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 Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**World Oceans Day
All right, good afternoon, everyone. Today is World Oceans Day. In a message for the Day, the Secretary-General noted that in these turbulent times, the ocean reminds us that we are bound together. But the ocean is in deep trouble, he said, and we are pushing it past its limits. The Secretary-General stressed that we cannot keep treating the ocean as limitless. He emphasized that we must build a new relationship with the ocean: grounded in science, framed by international law, and built on shared responsibility to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). His message was shared with you.
**Guests
And in a short while, we will be joined here by our guests: Steven Hill, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, and Bahia Tahzib, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, along with Rafael González Quirós, Director of the Oceanographic Centre of Gijón, and Fabien Cousteau, aquanaut, oceanographic explorer and Founder of the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Centre.
And they will brief on the third World Ocean Assessment.
**Lebanon/Israel
We are alarmed by the overnight escalation, including renewed strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday and reported Hizbullah strikes into northern Israel. We urge all actors to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any action that could further inflame an already volatile situation.
We urge all parties to fully abide by the ceasefire jointly announced by Lebanon, Israel and the United States last week, and to avoid any steps that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve a durable peace.
We note with concern the devastating impact the ongoing hostilities are having on civilians. We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructures must not be targeted. We call on all actors to uphold their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.
Over the weekend, from Friday, 5 June, to Sunday, 7 June, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observed a high tempo of military activity across its area of operations, including 201 violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) — including by helicopters and fighter aircrafts — totalling close to 288 hours of overflight time. UNIFIL recorded over 2,100 firing incidents originating from IDF positions, including from south of the Blue Line and from within the area of operations. The heaviest impacts were recorded in Sector East and areas immediately north of the Litani River.
Dozens of projectile trajectories from north to south, presumably fired by Hizbullah, were also recorded, including several crossing the Blue Line.
Our peacekeepers continue to be directly affected by the hostilities. On Friday, a drone dropped a grenade near a UNIFIL convoy near Bayt Yahun in Sector West while the convoy was halted pending operational deconfliction.
Another drone then dropped a second grenade near the convoy, following which peacekeepers responded in self-defence by shooting down one drone. No injuries or damage were reported, and the convoy subsequently withdrew safely from the area.
On Saturday, a UNIFIL patrol reported that an IDF tank deployed a large smoke screen toward its position north of At Tiri, in Sector West.
Also on Saturday, UNIFIL encountered two freedom of movement incidents in Sector West: a convoy was blocked by civilians northeast of Rumaysh in Sector West, preventing its passage and forcing it to return to base, while in a separate incident north of At Tiri, an IDF tank obstructed a UNIFIL patrol and denied it passage, also leading to its return to base.
On Sunday, UNIFIL held a solemn ceremony in Beirut to pay tribute to Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanović of Serbia — who was killed on Thursday, 5 June, after mortar fire struck a UNIFIL position near Marjayoun — honouring his service and sacrifice in support of peace in south Lebanon. The two other peacekeepers injured in the same incident continue to receive treatment and are in stable conditions.
Despite the challenging circumstances, UNIFIL continues its daily activities in support of civilians affected by ongoing hostilities in the south.
Yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers facilitated the safe evacuation of Lebanese Red Cross ambulances carrying patients in urgent need of medical care who had been stranded for days in Rumaysh due to intensified fighting along main access routes. Following coordination with the IDF, UNIFIL escorted the ambulances to Tyre, enabling the civilians — including women and children — to continue onward to Beirut.
**Lebanon/Humanitarian
Our humanitarian colleagues on the ground in Lebanon tell us that hostilities and displacement orders continue to claim lives and drive people from their homes.
Five collective shelters hosting displaced families in South Governorate had to be evacuated this weekend due to evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army. Local authorities in the south of the country and in Beirut report that collective shelters are at full capacity.
Since last Friday, IDF evacuation orders have been issued for 17 villages across the governorates of South, Nabatieh and Bekaa, including two localities included in evacuation orders for the first time since the renewed escalation began in early March.
The scale and uncertainty of these orders make them almost impossible to comply with safely, bringing into question their effectiveness, a requirement under international humanitarian law.
Following the launch of last week’s additional Flash Appeal, which called for an additional $331.5 million to help 1.4 million people, OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) reports that, without immediate funding, the humanitarian response could be disrupted as early as 1 July. We thank all the donors and all the countries who stepped up, but OCHA warns that available funds might run low enough that operations would begin to be scaled back, prioritized, or interrupted around the beginning of July, unless more contributions arrive.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, OCHA reports that following missile attacks towards Israel since last night, the Israeli authorities closed the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing today, which has been the only crossing into Gaza that had been operational for cargo over the past two weeks.
However, humanitarians were allowed to collect cargo from the Palestinian side of the crossing.
