HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANIE TREMBLAY,
ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2024
Press Conference in January
On January 2nd, there will be a press conference by the Permanent Mission of Algeria. The Permanent Representative, Ambassador Amar Bendjama, will be here to discuss the Security Council’s Programme of Work for January.
Algeria will take over the Presidency of the Security Council for the month.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said today in a statement that the sustained intensity of violence means there is nowhere safe for civilians in Gaza. Schools, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure have been reduced to rubble.
Yesterday, increased fighting by Israeli forces in North Gaza - particularly in western Beit Hanoun - has forced many people, mostly women and children, into displacement. Direct gunfire was reported on Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya as bombing around the compound continued.
In a social media post over the weekend, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, said that the reports of bombardment near Kamal Adwan Hospital and orders to evacuate the hospital are deeply worrisome, adding that the hospital has been in the middle of fighting for too long and the lives of patients are at risk.
OCHA reiterates that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, must be protected.
Despite the active fighting and Israeli access restrictions to North Gaza governorate, OCHA said that two UN-led humanitarian missions successfully managed to enter the besieged areas in North Gaza on December 20th.
The first mission reached Beit Hanoun and delivered food and bottled water to besieged people. The second mission, led by WHO, went to Kamal Adwan Hospital to deliver 5,000 litres of fuel, 100 blood units, and transferred eight patients and 13 companions to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
These were the only two missions approved out of the eight missions requested by the UN to access North Gaza between 18th and 22nd December.
In Gaza governorate, our humanitarian colleagues report that, today, the Israeli authorities issued another evacuation order for part of A-Shuja’iyeh and Tarkman neighbourhoods in west Gaza, exposing civilians to further hostilities and depriving them of access to essential services.
The impacted areas cover an estimated one square kilometre. The UN partners are closely monitoring the situation in these areas and will provide further update on forced displacement.
For its part, the World Food Programme tells us that on 22 December, a joint UN convoy of 66 trucks departed the Kerem Shalom crossing via the Philadelphi Corridor to deliver food and non-food items to central Gaza.
This marked the fifth time WFP used this route, recently approved as an alternative to the main Salah El-Din route due to increasing incidents of violent armed looting along the latter.
WFP has consistently called on all parties to ensure the safe passage of aid. It has also engaged with communities and families residing along the convoy route to secure their cooperation.
Despite assurances from Israeli authorities that basic safety conditions would be in place—including no attacks on the route before or after the convoy's movement—an airstrike occurred nearby on Al-Rashid Road, south of Mawasi.
The first 35 trucks of the convoy proceeded to their destination, reaching the warehouse without losses.
However, the second half of the convoy was delayed by the IDF. During this delay, news of the convoy’s movement spread, exposing them to looting along the route. Ultimately, out of the 66 trucks, only 43 successfully reached the warehouse, while 23 were lost to looting.
This is another sad example of why the UN continues to stress the need for the safe, unimpeded passage of aid to reach populations that need it the most.
Syria
On Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that fuel shortages are affecting essential activities in parts of the country.
In Aleppo governorate for instance, six public hospitals and 60 primary health centres are operating only partially due to fuel and power shortages.
Partners also report that damage to bridge infrastructure connecting Damascus to other key parts of the country is impacting the logistics chain.
Despite the challenges, we and our partners continue to support the response as security permits. We are distributing food assistance, including bread, ready-to-eat rations, hot meals and food baskets. In north-west Syria, partners have also started supporting farmers, including with cash grants.
Nutrition interventions are ongoing across the country. Since December 2nd, at least 63 cases of wasting and 18 malnutrition cases have been identified among children and admitted for treatment.
In north-east Syria, the situation remains dire for the 40,000 people staying in 215 emergency collective centres. The security situation is volatile and hampering humanitarian operations, however partners have been able to distribute winter kits, blankets and winter clothes but more is needed and there is also a critical need for additional winter support for host communities.
Partners have not been able to access Menbij and Kobani for two weeks due to insecurity.
