Gaza is now a graveyard and there’s no escape, say UN aid teams
“The world is not seeing what’s going on with these people, it’s impossible for families to shelter in these conditions,” said Louise Wateridge, from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Speaking from Nuseirat in central Gaza after heavy winter rains…
Reconstruction and vital repairs underway in Syria, as ‘security conditions’ permit
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at the daily briefing on Thursday that bakeries in Aleppo are at near full capacity – “but partners report that they have seen long queues and crowding.” The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reports that the rehabilitation…
VOA Kurdish: Syrian currency gets boost in value, but prices remain high
After the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the value of the Syrian currency increased against the U.S. dollar, but the price of goods remains high. Residents say that traders are exploiting this situation and that official monitoring institutions…
UN urges parties to re-engage on Iran nuclear deal
Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council on developments surrounding the 2015 accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and implementation of Council resolution 2231 (2015) which endorsed it. The JCPOA set out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions…
Syria crisis: ‘Key priority’ is preserving evidence of crimes, say UN investigators
The head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism Investigating Serious Crimes in Syria (IIIM), Robert Petit, told reporters in Geneva that with an “interlocking series of crime scenes” across the country now accessible, there is the possibility of accessing…
Middle East crisis: Live updates as Security Council meets on Syria
Senior UN officials have been meeting representatives of the new caretaker authorities in Damascus in the past few days, following the overthrow of the Assad regime. This morning in New York, the Security Council met to discuss the future of…
In Damascus, top UN envoy stresses need for credible, inclusive, ‘Syrian owned’ transition
The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria also called on Monday for all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians as the country grapples with a worsening humanitarian crisis and ongoing violence, including in the Golan. Special Envoy Geir…
Gaza death toll passes 45,000 as UN school suffers new deadly strike
Images taken at the school in Khan Younis showed the apparent impact point of one shell in a concrete upper floor where people had been living at the time of the attack late Sunday night. According to the UN agency…
Zelenskyy offers Syria humanitarian grain deliveries
Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Sunday that he would provide Syria with grain and other agricultural products on a humanitarian basis, a week after the fall of Moscow’s ally, President Bashar al-Assad. “Now we can help the…
UN envoy calls for increased aid for Syria in Damascus visit
The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, arrived there a week after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebel forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTC). Responding to questions from the press upon his arrival, Mr….