Noon briefing of 4 May 2026

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC,

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 04 MAY 2026

LEBANON/ISRAEL 

UNIFIL says that today they have facilitated an aid convoy of around 30 trucks to Rmeich along the Blue Line, where approximately 7,000 residents remain. 

This comes as the situation remains volatile. Over the weekend, UNIFIL observed intensive IDF activity, including extensive airstrikes near a number of villages on the south, as well as continued naval activity off the coast of Naqoura. Furthermore, UNIFIL reported drone activity in its area of operations including Hizbullah-operated drones.  

On Friday, UNIFIL patrols faced restrictions to their freedom of movement near Al Bayyadah, where Israeli tanks blocked the road.  

The same day, IDF machine gun fire impacted a UNIFIL position near At-Tiri, in the Bint Jbeil district, with one round striking a vehicle inside the compound. 

Peacekeepers must never be targeted, and their safety and security must be guaranteed at all times. 

LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN 

The humanitarian situation in Lebanon remains volatile despite the announced extension of the ceasefire. Yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported 13 people were killed, including at least one child and four women, and 32 injured as a result of strikes in several locations in the southern parts of Lebanon.  

On Sunday, displacement orders were renewed in 11 villages and towns in Nabatieh, followed by airstrikes, causing new displacement according to local authorities. 

People continue to be on the move, with reports of some people returning to shelters after attempting to go back to their homes, which in some cases were reportedly inaccessible or destroyed. Authorities estimate that more than 124,000 people are residing in 625 schools and other public buildings being used as collective shelters.   

Despite growing and deepening humanitarian needs, the Lebanon Flash Appeal remains significantly underfunded. We’ve received only 38 per cent, or $117 million, of the $308 million we need, which is limiting our ability to reach the vulnerable people at scale. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said on social media that more than six months since the Gaza ceasefire agreement, we continue to work strenuously to help Palestinians in Gaza, but we need sustained access, the protection of civilians, neutrality and partnership. 

Last week, our partners leading on emergency shelter assistance delivered tents, bedding items and other supplies to nearly 4,500 households. 

One shelter partner also installed 150 improved emergency shelters in Khan Younis. These shelters are made of plastic sheets and other materials available and aim to provide displaced families with immediate solutions as soon as restricted materials are allowed entry.  

On health, concerns remain over skin diseases and other medical issues linked to the presence of pests and rodents. 

In addition, our partners report that more than 6,600 people need prosthetic and rehabilitation care.  

That includes thousands of people who have received amputations since October 2023, yet only eight prosthetic technicians are available to respond. 

Our partners say that one in five amputees is a child, but with severe shortages of specialists and restricted entry of prosthetic materials, it could take five years or more to meet today’s needs. 

International prosthetic technicians are urgently needed, as well as the unimpeded entry of prosthetics materials, which remain restricted by the Israeli authorities.  

IRAN/NARGES MOHAMMADI 

The Secretary‑General expresses his concern over the medical condition of Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate and urges the Iranian authorities to ensure that she receives, at the very least, urgent medical care as required by her health condition. 

Ms. Mohammadi was taken from jail to hospital last week, and she reportedly requires urgent specialised medical care to treat a life-threatening heart ‌condition. In a statement released last week, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said that her medical condition is also compounded by existing chronic medical conditions resulting from her arrest. Mr. Türk has warned that detention conditions in Iran’s prisons are dire. Detainees suffer from severe overcrowding and acute shortages of food, water, hygiene supplies, medicine and are denied medical care. 

UNOPS  

This week’s mission of Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services - who is leading the Task Force for the Strait of Hormuz - was postponed. But he will continue with consultations this week in New York on a Mechanism for a humanitarian corridor. There is a growing number of countries supporting the creation of a Mechanism to prevent a massive food security crisis.  

SYRIA 

Turning to Syria. More than a decade after it began, the United Nations has now concluded its cross-border humanitarian operations from Türkiye into Syria, following the reopening of border crossings to commercial traffic and improved access via regular supply routes. 

