HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FLORENCIA SOTO NIÑO​,
ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
TUESDAY, 2 JANUARY 2024
 

GAZA 
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that heavy Israeli bombardments continue, as does fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups, as well as Palestinian rocket fire into Israel.  
Over the past few days, further attacks hit residential structures and infrastructure in Gaza, with high numbers of casualties reported. An estimated 1.9 million Palestinians – roughly 85 per cent of the population – remain displaced. 
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 2023 was the deadliest year for Palestinians since the UN started recording casualties there in 2005 – with 507 Palestinians recorded killed. During the same time period, the UN recorded 36 Israeli fatalities in attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank, which was also the highest figure since 2005.        
Over the past year, OCHA has also recorded 1,225 incidents that involved Israeli settlers in the West Bank and resulted in Palestinian casualties, property damage or both. This is the highest number since OCHA started recording this trend in 2006. The increase has caused displacement and deepened humanitarian needs in many areas of the West Bank. The number of incidents resulting in casualties or property damage among Israeli settlers in 2023 is 140, compared with 329 in 2022. 
On Friday, we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General expressed his concerns about the further spillover of this conflict, which could have devastating consequences for the entire region.  
 
SYRIA  
In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is concerned about the impact on civilians of escalating hostilities in the northwest of the country – as well as the potential for the violence to jeopardize cross-border missions by UN staff.  
The United Nations carried out more than 300 such missions last year to meet with impacted people, monitor assistance programmes and conduct needs assessments.  
Over the weekend, shelling in residential neighborhoods in Idleb and western Aleppo left at least seven people dead. Nine of the nearly 30 people reportedly injured were children, including a two-month-old baby. At least two schools northwest of Aleppo were also damaged.  
Since October 5th, more than 100 people have been killed – almost 40 per cent of them children – due to shelling and other violence in northwest Syria. More than 400 others have been injured.  
The UN and its partners continue to monitor the situation and respond to humanitarian needs, including by providing support to health facilities, which are under additional strain due to an increase in respiratory diseases and other winter-related challenges. 

UKRAINE 
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that attacks continued today with vast aerial assaults in several regions in Ukraine causing death – including several children - and destruction of homes and other civilian infrastructure. The capital Kyiv and the city of Kharkiv, in the east, have been most impacted in today’s attack and damages have been reported in nine of the capital’s ten districts.  
In a statement, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned the attacks, noting that civilians in Kyiv and in Donetsk Region were left without electricity or water, while temperatures are forecasted to reach -20 degree Celsius this week.  
Today’s strikes follow the pattern of the latest wave of attacks on populated areas in the country since 29th December.
The UN and its partners, are on site and have been providing emergency assistance, supporting civilians whose homes were damaged or destroyed in many parts of Ukraine. In Kyiv today, aid organizations are providing construction materials for rapid repairs of homes, first aid and psychological support, complementing efforts from authorities. In Kharkiv, humanitarians provided medical and psychological aid, hot meals and drinks, blankets and materials for emergency repairs.  
On the response front, on the last day of 2023, the 105th humanitarian inter-agency humanitarian convoy successfully delivered aid to nearly 1,500 civilians in a front-line town in Kharkiv Region. The convoy brought essential supplies, including food baskets, hygiene supplies, kits for people with special needs, older people and essential female kits, as well as emergency shelter kits. In total, humanitarians reached nearly 11 million people in Ukraine in 2023, with almost 1 million in the Kharkivska Oblast alone.  
 
SECURITY COUNCIL 
On Friday afternoon, the Security Council held a meeting on Ukraine. Khaled Khiari, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East and Asia and the Pacific, reiterated that the Secretary-General unequivocally condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the appalling attacks on cities and towns across Ukraine.   
And on Saturday, Mr. Khiari again briefed Council members, this time noting that attacks on locations in the Belgorod city centre reportedly resulted in damage to civilian infrastructure. He reiterated the Secretary-General’s appeals for de-escalation of tensions and for an end to attacks on civilians, population centres, residential areas, and civilian and energy infrastructure.  
Mr. Khiari emphasized that we unequivocally condemn all attacks on cities, town and villages, in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation.  He stressed that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable, and must end now.  

