Middle East

In Somalia, flash floods have impacted nearly 30,000 people in different parts of the country. Authorities say at least four people have been killed in the past week. Humanitarian officials note that the rains come after months of dry conditions that decimated water sources and grazing land.

The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Ian Martin of the United Kingdom as Head of the Strategic Assessment, as part of his UN80 initiative, of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In Ukraine, humanitarian officials there report that civilians continued to suffer the impact of hostilities over the Easter period. Authorities reported nearly 190 civilian casualties between 18 April and today. The most severe attack occurred in Kharkiv on Good Friday, injuring several people and damaging schools and homes.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

In Ecuador, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team reports at least 150,000 people have been impacted by the massive oil spill in Esmeraldas in March and need humanitarian assistance.

In Myanmar, two weeks after the country was hit by two earthquakes, pushing 2 million more people into critical need of support, the UN and partners have launched a $275 million appeal, which is an addendum to the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to reach 1.1 million people with urgent assistance.

In the wake of hundreds of reported Israeli air strikes across Syria since 8 December 2024, the Israel Defense Forces’ public confirmation that it built multiple positions in the area of separation and statements by Israeli leaders on their intent to stay in Syria for the foreseeable future, senior UN officials told the Security Council today that all parties must uphold their obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.

UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari told the Security Council this morning that there have been hundreds of reported Israeli air strikes across Syria since 8 December 2024. He said Syria’s opportunity to stabilize after 14 years of conflict must be supported and protected, for Syrians and for Israelis.

In South Sudan, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) continues to be engaged in intensive high-level political efforts to de-escalate the current tensions and convince the parties to preserve the peace deal they all agreed to.

After winning the Oscar for No Other Land, the film’s Palestinian co-directors returned to occupation and violence, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People heard today in a meeting where several speakers drew attention to the increasing collusion between Israeli settlers and the State apparatus.