Meanwhile, partners reported Israeli airstrikes in Latakia, as well as incursions in southern governorates, with civilian infrastructure destruction.
Syria/Independent Mechanism
Robert Petit, the Head of the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism for Syria (IIIM), has concluded a historic visit to Damascus.
This is first time the IIIM was authorized to enter Syria since it was established in 2016 by the General Assembly. It is mandated to assist in the investigation and prosecution of individuals responsible for committing the most serious international crimes in Syria since March 2011.
During the mission, Mr. Petit visited a site of significant interest related to alleged atrocity crimes. He also met with representatives of the caretaker authorities and with a number of Syrians impacted by the crimes committed during the past decade.
Mr. Petit highlighted the urgency of preserving the evidence before it is lost forever.
Lebanon
Today, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, the Force Commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon – UNIFIL - held discussions earlier today with Najib Miqati, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, and the Lebanese Armed Forces Commander, Gen. Joseph Aoun, in southern Lebanon.
They visited the village of Khiam, from which the IDF recently withdrew, and Lebanese Armed Forces deployed with UNIFIL support. The peacekeeping mission strongly urges accelerated progress in the IDF’s withdrawal from south Lebanon and the Lebanese Army’s deployment there.
UNIFIL also calls on all actors to cease and refrain from violations of Security Council Resolution 1701 and any actions that could jeopardize the fragile stability that currently prevails.
Haiti
Turning to Haiti, the UN political office in the country – BINUH – and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – OHCHR - have published an investigation report today, which looks at the wave of crimes committed by the Wharf Jérémie gang in Port-au-Prince.
According to the report, between 6 and 11 December, more than 207 people - 134 men and 73 women - were executed. Most of them were elderly individuals accused of practicing voodoo and of causing the gang leader’s child’s disease.
Other victims included people who tried to flee the area, or who were suspected of having leaked information about these crimes to local media.
In a statement, María Isabel Salvador, our Special Representative in Haiti, called for accountability.
She also stressed that these crimes touch the very foundation of Haitian society, targeting the most vulnerable populations.
Since the beginning of the year, BINUH and OHCHR have recorded more than 5,350 people killed and more than 2,155 people injured as a direct result of acts of violence.
Myanmar
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is warning that the security situation in Rakhine is rapidly worsening, with escalating conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces and Arakan Army in several townships in southern Rakhine.
Since November 2023, the conflict has persisted and is now affecting 16 out of 17 townships where people are facing severe humanitarian challenges, including severely limited access to essential services.
According to partners, the ongoing conflict has driven an estimated 360,000 people out of their homes in Rakhine and neighbouring Paletwa Township in southern Chin, bringing the total number of displaced in Rakhine to nearly 570,000.
The escalating conflict in Rakhine is part of a broader crisis unfolding in multiple regions and states across Myanmar, including the Northwest and Southeast, displacing more than 3.5 million people – a staggering increase of 1.5 million compared to a year ago.
OCHA reiterates the call on all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, to ensure the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers and supplies, and to guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access.
South Sudan
In a joint statement, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) together with the African Union Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) pledged to continue their support to the people of South Sudan as the work toward tangible progress in the peace process in 2025 and credible elections in December 2026 continues.
They commended the initiation of planning, outreach, and foundational work commenced by the technical mechanisms responsible for the constitution-making and electoral processes. However, they remain concerned over delays in vital transitional tasks, which led to the decision to extend the Transition Period again this past September.
Senior Personnel Appointment
The Secretary-General is appointing Elinor Jane Britt Hammarskjöld of Sweden as Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel.
Ms. Hammarskjöld succeeds Miguel de Serpa Soares of Portugal to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for his dedicated service and long-standing commitment. He also thanks Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, who will continue as Acting USG for Legal Affairs until Ms. Hammarskjöld arrives.
Ms. Hammarskjöld currently serves as Director-General for Legal Affairs in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Head of the Legal Department. She has over thirty years of experience in security policy, international law, human rights and treaty law.
