Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Briefing Today
All right, I know why you are all here, and that is for the 1 p.m. to hear from Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of May.
And he will be here to brief you on the programme of work.
And just a heads up to our colleagues online, the briefing will be in person only, so they will only take questions in the room.
**Gaza
I will start off with Gaza. Today, Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that the hostages in Gaza must be released, but international law is unequivocal: As the occupying Power, Israel must allow humanitarian support in. Aid, and the civilian lives it saves, should never be a bargaining chip, he said.
Mr. Fletcher underscored that the humanitarian movement is independent, impartial and neutral and believes that all civilians are equally worthy of protection. But as the UN Secretary-General has made it clear, the latest modality proposed by Israeli authorities does not meet the minimum bar for principled humanitarian support.
He called on the Israeli authorities to lift this brutal blockade and let the humanitarians save lives. And he told the civilians of Gaza: We won’t give up, even if the world has given you every reason to give up on us. His full statement was shared with you.
Meanwhile on the ground, from Mr. Fletcher’s office, from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), warn that humanitarian operations continue to be stifled by severe movement restrictions inside Gaza, as well as military activity and attacks that jeopardize the safety of aid workers and their premises.
Recent strikes have reportedly hit residential buildings and tents sheltering displaced people, especially in Rafah and eastern Gaza City. As of this Tuesday, our humanitarian partners estimate that more than 423,000 people in Gaza have been displaced once again, with no safe place to go in Gaza.
With most commodities unavailable, attacks on humanitarian convoys and looting are increasing, there were two incidents in Gaza City yesterday. This not only endangers the lives of aid workers but also disrupts aid operations and hurts those people who are meant to receive the aid.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners report severe shortages of vital medicines and medical equipment. They also warn that acute watery diarrhoea cases have risen by 4 per cent compared to previous weeks, as the weather gets warmer and hygiene conditions continue to deteriorate.
Meanwhile, our colleagues on the ground have not been enabled to retrieve remaining stocks of desperately needed fuel located in areas that require coordination with Israeli authorities. Eight out of our nine such attempts have been denied by the Israeli authorities since mid-April.
Our partners working to provide child protection support warn that children — who make up half of Gaza’s population — face escalating levels of trauma, they face violence and they face neglect, as ongoing military operations, mass displacement, and funding shortages disrupt education and critical child protection services.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, today marks 100 days since the Israeli operation in northern areas began; they were causing a wave of deaths, injuries, destruction and displacement. To date, some 40,000 Palestinians remain displaced and unable to return to their homes in those areas.
We and our partners continue to respond to the deepening needs of displaced families, including by providing food, water and sanitation assistance, as well as health services, psycho-social support and cash assistance. Since the beginning of the Israeli forces’ operation in the northern West Bank on 21 January, and as of yesterday, nearly 7,000 families have received a first round of cash assistance.
**Sudan
Turning to yet another horrendous situation that is Sudan: We continue to get very disturbing reports out of that country, and mainly in North Darfur State. Our Human Rights colleagues say that in the last week alone, the confirmed number of civilians killed in North Darfur was at least 542. The actual death toll is of course likely much higher, our colleagues warned. Reports of extrajudicial executions in Khartoum state are also extremely disturbing.
Our Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, said that he had personally alerted both leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to the catastrophic human rights consequences of this war. You will have seen his statement he issued this morning, in which he said that it is well past time for this conflict to stop.
On the continued efforts of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, I can tell you that this week, he was in Cairo, where he discussed with officials there, including the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, the recent developments in Sudan and ongoing efforts to stop the war.
They shared the view that an inclusive Sudanese-led political path is needed to restore peace in the country, preserving the unity of Sudan, its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Separately, he exchanged views with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, on coordinating efforts between the UN, the Arab League and concerned multilateral organizations to advance peace endeavours in Sudan.
Earlier this week, Mr. Lamamra was in Port Sudan and in Addis Ababa, where he continued his engagements with various stakeholders.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that in South Kivu, fighting continues in several territories, including Uvira, Walungu and Kalehe. Two civilians were killed on 29 April in Uvira Territory.
