Israeli army ‘deliberately demolished’ watchtower, fence at UN peacekeeping site in southern Lebanon
A press statement issued by the Mission, formally known as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, said Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) “deliberately demolished” the watchtower and the fence surrounding the Marwahin site. “Yet again, we remind the IDF and all…
Italy warns G7 defense ministers of ‘incompatible’ world visions
NAPLES, ITALY — Defense ministers of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies kicked off their meeting on Saturday with host country Italy warning that the global security framework is growing increasingly precarious because of competing visions of the world. The…
Freedom of expression also under fire in Gaza war, rights expert says
“Rarely have we seen – and this is what bothers me – extensive patterns of unlawful, discriminatory and disproportionate restriction by States and private actors on freedom of expression,” said Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur mandated to promote and…
Palestine: International law obliges Israel to end occupation, says rights panel
It details the obligations for Israel, third-party States and the UN to bring to an end the unlawful occupation, according to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. “Israel’s internationally…
Lebanon: Peacekeepers pledge to stay, doing ‘whatever they can to help’
“Despite [Israel Defense Forces] demands to move from positions close to the Blue Line, a unanimous decision was taken by all UNIFIL Troop Contributing Countries and the UN Security Council, and our peacekeepers remain deployed in all their positions along…
First Person: Football dream alive in Gaza despite ‘constant fire’
Mohamed Abu Jalda who is currently living in a camp for displaced people after fleeing his home, practices on the beach in the Al-Mawasi area of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. He spoke to UN News’s Ziad…
Gaza at a ‘critical juncture’ as top UN officials call for a ceasefire now
“Although he does not comment on events of this nature, the Secretary-General is interested that this now leads to an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza,” Farhan Haq told the…
Over 1.8 million in Gaza face extreme hunger
Figures from the global IPC food security initiative show that 133,000 people – or 6 per cent of the enclave’s population – are already experiencing Phase 5 or “catastrophic” food insecurity. It’s feared this number could rise to around 345,000…
Lebanon: Drone brought down by UNIFIL ship as cross-border fire intensifies
Following standard protocol, electronic countermeasures were used to bring down the so far unidentified uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), according to UN spokesperson Farhan Haq at the regular press briefing in New York. UNIFIL has launched an investigation into the incident….
Lebanon: Cholera fears for communities uprooted by war
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that a response plan had been activated to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing and water sampling. The case was confirmed in Akkar, the country’s northernmost governorate. Speaking in Geneva late Wednesday, Tedros…