Israeli authorities also closed Rafah Crossing.
OCHA stresses that people in the Gaza Strip rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside.
The UN and our humanitarian partners work hard to maintain a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite restrictions. Such efforts cannot be sustained if crossings remain closed.
Against this backdrop, civilians and civilian infrastructure continue to be exposed to Israeli airstrikes, shelling and gunfire, resulting in reported casualties and damage.
Under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.
In the West Bank, OCHA warns of risks from debris from the interception of missiles, as seen during previous regional escalations.
Meanwhile, violence affecting Palestinians across the West Bank persists. Last Friday, Israeli forces shot and killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby in Hebron city and injured both parents when their vehicle came under fire as it approached an Israeli patrol. Israeli authorities have indicated the incident will be investigated.
In Nablus, Israeli forces raided Balata refugee camp yesterday, arresting one Palestinian. Clashes with residents during the operation resulted in injuries and tear gas exposure.
Palestinians in the West Bank must be protected, as required by law, and perpetrators of violations must be held accountable.
**Senior Personnel Appointments
We have three senior personnel appointments today.
The Secretary-General announced the appointment of Tressa Rae Finerty of the United States as Deputy High Commissioner, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Ms. Finerty will succeed Kelly T. Clements of the United States, to whom both the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Refugees are grateful for her dedicated service to the refugee cause.
Ms. Finerty is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, currently serving as the Chargé d’Affaires for the United States Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva.
The Secretary-General also announced today the appointment of Antón Leis García of Spain as Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, again in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Mr. Leis García will succeed Raouf Mazou of the Republic of Congo, to whom both the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Refugees are grateful for his dedicated service to the refugee cause.
Mr. Leis García currently serves as Director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Spain’s development and humanitarian agency. He brings to the position extensive experience in international cooperation and multilateral affairs, with a strong focus on development, governance and partnerships.
And last, the Secretary-General also announced today the appointment of Edem Wosornu of Ghana as Assistant High Commissioner for Protection in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Ms. Wosornu will succeed Ruvendrini Menikdiwela of Sri Lanka, to whom both the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Refugees are grateful for her dedicated service to the refugee cause.
Ms. Wosornu, as you know, currently serves as Director of Crisis Response Division at the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Chair of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Emergency Directors Group. She brings to the position over two decades of experience in humanitarian affairs, including extensive leadership roles in emergency response and operational coordination. Prior to her current role, she held several senior positions in Headquarters and in the field within OCHA.
We wish them all the best.
**Haiti
The Secretary-General will travel to Haiti next Tuesday, 16 June, for a solidarity visit, during which he will meet men, women and children whose lives have been affected by violence. He will see firsthand the humanitarian and security challenges facing the country, as well as efforts by national authorities and the international community to restore stability and support the Haitian people.
While in Port-au-Prince, the Secretary-General will assess the support given by the United Nations to Haiti in facing its multidimensional crisis, including the logistical and operational support to the Gang Suppression Force, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2793. He is also expected to meet with the Prime Minister of Haiti [Alix Didier Fils-Aimé].
The Secretary-General will travel to Haiti via the Dominican Republic. While in Santo Domingo, he is expected to meet with national authorities. He will return to New York on 17 June.
**Memorial Service
The Secretary-General, in a memorial ceremony this morning, paid tribute to 136 United Nations personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty last year.
He told the audience, including the family members of the fallen staff, that their presence reminds us that for every life lost, there are people left behind: bonds of love and friendship that endure.
Mr. [António] Guterres said that the women and men we commemorate today include 97 civilian personnel and 39 uniformed peacekeepers — military and police. They came from 32 countries: diverse in background, but united in purpose.
Among them, he added, 80 served with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza. More UN colleagues have been killed in Gaza than in any other conflict or disaster in the history of the United Nations, the Secretary-General said.
He asserted that UN personnel must never be targeted. Attacks on peacekeepers and humanitarian workers are a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law.
Remembering our fallen colleagues, the Secretary-General said that we must be brave enough to take a stand, kind enough to care for others and dedicated enough to keep showing up.
**Security Council
This morning, the Security Council held a briefing on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Briefing Council members, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Georgette Gagnon, said that we are witnessing severe and growing restrictions regarding Afghan women and girls. She noted that recent UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) analysis makes clear that restrictions on women’s education and labour participation are already costing the Afghan economy and undermining the country’s longer-term economic development.
Ms. Gagnon also noted that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain strained, with continued border closures, security incidents, and military signalling.
Edem Wosornu, whom we just mentioned a few minutes ago, OCHA’s Crisis Response Director, also briefed Council members on behalf of Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator. She noted that Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis is not standing still, it is evolving, and, in several respects, deteriorating, under the combined pressures of rising needs, declining resources and restrictions on women.
