeli authorities in this regard, my question is, are there any measures in place to deal with situations like this when peacekeeping forces are attacked?
Deputy Spokesman: We have liaison mechanisms with all the forces in the region, and so we rely upon that to make sure that calm is restored to the area, and we’re going to continue to do that. Obviously, the parties themselves have legal obligations to make sure that they abide by the relevant Security Council resolutions and also ensure the security of the peacekeeping forces that are there. Yes, Gabriel?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Israel’s ambassador to the UN reportedly put out a statement today saying that UNIFIL peacekeepers need to move five kilometres north to avoid danger as fighting intensifies. Your reaction?
Deputy Spokesman: We have been pointing out that there have been requests for the peacekeepers to move. Obviously, they have their mandated tasks. While we continue to assess the safety and security of our peacekeeping forces, it’s important that they also fulfil their mandate, and they are at present staying in their positions.
Question: What’s the Secretary-General’s thinking on the viability of UNIFIL being able to continue its work, given that it’s now directly being targeted by a Member State?
Deputy Spokesman: There’s no cause for any Member State to target UNIFIL forces, so we will make that completely clear. The Secretary-General believes that UNIFIL has a vital role to play in ensuring stability in that part of southern Lebanon, and they will continue to go about their work as mandated. Yvonne?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. If the UN has already determined that Israel’s deliberate firing on UNIFIL positions is a grave violation of international humanitarian law, what are their next steps? What are the consequences?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, for our part, we are reminding Israel of their obligations, and we will continue to do that so that they cease any further activities that can harm the work and indeed the security of our peacekeeping forces. In terms of UN bodies, of course, we will leave it to the Security Council themselves to consider how they wish to address these matters. Maggie?
Question: Farhan, so in the UNIFIL statement, it said that equipment was damaged, destroyed recording equipment. So are we to take it that part of the monitoring UNIFIL does… they would record maybe fighting in the area, damage to residential buildings, community buildings, infrastructure, et cetera?
Deputy Spokesman: Look, any damage to our equipment damages our ability to carry out our mandate. Obviously, we will try to make sure that we can get our equipment repaired, but obviously, it’s vital that no one target our facilities.
Question: But there’s been a lot of damage in this area, 652 and 650, the villages Yaroun and Maroun al-Ras. And this is where this incident took place. Like, lots of buildings destroyed, if you’ve seen satellite images and such that have been shown or drone images. So how will this impair UNIFIL’s ability to report on what’s happening there?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah, it very clearly hinders our abilities. If our equipment is damaged, this is something we will take up. And indeed, Jean-Pierre Lacroix is briefing the Security Council at 3:00 this afternoon, and he can talk at further length with them about how this affects us.
Question: Can I ask you one more just on Haiti?
Deputy Spokesman: Certainly.
Question: Haiti’s repatriate… Sorry, on Dominican Republic. The DR [Dominican Republic] has repatriated around 11,000 Haitians in the past week. They said that they have too many immigrants in their country, that they’re going to continue repatriating them. Obviously, we know Haiti is not safe. What’s the UN’s reaction to this move by the DR?
Deputy Spokesman: What I can tell you is that from our standpoint, the security and humanitarian situation in Haiti remains dire. The UN system urges all countries to have a humane approach to anyone in need of protection, including people from Haiti. And the UN system remains committed to supporting the Government of the Dominican Republic to ensure that protective measures remain accessible to those in need. Yes, Biesan?
Question: Just a follow-up on UNIFIL. I mean, this Israeli request for the peacekeepers to move. I mean, does Israel even have the right to ask the UNIFIL peacekeepers to move, given that Israeli forces are actually violating Lebanon’s sovereignty?
Deputy Spokesman: My basic point is that the peacekeepers have a mandate that’s been given to them by the Security Council, and they intend to fulfil their mandate to the best of their ability. Different parties can give them warnings about activity in the region. But they will assess that and they intend to do as much as they can to stay where they are.
Question: One more?
Deputy Spokesman: Okay, sure.
Question: A colleague of ours in Gaza was targeted yesterday in Jabalia, and now he has been paralyzed. He is not the first journalist to be targeted by Israeli airstrikes and fire. Also, another journalist, non-Al Jazeera-affiliated, was killed. I mean, do you have any comment on that… on the consistent targeting of journalists in Gaza?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we have continued to deplore the killing of all journalists. No journalists should be killed in this conflict. And yet you’ve seen an alarming number of journalists, both killed and injured, and our thoughts go out to your injured colleague. Dulcie?
Question: Yeah, thanks very much. The injuries sustained by these are Indonesian peacekeepers. What are the specific injuries?
Deputy Spokesman: Like I said, the basic point is that they were injured after an observation tower had been fired upon, causing the peacekeepers to fall. So that’s how they were injured. And yes, you’re right, they’re Indonesian.
Question: The bunker that was hit as well, those were Italian peacekeepers in that bunker?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe there were a number of different peacekeepers, but the injuries were sustained by Indonesian peacekeepers. Let’s go to the screens. Mike?