Our humanitarian colleagues say that this was one of the largest and most complex humanitarian supply chains, in terms of the scale of operations, the need to coordinate across multiple borders and authorities, and the challenges of delivering aid through shifting security conditions, damaged infrastructure, and changing access routes inside Syria. 

During these years, we successfully moved more than 65,000 trucks carrying critical aid across borders to support an average of 1.25 million human beings each year.                             

This shift reflects a deliberate transition in how humanitarian aid is delivered, taking place alongside the gradual normalization of Syria’s trade links, which has expanded opportunities for bringing humanitarian supplies through regular commercial channels. Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, says that this new model builds on years of sustained progress. 

But needs remain significantly high. Over 13 million people require food assistance. 12 million need access to clean water and nearly 13 million require healthcare support. We and our partners remain fully committed to reaching people wherever needs persist.   

SUDAN 

Turning to Sudan, we are alarmed by the escalating drone attacks that continue to endanger civilians, with a wave of strikes reported across several states in recent days. Earlier today, a drone was reportedly shot down over the Khartoum International Airport, leading to flights being cancelled. That airport is vital to humanitarian access. 

In Al Jazirah State, local sources report that five members, including women and children, from the same family were killed on Saturday. In White Nile State, a fuel station and tanker were hit near the city of Kosti. And in North Kordofan State, the state television building in the state capital, El Obeid, was damaged. 

Drone attacks have also intensified in Darfur. Strikes were reported today in West Darfur, while a strike, two days earlier in Nyala, South Darfur, injured at least five people and damaged buildings near the offices of humanitarian organizations.      

The insecurity is forcing people to flee their homes. Over the past week, more than 2,600 people were displaced in North Kordofan and some 1,000 in South Kordofan, according to the International Organization for Migration. As a reminder, nearly 9 million people are currently estimated to be internally displaced within Sudan, while some 4.5 million others have fled to neighbouring countries since the start of the war there over three years ago.   

We reiterate that parties must respect international humanitarian law at all times and that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Aid must be allowed to reach people quickly and safely, without obstruction. 

UKRAINE 

From Ukraine, OCHA tells us that over the past three days, continued Russian missile and drone attacks across the country have caused civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. 

In the region of Dnipro, strikes hit a public bus carrying children and at least two humanitarian vehicles. These included a bus that the World Health Organization had donated to the Ministry of Health to carry out vaccinations. 

These incidents are part of a recent uptick in drone activity affecting civilian vehicles, including those used for humanitarian operations. 

Over the weekend and in the early hours of this morning, authorities reported that hostilities caused nearly 250 civilian casualties, including more than 20 deaths, as well as widespread damage to civilian infrastructure.  

The regions of Kherson, Kharkiv and Odesa were among the worst affected. 

In response, our humanitarian partners are providing emergency assistance, delivering psychosocial support, hot meals and repair materials to impacted communities, alongside local services and first responders.  

Also, over the weekend, with support from our humanitarian partners and local authorities, more than 900 civilians, including more than 180 children, were evacuated from front-line areas in the Donetsk region. 

We have also seen the reports of a Ukrainian drone hitting a high-rise apartment building in Moscow today.  

Once again, the Secretary-General condemns all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, no matter where they occur. He reiterates his call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, leading to a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.  

UNDP REPORT 

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) released a report today warning that rising debt repayments are taking a heavy toll on women, costing an estimated 55 million jobs and cutting their incomes by 17 per cent. Men’s incomes remain largely unchanged, widening the gender gap.  

The report finds that as governments spend more on debt, they often cut back on essential services, such as health, welfare and care. UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo stressed that when care services are cut, responsibility shifts back onto households, with women bearing most of the burden. 

The report calls on governments and international financial institutions to prioritize investment in jobs, social protection and care systems, rather than austerity measures that deepen inequality.     

**Guests tomorrow 

Tomorrow, the noon briefing guest is Zoe Brennan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Spokesperson, who will brief on the launch of the World Migration Report. She will be joined by Jonathan Prentice, Head of the UN Network on Migration.