Ms. Wosornu said that response is being severely constrained by underfunding.
She noted that this year’s response requires $1.71 billion to reach 17.5 million people, and so far, we have received just 15 per cent of that funding.
Both remarks have been shared with you.
**Ukraine
From Ukraine, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that intensified hostilities and attacks along the front line continue to kill and injure civilians, as well as to damage critical civilian infrastructure across the country.
Authorities reported that between Friday and the early hours of today, at least 33 civilians were killed and 221 were injured, including children. The most affected areas were the regions of Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Other regions impacted by the hostilities included Sumy, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Chernihiv and Mykolaiv.
OCHA is also concerned by a series of incidents affecting humanitarian organizations in Kherson over the weekend. Several humanitarian vehicles came under attack, injuring aid workers and volunteers and damaging clearly marked humanitarian assets. Our humanitarian colleagues note that these incidents highlight the growing risks faced by both civilians and humanitarian personnel operating in front-line areas.
This afternoon, at 3 p.m., the Security Council will hold a briefing on Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine. Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and Indrika Ratwatte, the acting Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, will brief Council members.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan, our colleagues at OCHA tell us that despite funding shortfalls, access constraints and insecurity, we — together with NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and local partners — continue to deliver life-saving assistance across the country.
In North Darfur State, some 610,000 people have received food aid in Tawila locality, while in Sennar State, a nutrition campaign supported by UNICEF recently reached nearly 340,000 people, mostly children who received Vitamin A supplementation.
In White Nile State, cash assistance continues to be distributed to some 340,000 people across camps in Jabalein and Salam localities. The World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners hope to reach 340,000 South Sudanese refugees with vouchers, while UNICEF and its partners continue to provide safe drinking water to about 15,500 people in Kosti, Tendalti and Jabalein.
At the same time, our colleagues warn that conditions are worsening as the rainy season begins. Severe gaps in water and sanitation are affecting an estimated 1.1 million people in South Darfur, increasing the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases. Local responders continue to work to address disease outbreaks in several states.
Meanwhile, OCHA remains alarmed by continued drone strikes and insecurity affecting civilians and humanitarian access. Recent attacks across the Kordofan region reportedly killed at least 15 civilians, injured many others and damaged civilian infrastructure, including a key bridge in South Kordofan vital for civilian movement and aid delivery.
OCHA is also concerned by intercommunal violence in Darfur. Recent clashes in South Darfur State displaced an estimated 13,500 people and reportedly left at least 16 people dead.
Once again, we call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to facilitate rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access. Additional funding remains critical to deliver life-saving assistance to millions of people in need across Sudan.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
And from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we and our partners continue to support authorities in responding to the Ebola outbreak.
Yesterday, the Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, Damien Mama, arrived in the town of Bunia, in Ituri province, for a three-day visit to assess the response and strengthen coordination in support of Government-led efforts.
The Ebola health response is focusing on case management, the operation of treatment centres, the delivery of essential medicines and supplies, as well as community engagement, risk communication and strengthened surveillance.
However, as we have mentioned, response efforts continue to face significant challenges, including gaps in contact tracing, limited treatment capacity and shortages of essential medicines. Scaling up laboratory capacity is also critical to ensure timely detection and confirmation of cases.
OCHA continues to support the response, facilitate humanitarian access and strengthen community engagement to help contain the outbreak.
On 6 June, health authorities in the DRC reported 27 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 515 across the provinces of Ituri, North and South Kivu. Ituri remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for approximately 95 per cent of cases. To date, 12 patients have recovered.
The outbreak is unfolding in an already severe humanitarian crisis. Nearly 15 million people across the Democratic Republic of the Congo need humanitarian assistance, while more than half of all of displaced people — or 3.4 million — are living in areas affected by the outbreak, complicating our efforts to respond.
**Philippines
Turning to the Philippines, as you are aware, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani Province in the country’s south today, claiming at least 19 lives, with 12 people missing and more than 130 others injured, according to the authorities.
There has reportedly been extensive damage to homes, government buildings, hospitals and schools. Power and telecommunications outages have also been reported, while damage to roads and bridges is limiting humanitarian access to some communities.
OCHA commends the swift response of authorities and is working closely with the Government and our partners to assess the impact of the earthquake.
The UN stands in solidarity with all those affected during this difficult time and remains ready to support the response and recovery efforts.
**Cuba
And last, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, today warned that the expansion of sanctions imposed by the [United States] against Cuba is causing widespread harm to the population and endangering lives. He urges that these sanctions be halted.
