HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

MONDAY, 1 APRIL 2024

GAZA 
Turning to the situation in Gaza and more particularly at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, the UN is planning a mission to the hospital as soon as possible to help people receive medical attention and to assess the state of the hospital. This comes as we saw the reports that the Israeli defence forces have vacated the premises of Al Shifa Hospital.  
Yesterday, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros, said that, according to information received, 21 patients had died since Al Shifa came under siege on March 18th.
Meanwhile, at Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, a WHO team was conducting a humanitarian mission there yesterday when a tent camp inside the hospital compound was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Four people were reportedly killed, and 17 others injured. All WHO staff are accounted for.
The WHO team was at the hospital to assess needs and collect incubators, which are to be sent to health facilities in northern Gaza.  
For its part, our colleagues at UNRWA said there has been no significant change in the volume of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza or improved access to the north.  From 1 - 30 March, a daily average of 159 aid trucks have crossed into Gaza per day. The highest number this month was on 28 March, when 264 trucks entered Gaza via the Kerem Shalom/ Karem Abu Salem crossing and Rafah land crossing. This remains well below the operational target of 500 trucks per day. 
UNRWA also continues to provide storage and distribution capacity for other agencies’ food and commodities. The agency reported today that more than 1.8 million people – which is 85 per cent of Gaza’s population – have received flour, and nearly 600,000 have received emergency food parcels.
 
LEBANON  
In a statement issued over the weekend on the situation along the Blue Line, the Secretary-General condemned an explosion on Saturday that impacted an Observer Group Lebanon patrol, injuring three of the UN military observers that belong to UNTSO, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) and one language assistant, a Lebanese language assistant. And our peacekeeping colleagues updated, telling us today that the four people are recovering after Saturday’s incident. The UNIFIL head of mission and force commander, Major General Aroldo Lázaro, today visited one of the military observers, who is being cared for in a hospital in Beirut.  
An investigation is ongoing by the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL).  
The Secretary-General reiterates that the safety and security of peacekeepers must be ensured.
And we keep saying that these repeated breaches of the cessation of hostilities are in violation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).  
The impact on civilian areas on both sides of the Blue Line is unacceptable, and we urge all sides to pursue a diplomatic solution to this crisis.  
 
HAITI 
In Haiti, despite the challenges, U.N. partners are continuing to provide daily emergency assistance to people impacted by the violence in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.  
On Saturday alone, the World Food Programme was able to provide more than 28,000 meals to people who have been forced to flee their homes due to the violence. 
Despite the widespread insecurity, WFP reports that it has delivered food assistance to some 480,000 men, women and children across the country since the beginning of March. These efforts are possible thanks to our partners on the ground – including Haitian non-governmental organizations, local businesses and Haitian farmers’ organizations. 
In Port-au-Prince, the agency has distributed more than 358,000 hot meals to more than 69,000 people in 48 displacement sites in the past month.
And also over the past month, our humanitarian partners have delivered more than 2.3 million litres of water to nearly 29 displacement sites, which has benefited some 60,000 displaced people. Health partners have also delivered medicine and provided psychosocial support to traumatized people, including children. 
As we have mentioned, Haiti’s health sector has been severely affected by the violence over the past month, with at least half of the health facilities in the capital either closed or functioning below their normal capacity. 
The ongoing insecurity in Haiti has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation. Across the country, more than 360,000 people are currently displaced – some 160,000 of whom are in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. More than 1,000 schools have been closed across the country.
Meanwhile, the Haiti Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan continues to be severely underfunded. Only $45 million of the $674 million required have been received – that’s less than 7 per cent. 
  
WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY
Tomorrow, there will be a virtual event to mark World Autism Awareness Day. This event will, for the first time, seek to provide a truly global overview of the state of affairs with regard to awareness, acceptance and appreciation of autistic people, from the perspective of autistic people themselves. 
With panels devoted to individual regions, an all-autistic lineup of speakers will share their lived experience, as well as their thoughts on the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals.  The event will be streamed on the UN’s YouTube channel from 10 am to 1 pm.  
And, in his message to mark the Day, the Secretary-General says that it is a moment to recognize and celebrate the important contributions of autistic people in every country and in every community.
As a matter of fundamental rights, he calls on governments to invest in stronger community support systems, inclusive education and training programmes, and accessible and technology-based solutions to enable people with autism to enjoy the same rights as everyone else. 
 
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS 
Three payments rounded out March in the bookkeeping department, which ended up with 96 full payments to the regular budget. 
The latest payments came from Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, and South Africa.

ESCALATORS 
Due to the current budget issues, the escalator service will be reduced throughout the building starting next Monday. 
The escalators in the conference building that operate between the basement and the first floor; and the 2nd and 3rd floor will function only on alternate Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Those between the first floor and the 2nd floor and those operating between the 3rd and 4th floors, will function on alternate Tuesdays and Thursdays because we don’t have enough crews. 
The escalators in the General Assembly building that are used by delegates will function every day, except when the 5th committee meets. 
And today is April fool’s day.

BRIEFING TODAY 
The President of the Security Council for the month of April, the Permanent Representative of Malta, Ambassador Vanessa Frazier briefed reporter on the programme of work for the Security Council.