Demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution reiterating its insistence that parties to the conflict there comply with international law, all hostages be released immediately and without conditions, and humanitarian access be ensured.
State of Palestine
In South Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that more than half of the country’s population is going hungry, and an estimated 1.6 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition through June 2024.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, in New York today:
The Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza due to a veto cast by the United States, following a debate earlier in the day that was urgently called for by the UN Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General went before the Security Council today to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to avert a humanitarian catastrophe that could have ramifications for peace and security in the region and beyond, two days after he invoked Article 99 of the United Nations Charter.
On 11 December, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will launch its Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024. This is the annual overview of humanitarian trends and needs worldwide — as well as interagency plans to respond to the crises.
At the high-level pledging event for the Central Emergency Response Fund yesterday, 40 donors announced contributions of more than $419 million for 2024, thus exceeding the $409 million pledged last year. In 2023, the Fund allocated more than $640 million to support millions of people in dire need in 40 countries and territories.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) launched a $1.59 billion regional plan to support the needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, as well as their host communities, across 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) launched its “Global Climate 2011-2020: A Decade of Acceleration” report, which shows that the rate of climate change surged alarmingly between 2011-2020, which was the warmest decade on record.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) notes with concern that exchanges of fire across the Blue Line continued throughout the weekend, with reports that people were injured on both sides of the border. This follows the reported deaths of three people there following exchanges of fire on 1 December.