Given the tensions created by the situation and the increased risk of social unrest in Cuba, Mr. Türk also urged the authorities to exercise utmost restraint and to respect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
Any questions before we turn to our guests? Yes, Edie?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Farhan, can you tell us what the Israelis are telling the UN about why they’re keeping all of the crossings closed except for one?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, and even that one crossing is not open today. And regarding that, what I can tell you is that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the decision to close the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings and suspend the entry of supplies into Gaza. He calls for the immediate resumption of humanitarian movements at scale into and throughout Gaza and urges all parties to facilitate the rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. The Secretary-General underscores that humanitarian assistance is indispensable for the survival and well-being of civilians in Gaza. Humanitarian needs remain immense and access must remain predictable, sustained, and unimpeded.
Question: Thank you for the statement. What are the Israelis saying about why they are closed?
Deputy Spokesman: In terms of the events over the past 24 hours, they related to… the reason they gave was the recent outburst of fighting. We do expect, by the way, a statement later today, as soon as we can get it, about the larger problems that have occurred in the region. But as you’re certainly aware, we want all parties to abide by the ceasefires and to halt any further escalation. Yes, Amelie?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. It’s a follow-up as well on the crossing points. So do I understand correctly that there are no crossing points functioning today?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. As of right now, none of the crossing points are open.
Question: Okay.
Deputy Spokesman: The aid distribution is happening within Gaza, but nothing is coming in from outside.
Question: Okay. And did the Israeli authorities give any kind of indication of how long the Kerem Shalom crossing could stay closed?
Deputy Spokesman: We are not aware of when they intend to open it, but like I said, the Secretary-General is calling for all crossings to be open as soon as possible. Islam?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Just to clarify, you said outburst of the fighting. You mean in Lebanon, that Israel is relating to the closing the gates, I mean the crossings?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes. And I talked about the fighting in Lebanon. Of course, we were also concerned by the fighting that happened yesterday evening involving both Israel and Iran. But across all the theatres of conflict, we want all of the kinetic activity to stop.
Question: But from the UN point, is this normal — that Israel relates the Gaza crossings with the other fighting or conflict areas?
Deputy Spokesman: I think that’s really something for the Israeli authorities themselves to explain, not us. We do not believe that the crossing points into Gaza should be closed. The survival of the people of Gaza is dependent on a flow of humanitarian aid being available at all times. We want the previous system of normal humanitarian traffic, normal commercial traffic to be restored. And so, we do not accept any of these closures.
Question: And last question, on Lebanon again. On the top of the ceasefire violations and also Israeli evacuation orders, New York Times reported this weekend that, according to the collected visual evidence, verified the Israeli military usage of white phosphorous in very populated areas. Do you get any report on that from the UN personnel from the ground? And also, what is the SG’s reaction to this international banned weapon usage?
Deputy Spokesman: We do not believe that white phosphorous should be used as a weapon by any party under any circumstances. And that’s where we stand on that. Yes, Gabriel?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. A follow-up on the Israeli evacuation orders in Lebanon. Are those evacuation orders legal under international law?
Deputy Spokesman: Sorry?
Question: Are Israel’s evacuation orders in Lebanon legal under international law?
Deputy Spokesman: Israel is not the sovereign power of Lebanon. Obviously, we believe that everyone has to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon.
Question: And in your statement on that very topic, you said the scale and uncertainty of these evacuation orders make them almost impossible to comply with, bringing into question their effectiveness as a requirement under international law.
Deputy Spokesman: Yes, that’s exactly accurate. And I stand by what we said about that. Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I have two questions. First, on the baby, the seven-month-old baby. He has a name. His name is Wissam Abu Haikal. Such a heinous crime. Why it was not condemned strongly and use a strong language to condemn such a heinous crime?
Deputy Spokesman: You heard what I said. We condemn all killings of civilians. In this case, we have been informed that there will be an investigation, and we believe that this should be investigated. It’s appalling that a seven-month-old baby is among the casualties.
Question: You know how the Israeli investigation, how serious they are. Anyhow, my second question, a US ambassador, his name is Jeff Bartos of the US Mission, he wrote on his X account: “The United States will continue to advance President Trump’s vision for a back-to-basic UN that meets its full potential.” He, in fact, almost takes credit of all the cuts and the savings and money of the UN reform. Do you agree with that? Is it a US plan or a UN-led and the SG’s plan to reform the United Nations?
Deputy Spokesman: You’re aware of what the Secretary-General’s plan is. We’ve talked about this at length over these briefings for several years now. You’re aware of the UN80 initiative and the role the Secretary-General has played, both in terms of streamlining the Secretariat under his own authority and proposing to the Member States steps that they can take. The steps, by the way, to make the UN more efficient that are undertaken by bodies like the General Assembly are to the credit of all the Member States, not any individual one. And we certainly appreciate the work that all States, including the United States, have played in the reform process. But certainly, you all have been attending these briefings, and you know exactly the role that the Secretary-General has played in initiating these reforms.
And with that, I will turn to our guests.