United Nations in Palestine

The UN and its partners in Palestine are working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: 17 interconnected Goals which address the major development challenges faced by people in Palestine and around the world. These are the goals the UN is working on in Palestine:

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10 October 2024

‘No end to hell’ in northern Gaza, warns UN aid agency chief

The warning from Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA was prompted by renewed evacuation orders from the Israeli military, which “many are refusing because they know too well that no place anywhere in Gaza is safe”.The development comes amid reports by the local authorities of intense Israeli bombardment in the north of the shattered enclave where ground operations are also underway. Jabalia refugee camp is surrounded, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said at the weekend, before issuing evacuation orders on Tuesday.Strikes have also been reported in Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, towns in the northeast of Gaza, with roads also closed.“Intensified military operations in the north are forcing us to shut down lifesaving services,” Mr. Lazzarini said on social media on Wednesday.He added that seven of the UN agency’s schools-turned-shelters are being evacuated, while only two out of eight water wells in Jabalia camp are still operational. Some 400,000 people are believed to remain in the north of Gaza.“Children are, as ever, the first and most to suffer,” the UNRWA chief said, adding that hunger was “spreading and deepening again” because “almost no basic supplies” were available.According to local health authorities in Gaza, at least 45 people were killed and 130 wounded in the last 24 hours. Since Hamas-led terror attacks in multiple Israeli sites that left some 1,250 dead and more than 250 taken hostage, the death toll in Gaza has reportedly reached at least 42,000 people. Another 97,700 have been wounded, often with life-changing injuries.Devastation in LebanonIn Lebanon, meanwhile, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported “relentless” and “amplifying” bombardment” into previously unaffected areas, amid ongoing missile strikes on Israel by Hezbollah.“In a single day – 6 October - more than 30 airstrikes struck the Beirut southern suburbs and surrounding areas, frightening residents and forcing additional displacement from densely populated areas, including Shatila Palestine refugee camp,” OCHA said in an update published Wednesday.Latest data from the health ministry indicate more than 2,083 collective deaths and 9,869 injuries since 8 October 2023, when Hezbollah rocket fire increased into northern Israel as the war in Gaza erupted. Most casualties in Lebanon have happened in the last two weeks, amid intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations in southern Lebanon.According to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, 25 per cent of Lebanese territory is affected by Israeli military displacement orders. Displacement orders are issued “on a daily basis” for more than 100 villages and urban neighbourhoods across southern Lebanon, forcing people to flee and pushing many up to 30 km north.Massive displacementOCHA reported that in total, some 1.2 million people are now internally displaced, with 180,700 people seeking refuge in 978 shelters, 775 of which are already at full capacity. The violence has also delayed the start of the school year, while the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said that about 350,000 children have been displaced.“Extensive civilian harm is occurring due to explosive weapons in densely populated areas and forced displacement orders,” OCHA noted. “Urgent action is necessary to shield civilians from escalating violence and ensure that humanitarian and aid workers can safely deliver critical support.”

