HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
FRIDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2023
SECRETARY-GENERAL/EGYPT
The Secretary-General just returned to Cairo after having spent most of the day in northern Sinai.
Early today, he flew to El-Arish airport in the Sinai, which is the main air hub for Gaza-bound humanitarian aid arriving by air from a number of countries.
At the airport, the Secretary-General boarded a 747 cargo plane which had just landed from Dubai. The plane ferried pallets with some 65 metric tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including food donated to the World Food Programme (WFP) by the United Arab Emirates, tarpaulins from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and trauma emergency kits provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Accompanied by local Egyptian officials, the Secretary-General drove to the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing. On his way, he saw some of the hundreds of trucks that are loaded with humanitarian cargo that are waiting to enter Gaza.
Speaking to the press, he said that it was impossible to be in Rafah and not to feel a broken heart. Behind these walls, Mr. Guterres said, we have two million people that are suffering enormously – with no water, no food, no medicine, no fuel, and who are under fire; meanwhile, trucks that are loaded with everything those people need are on the other side of the walls.
He said that the United Nations is actively engaging with all the parties to make sure that we are able to clear up the many issues that remain in place and to have these trucks move as soon as possible to where they are needed, in a sustained effort.
He also reiterated his appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire, though such a ceasefire should not be a precondition for humanitarian delivery.
The Secretary-General also spoke to some of the volunteers of the Egyptian Red Crescent society and thanked them for their dedication and all of their efforts.
And speaking to reporters at El Arish airport, he emphasized that it’s important that we not have a one-shot operation but have a meaningful number of trucks crossing every day, with expedited and practical verification. We’ve shared his remarks.
UNRWA
The UN Relief and Works Agency -UNRWA- reports that two more UNRWA colleagues were confirmed killed in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number to 16 since 7 October.
UNRWA continues to advocate at the highest levels for sustained and unhindered humanitarian access for much needed supplies, including fuel, food, water and medicines, into Gaza.
UNRWA shelters, housing over half a million people, are overcrowded, especially in southern Gaza. Some of the displaced have reportedly started returning to other areas.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank (including in East Jerusalem), UNRWA staff continue to face severe access and movement restrictions, due to closures, checkpoints and roadblocks by the Israeli Security Forces.
GAZA
Our colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tell us that in Gaza, airstrikes continue with hundreds of people, including children, being trapped beneath the rubble, according to partners.
Rescue teams, primarily from the Palestinian Civil Defense, are struggling to carry out their mission amid continuous airstrikes, severe shortages of fuel to run vehicles and equipment, and with limited or no connection to mobile networks.
Hospitals are on the brink and overcrowded with patients, with many awaiting treatment. We are concerned that 9,000 cancer patients lack adequate care because of conditions in Gaza’s only chemotherapy hospital.
Gaza has now been under full electricity blackout for 10 days.
Since 7 October, at least 30 per cent of all housing units in the Gaza Strip have been either destroyed, rendered uninhabitable, or damaged, according to the Ministry of Housing in Gaza.
Meanwhile, in an assessment issued today, UN Women estimates that the eruption of violence and destruction has already resulted in close to 493,000 women and girls being displaced from their homes in Gaza. Additionally, the violence has tragically resulted in a growing number of widows, as an estimated 900 women have become the heads of households following their male partner’s death.
LEBANON
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reports that last night, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) requested the Mission’s assistance in relation to seven individuals stranded near the Blue Line, close to Sheikh Abad's tomb, in south Lebanon, during a significant exchange of fire across the Blue Line.
As part of UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination function, the Mission contacted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), urging them to cease fire in order to facilitate a rescue operation. The IDF suspended fire, allowing the Lebanese Armed Forces to extract the individuals from the area. Tragically, one of the seven individuals lost his life during this incident. The others were successfully rescued.
SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, the Security Council held a High-Level Debate on the contribution of regional, subregional and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Speaking on our behalf, Assistant Secretary-General, Khaled Khiari, said that today, the stakes for preventive diplomacy and dialogue could not be higher.
The world has entered a new era marked by deepening divisions and retrenchment, he added, with many States skeptical of how the multilateral system is working for them.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Khiari said, the Secretary-General’s policy brief on A New Agenda for Peace outlines how Member States can take action to re-engage, de-escalate, recommit to diplomacy for peace, and rebuild trust.
We need courage to listen to the views of others and consider them in good faith, he said, adding that regional frameworks and institutions play a key bridge-building conduit in this regard.
VENEZUELA
I can confirm that the United Nations will establish a multi-partner trust fund to support the implementation of the social agreement in Venezuela. Activities funded by the multi-partner trust fund will benefit vulnerable people in Venezuela by enhancing healthcare and other basic needs.
BRIEFINGS MONDAY
On Monday, at 11:00 a.m., there will be a briefing by Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.
The guest at the noon briefing will be Nicholas Koumjian, the Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM).
Then, at 3:00 p.m., there will be a briefing by the President of the International Court of Justice, Judge Joan E. Donoghue, and the Registrar of the International Court of Justice, Philippe Gautier.