ABYEI 
Over the weekend, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) issued a statement condemning the killing of Noon Deng Nyok, the Deputy Chief Administrator of Abyei, along with five other people during an ambush by an armed group near Agok. 
UNISFA warned that this act of appalling and senseless violence risks the gains that have been made towards resolving the difficult situation in Southern Abyei, and called on all parties to exercise restraint and collaborate in bringing the perpetrators of this crime to justice. The mission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local authorities in their efforts to promote reconciliation, stability, and the rule of law. 

LEBANON 
In a statement issued over the weekend, the Secretary-General took note of the closure of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.  
The Special Tribunal was established following the adoption of Security Council resolution 1757 (2007) to try those responsible for the 2005 attack in Beirut that killed 22 people, including former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and injured 226 others.   
The Secretary-General’s thoughts continue to be with the victims and their families of the attack of 14 February 2005 and the connected attacks. 
 
MALI 
Over the weekend, as the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali completed its withdrawal, the Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for the service of its personnel. 
He added that the UN is committed to continue working with the Malian people and transitional Government towards the restoration of constitutional order and the promotion of peace and security. 
The Secretary-General recognized the key role MINUSMA has played in protecting civilians; the Mission’s support to the peace process, to the transition and its efforts towards the restoration of State authority.  
He paid tribute to the 311 MINUSMA personnel who lost their lives and the more than 700 who were injured in the cause of peace during the 10 years the Mission was deployed in Mali. 
As we have mentioned, the liquidation period began yesterday. A smaller team is remaining at sites in Gao and Bamako to oversee the orderly transportation of assets belonging to troop- and police-contributing countries to the respective nations, and the appropriate disposal of equipment belonging to the United Nations. The Secretary-General counts on the full cooperation of the transitional Government to ensure this process is completed as soon as possible. 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
On 29 December, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) patrol exchanged fire with suspected CODECO militia near Gora in Ituri. The same day, peacekeepers intervened to protect a priest and his five assistants who were threatened by CODECO in Blukwa, not far from Drodro in Ituri. The patrol exchanged fire with members of the militia, who then fled. MONUSCO secured the village and its surroundings. There were no casualties. 
ROHINGYA REFUGEES  
The United Nations World Food Programme is gearing up to restore its critical food assistance for the entire Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar. Starting yesterday, WFP increased the value of its monthly food voucher from $8 to $10 per person. 
In addition to increasing the value of its food voucher, WFP will gradually distribute locally fortified rice to the Rohingya population, starting in 1 or 2 camps and eventually extending to all camps in Cox’s Bazar and in Bhasan Char Island.  
As you know, a sharp decline in resources led to a reduction in the value of WFP’s food voucher in 2023. WFP’s monitoring has shown a sharp decrease in food consumption. The number of people struggling to have acceptable food consumption shot up from 79 per cent in June to 90 per cent by November 2023.
WFP currently has a funding gap of $61 million to increase the food ration to the full amount, now $12.5 with fortified rice added. 

SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT   
Today, the Secretary-General is appointing Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of Zimbabwe as Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, United Nations System Coordination and Programme Results at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).   
The Secretary-General wishes to extend his appreciation to UN Women Director, Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Support, Sarah Hendriks of Canada, who will continue to serve as UN Women Deputy Executive Director ad interim, until Ms. Gumbonzvanda assumes her functions.  
Ms. Gumbonzvanda is the Founder and Executive Director for Rozaria Memorial Trust based in Zimbabwe.  
 
SENIOR PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT   
The Secretary-General is appointing Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri of Mongolia as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). 
Major General Batsuuri succeeds Major General Ingrid Gjerde of Norway, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her exemplary service and dedication. 
Major General Batsuuri has had a distinguished career in the Mongolian Armed Forces, serving most recently as the Chief of Staff at the Mongolian Air Force Command (2020-2023). 
 
BRIEFING TODAY 
At 3:00 p.m., there will be an in-person press briefing by Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, President of the Security Council for January and Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations.