Middle East


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While the humanitarian impact of the hostilities in Gaza has been cataclysmic and is worsening daily, violence and the relentless expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continue at alarming levels, the head of United Nations peace efforts in the Middle East told the Security Council today, as delegates raised concern over non-compliance with the organ’s demand for a ceasefire.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that, nine years into the Yemen conflict, almost 10 million children remain in need of humanitarian assistance. While the reduction in conflict since April 2022 has led to fewer civilian casualties, the situation remains fragile without a sustainable political settlement, UNICEF says.

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The Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have determined the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza due to a veto cast by two permanent members of the Council — China and the Russian Federation — while some speakers criticized the text for being ambiguous and lacking attribution to the Israeli authorities in several key areas.

In the Gambia, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today raised concerns on the proposed repeal of the ban on female genital mutilation in the country, highlighting the proposal as a grave violation of human rights and significant setback in the global fight against gender-based violence.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners today launched a $852.4 million response plan for nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees and their Bangladeshi hosts. Ninety-five per cent of Rohingya households in Bangladesh are vulnerable and dependent on humanitarian aid.

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The use of the Security Council veto by the United States to block an Algerian draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza only emboldens Israel to continue its crimes against the Palestinian people, speakers warned the General Assembly today, stressing that the humanitarian situation in the enclave is catastrophic and worsening as a result.