Palestinian issues

As fighting in Myanmar between ethnic armed organizations and the Myanmar Armed Forces expands, and humanitarian access is blocked, UN partners on the ground are still providing life-saving assistance wherever possible. The Humanitarian Response Plan for Myanmar, only 28 per cent funded, needs an urgent injection of funding.

Briefers at the Security Council today spoke of the disastrous situation for women and children in the Gaza Strip due to the Israel-Hamas war, highlighting acute stresses and needs of mothers and declaring Gaza to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a child.

The Secretary-General launched the 2023 United Nations Environment Programme Emissions Gap report, warning that if nothing changes, in 2030 emissions will be 22 gigatons higher than the 1.5°C limit will allow and roughly the total annual emissions of the United States, China and the European Union combined.

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

The UN Secretariat has received a letter from the Sudanese Government announcing its decision to immediately terminate the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan. The Government also communicated its commitment to engage constructively with the Security Council and the Secretariat on a new formula.

The UN is now seeking $173 million to support communities through March 2024 affected by the impact of three earthquakes that struck Herat province in west Afghanistan last month. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports 275,00 people have been affected, up from an initial estimate of 114,000 people.

In a late-breaking meeting today, the Security Council adopted resolution 2712 (2023) by a vote of 12 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States), by which it called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors through the Gaza Strip to facilitate the provision of essential goods and services.

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

Describing a health system that is on the verge of collapse, the head of the United Nations health agency urged the Security Council today to secure an immediate ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access in Gaza where “nowhere and no one is safe” as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 65 trucks carrying food, medicines, water and health supplies entered Gaza yesterday through the Rafah crossing, but said the volume of aid entering Gaza remains wholly inadequate and more than one entry point is needed.