Highlights of the Noon Briefing by Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres (excerpts)

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,​ DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

TUESDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2023

GAZA
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued an urgent plea today to all States with influence to take steps to defuse the “powder keg” situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He stressed that international humanitarian law and international human rights law must be respected in all circumstances. He said that all parties must immediately cease attacks targeting civilians and attacks expected to cause disproportionate death and injury of civilians or damage to civilian objects. The High Commissioner called on Palestinian armed groups to immediately and unconditionally release all civilians who were captured and are still being held. And he added that the imposition of sieges that endanger the lives of civilians by depriving them of goods essential for their survival is prohibited under international humanitarian law. Lynn Hastings, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said today that Israeli authorities have cut their water supply to Gaza, reducing an already scarce availability of potable water. And in accordance with the complete siege ordered by the Israeli Government on Gaza, access to electricity, food, and fuel have also been severed, inevitably worsening the already dire humanitarian situation.  Palestinians in Gaza now only have electricity to 3-4 hours per day. This hinders the ability of health facilities to function and treat those injured, she noted.
She said that the United Nations and its humanitarian partners in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are working to meet acute needs, in particular shelter, in dangerous circumstances. However, access for humanitarian staff and supplies into Gaza has also been cut and the intensity of the hostilities is limiting the ability of staff to deliver aid. Hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed with mass casualties and are running low on medical supplies. Ambulances are running out of fuel. Moreover, healthcare facilities and personnel have been affected by the attacks: Since hostilities began, eight health care facilities in Gaza have been damaged.

UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reports that mass displacement rapidly increased in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip. OCHA has reported that in Gaza, at least 200,000 of the 2.2 million residents have been displaced after fleeing for fear of their lives or their houses were destroyed by airstrikes. Nearly 137,500 internally displaced people (IDPs) are sheltering in 83 UNRWA schools in all areas of the Gaza Strip. As heavy airstrikes continue, more and more IDPs seek shelter in UNRWA’s schools. Every effort is being made to provide basic services to the IDPs. However, the conditions are difficult, with some shelters overcrowded, and with limited availability of potable water. In coordination with the World Food Programme (WFP), bread was distributed to the displaced people in the shelters. Last night, a building housing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency headquarters in Gaza City sustained significant damage as a result of airstrikes nearby. All UN international staff present in Gaza are taking shelter in another building within the same compound. UNRWA did not record any casualties among its staff during this incident. However, two UNRWA staff members and five UNRWA students have been killed since 7 October. United Nations buildings and facilities must be protected at all times, including in times of conflict.

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