In Kalehe Territory, medical sources reported several cases of injuries received and being treated following fighting on 29 April. More than 40,000 people have fled the area, according to local authorities.
The deteriorating security situation in Kalehe Territory has also forced many humanitarian organizations to suspend operations temporarily. The situation remains volatile in Ituri Province, where an attack in Djugu Territory two days ago killed three civilians, with many people still reported [missing].
Staying in the east of the country, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in its latest report says that over 80 per cent of displaced households in Masisi, in North Kivu Province, are experiencing acute food insecurity, with an average food insecurity rate between 60 and 70 per cent of households in other conflict-affected territories in South-Kivu and Ituri.
You will recall that the updated analysis of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification — the IPC — from March of this year reveals an alarming deterioration in food insecurity, with over 10.3 million people experiencing acute food insecurity (phases 3 and 4) in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika.
For its part, our friends at the World Health Organization today said they are working with health authorities to intensify emergency response efforts to control an outbreak of anthrax in which 16 suspected and one confirmed human cases have been reported in North Kivu Province in the DRC. More information on that is online.
**Afghanistan
Moving to Afghanistan, where we today released a record $16.6 million to help vulnerable communities mitigate the effects of drought in the north and north-east of that country. This new financing — which is both the first and largest joint allocation in support of anticipatory action against drought in Afghanistan — includes $6.6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and $10 million from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.
Meanwhile, our colleague Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs — who remains in Afghanistan — and he stressed that with the right science and data, we can deliver faster, protect more people and stretch scarce resources further, at a time when devastating funding cuts are deepening Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
Before the drought peaks in the coming months, we and our humanitarian partners will deliver cash and other assistance to support food security, to support agriculture as well as livestock, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, nutrition and protection services.
And just to note that today in Kabul, the Under-Secretary-General met with our humanitarian partners on the ground — including NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and women-led organizations, as well as representatives of women civil society. Mr. Fletcher will wrap up his visit to that country tomorrow.
Also, just to flag that today, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a grim update on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, covering the period between January and March of this year. It highlights the general situation of human rights in the country, but also with a focus on the rights of women and girls.
The mission continued to receive reports that women in Afghanistan are still being denied the opportunity to join the workforce, accessing services without a male relative, and girls are still deprived of their right to education. The full report is online.
**Resident Coordinator — Maldives
Lastly, we have a new Resident Coordinator, and that is Hao Zhang of China — the Secretary-General has appointed him to be the Resident Coordinator in the Maldives. Hao started on 1 May 2025.
Mr. Zhang brings more than 27 years of professional experience to the role, including over 14 years with the Asian Development Bank.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: Sir?
Question: Thank you, Steph. With regard to the India-Pakistan crisis that’s unfolding, at what point is Secretary-General will be considering traveling to the region and mediating between both parties? I mean, we need more pragmatic engagement rather than phone calls. Thank you.
Spokesman: As you know, the Secretary-General spoke to leaders, senior officials in both countries. He offered his good offices. So I don’t think there would be any travel until there’s a clear message that, as in any instance where we have high tensions between two countries, that they’ve both accepted his good offices. Sidi rais?
Question: Shukran. Follow-up on Kashmir. I mean, India is threatening to use the model of Israel in Gaza, in Kashmir. Is that tension going so high now? So why not the SG would interfere…? [cross-talk]
Spokesman: The Secretary-General, as I said, spoke very soon after the attacks in Kashmir. He spoke to the Foreign Minister, Minister of External Relations of India. He spoke to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and I think we told you a lot about those phone calls. And, again, as I said, he offered his good offices. Yeah?
Question: More questions?
Spokesman: With more questions? Please.
Question: Thank you. On Gaza, I mean, famine is now hitting hard. I mean, there are some children who died of famine. I mean, they are on TV as many people saw that. So do you have any comment on that?
Spokesman: Well, we’ve been, I think, stressing the fact that, with each passing day that aid continues to be blocked by Israel, hunger increases. And we have our… I mean, that’s it’s a very simple calculation and a pretty tragic one. We have our colleagues who work on the IPC, who are doing a survey right now to come out with data very shortly on the status of hunger in Gaza.
