Palestinian issues

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that, on 31 October, 59 trucks carrying water, food and medicines entered through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. This is the largest convoy since delivery of aid resumed on 21 October, bringing the total number of trucks up to 217 since that date.

The General Assembly today continued its emergency session on the situation in the Middle East, with many Member States echoing urgent calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and the provision of adequate aid to civilians in Gaza.

In Ukraine, an Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs official, briefing the Security Council today, said that more than 9,900 civilians have been killed since the start of the invasion and damage to infrastructure continues to impact civilians’ access to electricity, heating, water and telecommunications.

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

In Haiti, the World Food Programme (WFP) reports that since mid-August, violence in Port-au-Prince has forced about 40,000 people to flee from their homes. These recent movements bring the total number of displaced people across the country to 200,000.

Civilians in Gaza must not be the target of collective punishment, speakers told the Security Council today, as calls for a ceasefire gained greater urgency amid the intensification of Israel’s lethal military offensive into the besieged enclave, following the 7 October attacks by the armed group Hamas against that country.

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

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

Calling for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities, the General Assembly today demanded the unhindered provision of essential aid to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip, as the body continued its emergency session on the situation in the Middle East. The Assembly also failed to unequivocally reject and condemn the terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting on 7 October.

The worsening tension, unspeakable violence and harrowing suffering must end now, UN General Assembly President stressed today at an emergency meeting on the situation in the Middle East, during which he condemned the killing of all civilians on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides and urged all parties to abide by international law and immediately allow for aid to access the Gaza Strip.