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09 October 2024

Israel: New law blocking UNRWA ‘would be a catastrophe’, Guterres warns

which has been indispensable and irreplaceable “more than ever” over the past year of war in Gaza, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday. “That’s why I have written directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express profound concern about draft legislation that could prevent UNRWA from continuing its essential work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” he said at the Security Council stakeout in New York. He said such a measure would suffocate efforts to ease suffering and tensions in Gaza and the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory, warning that “it would be a catastrophe in what is already an unmitigated disaster.”UNRWA’s integral role in humanitarian response UNRWA was established more than 70 years ago and supports Palestine refugees in five locations across the Middle East. The draft laws seek to evict the agency from its premises in territories under Israeli control and to revoke its privileges and immunities. The development comes as the war in Gaza enters “an atrocious, abominable second year” and amid the threat of wider escalation in the region. Operationally, the legislation – if passed by the Knesset – would likely deal a terrible blow to the international humanitarian response there, Mr. Guterres said. He explained that as UNRWA’s activities are integral to that response, it is not feasible to isolate one UN agency from the others. Aid and service delivery at risk “It would effectively end coordination to protect UN convoys, offices and shelters serving hundreds of thousands of people,” he said. Delivery of food, shelter and heathcare “would grind to a halt” without UNRWA, while 600,000 children “would lose the only entity that is able to re-start education, risking the fate of an entire generation.” Furthermore, many health, education and social services would also end in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Potential setback to peace efforts Mr. Guterres said if approved, such legislation would be diametrically opposed to the UN Charter and in violation of Israel’s obligations under international law, which national legislation cannot alter. “And politically, such legislation would be an enormous setback to sustainable peace efforts and a two-State solution – fanning even more instability and insecurity,” he added. Nowhere is safe in Gaza The draft legislation comes at time when the situation in Gaza is in “a death spiral”. The Secretary-General drew attention to the north, which he said has witnessed a clear intensification of Israeli military operations. He said residential areas have been attacked, hospitals ordered to evacuate, and electricity shut off with no fuel or commercial goods allowed in. Additionally, some 400,000 people are being forced yet again to move south to an area that is overcrowded, polluted and lacking the basics for survival. “The conclusion is clear: there is something fundamentally wrong in the way this war is being conducted. Ordering civilians to evacuate does not keep them safe if they have no safe place to go and no shelter, food, medicine or water,” he said, adding “no place is safe in Gaza and no one is safe.” Uphold international law Stressing that international law is unambiguous, the Secretary-General upheld that civilians everywhere must be respected and protected, and their essential needs must be met, including through humanitarian assistance, while all hostages must be released. Meanwhile, he described the situation in southern Gaza as overwhelmed. "Supplies are running low and Israeli authorities are only allowing a single, unsafe road for aid from the Kerem Shalom crossing, where humanitarians face active hostilities and violent, armed looting, fueled by desperation and the collapse of public order and safety," he said.Middle East ‘powder keg’ The Secretary-General has warned for months that the conflict risks spreading. “The Middle East is a powder keg with many parties holding the match,” he said, referring to rising violence in the West Bank and attacks in Lebanon that are threatening the entire region. Recent days have seen an intensification in exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) across the UN-patrolled “Blue Line” of separation between the two countries. Large-scale Israeli strikes in Lebanon - including in the capital, Beirut - have killed more than 2,000 people in the past year, and mainly in the past two weeks alone. Attacks by Hezbollah and others south of the Blue Line have killed at least 49 people since last October. The violence has displaced over one million people in Lebanon. Some 300,000 people have fled into neighbouring Syria and over 60,000 remain displaced from northern Israel. He noted that the IDF also recently started incursions across the Blue Line. Fear of war in LebanonMeanwhile, peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continue to carry out their mandates to the extent possible. They are “serving in what is today the most challenging environment for peacekeepers anywhere”, Mr. Guterres said, urging all actors to ensure their safety and security. “We are on the verge of an all-out war in Lebanon – with already devastating consequences. But there is still time to stop,” he said.Read our explainer on the UNIFIL mission here.The conflict in the Middle East is “getting worse by the hour – and our warnings about the horrific impacts of escalation keep coming to pass”, the Secretary-General added, underlining the need for an immediate ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and humanitarian access to desperate civilians.“That is why we cannot and will not give up on our calls for irreversible action for a two-State solution between Israel and Palestine,” he said. “All people in the region deserve to live in peace.”

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08 October 2024

Gazans in the north trapped with nowhere to go, as fighting intensifies

Residential areas are under attack, hospitals have been ordered to evacuate, and electricity remains cut off, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday, citing reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).“As heavy bombing and ground operations in the north continue, medical facilities and other essential services there are at risk of shutting down. Bakeries are already closing, with workers displaced along with their families,” he told journalists at the regular briefing in New York.“No fuel or commercial goods are allowed in, and aid workers are only able to bring in a trickle of humanitarian aid through Israeli checkpoints in parts of the north.”Southern Gaza completely overwhelmedPeople fleeing northern Gaza have limited options, as southern Gaza is already overcrowded, polluted, and totally lacking in basic services.“Southern Gaza is completely overwhelmed and cannot accommodate more people,” Mr. Dujarric said.As of Monday morning, more than 50,000 Palestinians, including women and children, have been displaced within northern Gaza, with some patients evacuating hospitals in the affected areas.“Many others in the north, especially in the Jabalya camp, are trapped in their homes, unable to leave safely. So far, few families have crossed Wadi Gaza heading South,” he added.Mr. Dujarric noted that UN agencies, alongside humanitarian partners, are closely monitoring the movement of people and providing displaced families with essential assistance where possible.However, OCHA emphasizes that evacuation orders do nothing for civilians if they have no safe place to go or lack access to shelter, food, medicine, or water, he said.Aid workers are also forced to rely on a single, unsafe road allocated by Israeli authorities for bringing in supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing, while facing hostilities and violent, armed looting, fuelled by the collapse of public order and safety, he added.Displacement continuesHe also noted that displacement orders continue, particularly from the south of Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, the capital.According to the UN International Organization for Migration, more than 540,000 people have been displaced since 8 October last year.In response, UN agencies and partners continue to assist people in need, having delivered over 500,000 hot meals since 23 September, as well as other critical supplies.“We and our partners, in close collaboration with the Government of Lebanon, continue to lead and coordinate relief efforts for displaced and affected people,” Mr. Dujarric said.He also highlighted the Flash Appeal launched last week, aiming to provide one million people with lifesaving supplies and protection. However, as of Monday, the appeal is only 12 per cent funded, having received just $53 million.“We urge donors to give. Give in cash and give quickly.”