Question: Thank you, sir. A few questions. I’ll try to make it quick out of respect for your guests there. If I missed it at the top, I apologise. Does UN have any reaction to the reports this morning that the Israel Land Authority is confiscating the land upon which the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) field office in Jerusalem sits?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, these are reports that we’ve only seen through the media. So, Mike, I checked with UNRWA and they said that they have not received any formal notification of this. So that’s point one. Regarding your general question about UN premises, one thing I would like to recall is that UN premises are inviolable. As a party to the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, Israel is under an obligation to honour and respect that inviolability. And that inviolability is not subject to any qualification, limitation or exceptions.
Question: Second question for you. I’m trying to understand UNIFIL’s position here. I mean, for years they were very public about this. They acquiesced to Hezbollah in not wanting to develop tensions. So they didn’t investigate weapons depots, didn’t investigate these supposed Green Without Borders observation posts, did what they needed to do to not incur Hezbollah’s wrath. And now Israel is making a request to try to take them out of harm’s way, and they’re refusing to bend. How do you square those two positions?
Deputy Spokesman: You’ll have seen what the Secretary-General said about the UNIFIL peacekeepers fulfilling their mandated tasks. Mr. Lacroix will also brief the Security Council this afternoon and you can hear what he has to say about that. Ultimately, there are certain things that UNIFIL is to accomplish under its mandate, and they intend to do that.
Question: Last question for you. Can I get one more?
Deputy Spokesman: Sure. Last one. And then we’ll spread around again.
Question: You got it. Tomorrow night starts the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, which is a UN floating holiday. A search of UN social media and the UN News Centre revealed that there have been greetings and celebratory messages and such for just about every holiday known to man. Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Vesak, I mean, you name it. Never a single greeting or celebratory message for any Jewish holiday could be found on the UN’s social media or the UN News Centre. Number one, how is that even possible? And number two, any chance just a, “Hey, meaningful Yom Kippur” to the Jewish people that the UN seems to be, or certain officials seem to be, so hyper-focused on can be sent out tomorrow?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I would actually like to do that today in advance. And I’d like to wish all of the Jewish communities around the world to have a happy and peaceful Yom Kippur. This has been, without a doubt, a difficult year, and we’re hoping that the promise of the future can be bright for everyone. So, wait, there was someone else online who had a question, and that is Iftikhar. Iftikhar?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. All questions on Israeli attack on UNIFIL mission headquarters have been asked, but I have not heard whether the United Nations has actually launched a formal protest with Israel.
Deputy Spokesman: We are making our views known to the IDF, as I mentioned earlier. Yeah. Stefano?
Question: No protest?
Deputy Spokesman: Obviously, we’re very clear about what our concerns are, and we’re telling that to the Israeli side. Stefano?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. In just a few days, first, Israel considered the Secretary-General persona non grata. Then the Secretary-General spoke in the Security Council and said that Israel asked to move the UNIFIL soldiers. He denied that request. Now, the accident — what happened just this morning. So my question is, does the Secretary-General think that what happened was a warning by Israel or was [it] just a mistake?
Deputy Spokesman: What he thinks is that there’s too much fighting in the area near the UNIFIL post. And we are trying to discourage all sides, including Israel and Hezbollah, from fighting near the positions that we have. Edie?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. A question on Haiti. Today, the death toll in that village in the Artibonite, which was attacked by a gang, went up to 115. Is there any update on the arrival of the promised police forces for the multinational force? And can we get an update on any contributions to the trust fund?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe we have the contributions to the trust fund on a website. It was something along the lines of $80 million the last time I had checked. Regarding contributions of forces, obviously we’re encouraging that, but this is not, as you know, a UN operation. So we are not in charge of getting more police in.
Question: But the UN in the past has mentioned or told us about the arrival of new troops, I mean, new police.
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah, and I don’t have any new ones to mention at this point, but once there are, we’ll certainly keep you apprised. Yes, Tony?
Question: Thank you. You mentioned Farhan, a joint mission comprising UN and NGO partners, delivered 12 trucks of aid to the villages of Rmeish, Ain Ebel, and Debel. Do we have a specific number of civilians in these villages, exactly, in the southern of Lebanon?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the numbers are fluctuating because, as you know, because of the fighting, people have been leaving, so it’ll be hard to get an accurate number at this stage. We’ll have to see what happens once the fighting in the area subsides and then we can get more of a count. Yeah, Gabriel?
Question: Just a quick one, Farhan. As you probably know, a Commission of Inquiry of Human Rights Council out of Geneva released a report finding that Israeli security forces have deliberately killed, detained and tortured medical personnel, accusing Israel of crimes against humanity and extermination with the healthcare sector in Gaza. Has the Secretary-General seen this and what’s his reaction?
Deputy Spokesman: We’re aware of the proceedings in the Human Rights Council and, of course, we’ll let those deliberations continue and let the Human Rights Council evaluate for themselves the information that they’ve received.
Question: But they have evaluated it.
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah. And we let that decision be in their hands. And with that, let me turn to our guests now, we should have up on screen. Hi, there you are. From Jerusalem, we’re very pleased to have Nestor Owomuhangi, the Representative of the UN Population Fund in Palestine.