Question: One more question. I mean, there are some news that says that MINURSO (UN Mission in Western Sahara) forces had been attacked by Polisario rebels. Are you aware of this?
Spokesman: Well, when?
Question: Can you confirm that Monday — not this Monday, the one before?
Spokesman: I will have to look. I’ll get back to you.
Question: Thank you.
Spokesman: Yvonne and then Evelyn.
Question: The report on hunger that you just mentioned, when do you expect that to come out? Do you mean in the coming days, next week?
Spokesman: As usual, I try to avoid setting hard deadlines, but we hope to have it soon. But I will give you a more focused deadline.
Question: Thanks. All right. And Tom Fletcher, when he comes back from Afghanistan, will he come and talk to us?
Spokesman: Sounds like a wonderful idea. And I’m sure Mr. Fletcher would. He was so happy his last time here, so I’m sure he will come back. Evelyn?
Question: Do you have anything on Myanmar or Burma that we got the discussion cut off from the area, or what the Council’s done? Because I’ve seen a lot of, you know, aid given, which they certainly need after the earthquakes. But what about the junta, which the majority of Burmese can’t really support?
Spokesman: Well, we’ve been… We’re going to try to reschedule our colleague from Myanmar to give you an update. Obviously, our humanitarian colleagues are doing whatever they can to get aid as quickly as possible and as directly as possible to the thousands and thousands who need it. Sinan?
Question: Thank you, Steph. I have two questions on Syria. First one, do you have any update about the latest clashes in Syria? Is it under control? Do we know what’s going on there now?
Spokesman: I don’t have any operational updates, because we’re not there where the clashes are taking place. We’re seeing these media reports, and we’re getting other information in other ways. And this remains very, very concerning that these clashes are ongoing. As we’ve said here many times, it is important that every one of the nationalities, the minorities, religious minorities, ethnic minorities in Syria, feel safe in their country. And it is the responsibility of the interim authorities to ensure that is the case.
Question: I have a second question. It’s kind of opinion question. I mean, in the last two months, we saw two massacres, sectarian massacres. Like, two months ago, we saw the armed group belong to the transitional government killed almost 2,000 civilians, and we saw some footages, videos. They were torturing, humiliating people, civilians especially. And now we see another massacre against Druse. So the question is, doesn’t this concern Secretary-General? I mean, such an armed group in charge for a country?
Spokesman: Look, there are interim authorities in Damascus that ended the rule of President [Bashar al-]Assad and his family. They are now in charge on an interim basis, and they have to hold up internationally recognized standards, notably on the protection of civilians and their own civilians. Okay. Yes, madam?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Just a quick question on yesterday’s announcement that the Secretary-General’s special adviser on reforms, Jens…
Spokesman: On?
Question: Special adviser on reforms.
Spokesman: Yeah.
Question: Will act as an adviser to the UN80 initiative. I wondered if you could give us more information on what he will be doing in this capacity?
Spokesman: This is Jens?
Question: Wandel? I’m not sure.
Spokesman: Jens is a long-time UN staffer, and I would say, a long-time expert on reform, making organizations more efficient, strengthening them out. And I think he did a great job when he was the interim head of UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services). So he will continue to help work with the Secretary-General and his team on that.
Question: And just a quick follow-up. Can we expect to hear from him or from Mr. Guy Ryder? [cross talk]
Spokesman: We will see, we can get you an updated briefing on our UN80 initiative.
Question: Thank you.
Spokesman: Okay. I feel one more.
Question: One more. I always wonder, where does the SG gets his information, which media outlet he watches? Does he watch Al Jazeera English, TRT, RT, France 24? Where does he get his information from? I mean, not reports… [cross-talk]
Spokesman: He watches a wide array of news. I think I’m a news addict. He’s a news junkie, because he often calls me and says, did you see this? And I had to have a chance to see this. But I can tell you that his, his sources are extremely, extremely varied.
Question: Cyprus issue. How much longer will we have to wait for the appointment of a special envoy to for the Cyprus issue? Do you have any updates?
Spokesman: No. I don’t want to make a lot… How much longer do we wait? When we have an announcement, we will have an announcement. On that note, I wish you all a wonderful afternoon.