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27 September 2024

‘We have failed the people of Gaza,’ Guterres tells ministers

the UN Secretary-General told a high-level ministerial meeting on Thursday in New York.The world has “failed the people of Gaza”, he said. More than 41,000 people have been killed since Israel’s offensive began in response to the Hamas-led terror attacks of 7 October. More than 90,000 Gazans have been wounded, the majority women and children.“Two million Palestinians are now crammed into a space the size of the Shanghai International Airport, existing – not living, but existing – among lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish and mountains of rubble,” the UN chief said. “The only certainty they have is that tomorrow will be worse.”UNRWA’s sacrificeDespite being the only beacon of hope, at least 222 UNRWA staff and many other family members have been killed, several while serving in shelters that came under fire – the highest death toll in UN history.Apart from the repeated attacks on staff simply for doing the jobs, “the humanitarian response in Gaza is being strangled,” Mr. Guterres said.“Protection and deconfliction mechanisms for humanitarian aid deliveries have failed. Attempts to evict UNRWA from its headquarters in East Jerusalem continue, and UNRWA has not been spared on the political level,” he added. “This includes systematic disinformation campaigns that discredit the agency’s lifelong work.”He pointed to draft legislation making its way through Israel’s Knesset seeking to label UNRWA a terrorist organization, which would outlaw its operations on Israeli territory.Confidence in UNRWA“In the face of the catastrophic conditions, UNRWA perseveres,” the Secretary-General said, expressing his full confidence in the neutrality and impartiality of the organization following an independent review into alleged collusion of some staff in the 7 October massacres.“Member States are showing that same confidence. Virtually all donors have reversed their funding suspensions, [and] 123 countries have signed up to the declaration on shared commitments to UNRWA.”He said there is no alternative to the agency in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.“Now is the time to work on all fronts to intensify support for the agency’s vital mission – support with funding that is sufficient, predictable and flexible,” the UN chief concluded.

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20 September 2024

Security Council: Middle East envoy warns against escalation, highlights continued Israeli settlement activity

