Children in Gaza ‘going to bed starving’ amid blockade
“The siege on Gaza is the silent killer of children, of older people,” said Juliette Touma, spokesperson for the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA. “Families – whole families, seven or eight people – are resorting to sharing one can…
MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Guterres tells Security Council two-State solution ‘near point of no return’
The Security Council met on Tuesday on the situation in the Middle East, where Secretary-General António Guterres told ambassadors that irreversible action must be taken to finally put a two-State solution in place for Israel and Palestine. The discussions took…
Myanmar quake: Ongoing aftershocks spread fear
Aid agencies warned on Tuesday that more than 6.3 million people remain in urgent need of support in the worst-affected central areas around Mandalay. “People [are] forced to sleep outside, safe water is scarce, health services are disrupted,” said UN…
Ukraine: Ceasefire a critical first step on the road to durable peace
Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo addressed ambassadors alongside UN deputy relief chief, Joyce Msuya, who updated on the dire humanitarian situation in the country amid ongoing Russian attacks. Ms. DiCarlo said the meeting was taking place at a potential inflection point in…
Two-State solution nearing point of no return, warns UN chief
Addressing a Security Council debate on Tuesday, António Guterres said the Middle East stands at a critical crossroads. “The promise of a two-State solution is at risk of vanishing altogether,” he said. “Political will to achieve that goal feels more…
Plague of rats and insects provides latest challenge for war-shattered Gazans
One displaced woman told UN News’s correspondent in Gaza: “In all camps, we suffer from biting insects, especially fleas,” adding that “our children suffer from severe pain due to itching and stinging. “We tried to treat it in simple ways,…
Israel’s restrictions on UN agencies in Gaza highlighted at world court
The ICJ, which sits in The Hague and is the UN’s top court, is expected to hear from 40 States and four international organizations in proceedings slated to last all week. Representing Secretary-General António Guterres, UN Legal Counsel Elinor Hammarskjöld…
Gazans face hunger crisis as aid blockade nears two months
Both the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, and the World Food Programme (WFP) report that food stocks are now exhausted, even as supplies of lifesaving assistance pile up at border crossings waiting to be brought in. Humanitarians continue…
Gaza: UN official warns of ‘assault on dignity’ as blockade cripples humanitarian response
Speaking to journalists in Gaza City, Jonathan Whittall, local Head of Office for the UN aid coordination wing, OCHA, painted a dire picture of life under what he called a “total and complete blockade” now approaching its third month. “The…
Security Council debates precarious path forward for a new Syria
Four and a half months after the fall of the Assad regime, the interim authorities have begun taking formal steps towards political reform, the Security Council heard on Friday. These include the formation of a broader, more diverse cabinet and…