Month: October 2023
UN agencies welcome convoy’s entry into Gaza, but more aid needed
The 20-truck convoy that passed through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt carried life-saving supplies provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent and the UN, including enough water for 22,000 people but only for one day. The items were approved to cross and be received by the Palestinian Red Crescent, with UN support. “I am confident…
Read MoreAt Cairo Peace Summit, Guterres stresses need for sustained humanitarian aid to Gaza
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi convened leaders from the region and around the world in efforts to de-escalate hostilities following the Hamas incursion into Israel on 7 October, and Israel’s bombing of Gaza and complete siege of the enclave. The Summit took place one day after the UN chief travelled to the Rafah border crossing…
Read MoreExplainer: A look inside the Gaza crossing convoy
After viewing some of the shipments himself in Egypt close to Gaza, pallets of medical supplies, food, and water among them, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters that right now, the trucks urgently need to move to the other side of the border, as a matter of “life and death”. The ongoing siege imposed shortly…
Read MoreCommission of Inquiry finds further evidence of war crimes in Ukraine
The report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, published on Friday, follows a study issued in March. It documents additional indiscriminate attacks with explosive weapons, resulting in deaths, injuries and the destruction and damage of civilian objects. For example, 24 people, mostly women and children, were killed in an attack on…
Read MoreDiplomatic stakes ‘could not be higher’ warns senior UN official
“Today the stakes for preventive diplomacy and dialogue could not be higher,” said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific, in a meeting organized by the Brazilian presidency. Referring to the escalating situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, he warned that in the absence of a negotiated two-State solution,…
Read MoreGaza: UN chief at Rafah crossing says aid convoy ‘the difference between life and death’
In a passionate speech standing just a few metres from the Egyptian side of the crossing, he pointed behind him and spoke of the two million trapped without sufficient supplies now for nearly two weeks. “We are witnessing a paradox: behind these walls we have two million people that are suffering enormously, have no water,…
Read MoreExplainer: What is international humanitarian law?
But, what exactly are the rules of war and what happens when they are broken? To find out more about international humanitarian law, known by its acronym IHL, UN News spoke with Eric Mongelard at the UN human rights office, OHCHR. Here’s what you need to know: Rules of war International humanitarian law is as…
Read MoreAI shows ‘great promise for health’ but regulation is key: WHO chief
Its new publication emphasises the importance of establishing safe and effective AI systems and fostering dialogue about using it as a positive tool, bringing together developers, regulators, manufacturers, health workers, and patients. With the increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress in analytic techniques, WHO recognizes the potential AI has, to enhance health outcomes…
Read MoreSomalia: Insecurity worsens, civilians pay the price
Briefing Ambassadors in New York, UN Special Representative for Somalia Catriona Laing, described the country as being at a critical juncture. “Last year, we saw the largest increase in civilian casualties since 2017. Sadly, early data indicate a similar trend in 2023, with 1,289 civilian casualties recorded so far,” she said. The military campaign against…
Read MoreGaza aid ready to roll in once final deal reached
Some 3,000 tonnes of supplies have been awaiting entry on the Egyptian side of the crossing since Saturday. On Wednesday, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” for aid delivery. UN chief expected in Cairo UN Secretary-General António Guterres was expected to arrive in Cairo…
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