During a briefing to the Security Council in New York on Wednesday. “The series of explosions across Lebanon and rockets fired toward Israel in recent days adds to the volatility,” said Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.He urged all sides “to refrain from steps that will further exacerbate the situation and take immediate steps to de-escalate.”Settlement activity continuesMr. Wennesland made the appeal prior to updating ambassadors on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), which demands that Israel end all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.“Settlement activity has, nevertheless, continued,” he said, speaking via videoconference from Washington, DC, where he will meet with US officials.The latest UN report on the issue covers the period from 11 June to 11 September, falling amid the ongoing war in Gaza and alarming levels of violence in the West Bank.During this time, some 6,730 housing units were advanced or approved in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Construction tenders also were published for approximately 1,100 housing units in settlements, including 780 in East Jerusalem.Relatedly, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Central Command signed a military order on 18 July amending a 1995 order that implemented the Oslo Accords - the first direct peace agreement between the sides. The move granted the local military commander authority over planning and construction in certain parts of Area B in the West Bank that had been transferred to the Palestinian Authority.Demolitions and evictionsDemolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also continued.“Citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Israeli authorities demolished, seized, or forced people to demolish 373 structures, displacing 553 people, including 247 children. 26 of these structures were donor funded,” he said.Meanwhile, Israel continued to evict Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem. He highlighted the case of the Shehadeh family who were removed from their home in Silwan on 15 August, in favour of a settler organization, following a Supreme Court ruling.Mr. Wennesland said the eviction displaced 35 people, while 188 Palestinians, including 111 children, left their occupied West Bank communities due to violence and harassment by settlers, and shrinking grazing land.He noted that the reporting period also saw the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issue an Advisory Opinion on 19 July reaffirming that Israeli settlements were being maintained in violation of international law, and that new activity should cease. Furthermore, Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory was “unlawful” and should be brought to an end as rapidly as possible.Gaza conflictMr. Wennesland also addressed the conflict in Gaza, noting that the UN Secretary-General reported that the level of suffering there is unprecedented in his mandate at the helm of the global body.The Secretary-General said that in order to address the immense humanitarian needs and improve the intolerable conditions of civilians, Israel must fully open all crossings into the enclave.Israel must also facilitate the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout Gaza, in accordance with its obligations under international humanitarian law.A question for the CouncilThe Council also heard a briefing from Helen Clark, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand who also once headed the UN Development Programme (UNDP).Ms. Clark is a member of the group of eminent global public figures known as The Elders, which has made resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a priority since its founding in 2007 by the late Nelson Mandela.She said implementation of resolution 2334 “is acutely relevant to the current devastating phase of the conflict” and to any chance of a two-State solution.“But its failure so far also poses an existential question: can the Security Council enforce its own resolutions? This is surely crucial to its credibility,” she said.New approach neededMs. Clark emphasized that the Council has a responsibility to chart a path towards a sustainable peace, and a full, immediate and complete ceasefire in Gaza is an indispensable step. Therefore, it was “deeply disturbing” that a Council resolution calling for a ceasefire remains unimplemented.She highlighted the need for a new approach, grounded in international law, including enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions. “Council members who question the binding status of these resolutions, or who use their veto to protect an ally or to oppose a geo-political rival, are eroding the Council’s authority. They also undermine their own reputations and long-term interests,” she said.Respect ICJ decisionsShe added that all UN Member States are also bound to respect and comply with ICJ decisions which includes the provisional measures ordered to protect Palestinians in Gaza.While non-binding, the ICJ Advisory Opinion “is an authoritative, landmark ruling,” and she urged the UN General Assembly and Security Council to pass resolutions indorsing it and setting out what action is required by Israel, other Member States, and the UN to end the occupation.“The Elders welcome the passing of the General Assembly Resolution on this issue yesterday. How will the Security Council respond to the Advisory Opinion?” she asked.

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07 October 2024

Guterres urges global community to repeat ‘utter condemnation’ of 7 October Hamas terror attack

In a message to mark one year since the Hamas-led terror attack during which more than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals were brutally killed on 7 October.The horrific attack by Gaza-based militants also saw more than 250 abducted, including many women and children.“It is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns. Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region,” said António Guterres, calling for peace, the restoration of international law and justice for all victims and survivors.‘Scarred souls’The attack “scarred souls”, the UN chief added, with victims suffering unspeakable violence, including clear cases of sexual assault.“This is a day for the global community to repeat in the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, including the taking of hostages.”Mr. Guterres said over the past year he has met families of some of those still being held in the enclave, to learn more about their lives, hopes and dreams “and shared in their anguish and pain.”“I cannot imagine the torture they are forced to endure every day,” he added, saying that Hamas and other militants must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the hostages and provide necessary care.He expressed his solidarity with all the victims of the 7 October attack, together their loved ones.‘Hold on to hope’Addressing the aftermath of the brutal massacre, the Secretary-General noted that the terror unleashed that day had led to “a wave of shocking violence and bloodshed.”“The war that has followed the terrible attacks of one year ago continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Palestinians in Gaza and now the people of Lebanon,” he said, adding that he had “spoken out about this often and clearly.”He said the UN was committed to working towards the release of all hostages, ending suffering across the region and forging a lasting peace according to the principles of international law and justice.Ultimately, he added: “In the midst of so much bloodshed and division we must hold on to hope.”He called on the international community to “never stop working for a lasting solution” to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, where all the countries of the Middle East can finally live together “in peace and dignity and with respect for one another.”

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01 October 2024

Desperation grows in Gaza: At least 11 schools hit this month, nearly 100 dead

said UN aid coordination office, OCHA.Around 80 per cent of the Strip’s 2.3 million people have been displaced during Israel’s nearly year-long offensive, with many “continuing to survive in abysmal conditions, crammed in worn-out tents and damaged structures with limited food, water and other necessities,” OCHA reported, following inter-agency assessments in Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis.It's forecast that flooding will increase in or near displacement sites and medical care points as winter weather sets in, which increases the risk of diseases spreading.Aid restrictions continue“Nearly 90 per cent of coordinated humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza so far in September have been either denied or impeded,” OCHA continued.Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported on Friday that 103 Palestinians were killed from 22 to 26 September, bringing the death toll to at least 41,534 since the offensive began in response to the Hamas-led terror attacks of 7 October in southern Israel.OCHA reported that according to the Israeli military, there were no Israeli soldiers killed during operations between 23 September and Friday. A total of 346 soldiers have been killed in Gaza or along the Israeli border since the beginning of the ground war.The Security Council convenes later on Friday in New York for a briefing on the latest humanitarian situation in Gaza. Follow our live coverage here on UN News from just before 3pm local time.West Bank clampdownUN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told the regular noon briefing in New York that in the occupied West Bank, according to OCHA, the number of obstacles restricting movement of Palestinians have increased by more than 20 per cent since June last year.“The cumulative impact of obstruction to movements have been devastating, further entrenching the fragmentation in the West Bank, disrupting access to livelihoods and services for thousands of Palestinians which has aggravated the already difficult conditions in which many live,” he said. (added)Violence continues and between 17 and 23 September, 11 Palestinians were killed, including two children, in the West Bank.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 7 October 2023 and 30 July this year “there were 527 attacks including obstruction of access, use of force, detention and militarized searches were reported on healthcare facilities in the region,” said Mr. Dujarric.

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19 September 2024

UN General Assembly demands Israel end ‘unlawful presence’ in Occupied Palestinian Territory

With a recorded vote of 124 nations in favour, 14 against, and 43 abstentions, the resolution calls for Israel to comply with international law and withdraw its military forces, immediately cease all new settlement activity, evacuate all settlers from occupied land, and dismantle parts of the separation wall it constructed inside the occupied West Bank.The General Assembly further demanded that Israel return land and other “immovable property”, as well as all assets seized since the occupation began in 1967, and all cultural property and assets taken from Palestinians and Palestinian institutions.The resolution also demands Israel allow all Palestinians displaced during the occupation to return to their place of origin and make reparation for the damage caused by its occupation.The resolution stems from the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July, in which the Court declared that Israel’s continued presence in the Territory “is unlawful”, and that “all States are under an obligation not to recognize” the decades-long occupation.Click here for the full text of the resolution and here for our live coverage of the meeting.Threat to peace and securityThe Assembly “strongly deplored the continued and total disregard and breaches” by the Government of Israel of its obligations under the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions, stressing that such breaches “seriously threaten” regional and international peace and security.It also recognized that Israel “must be held to account for any violations” of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including of international humanitarian and human rights laws.The text says Israel “must bear the legal consequences of all its internationally wrongful acts, including by making reparation for the injury, including any damage, caused by such acts.”The General Assembly highlighted the need for the establishment of an international mechanism for reparations to address damage, loss, or injury caused by Israel’s actions.It also called for creating an international register of damage caused, to document evidence and related claims.International conferenceThe resolution also includes a decision to convene an international conference during the Assembly’s current session to implement UN resolutions pertaining to the question of Palestine and the two-State solution for the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.Additionally, the Assembly requested the UN Secretary-General to present proposals for a mechanism to follow up on Israel’s violations of article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, as identified by the ICJ.Article 3 refers to racial segregation and apartheid and the undertaking by International Convention’s States Parties to prevent, prohibit and eradicate all practices of this nature in territories under their jurisdiction.Call on StatesIn its resolution, the General Assembly called upon all UN Member States to comply with their obligations under international law and take concrete steps to address Israel’s ongoing presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.The Assembly urged States to refrain from recognizing Israel’s presence in the Territory as lawful and to ensure that they do not provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the occupation. This includes taking measures to prevent their nationals, companies, and entities under their jurisdiction from engaging in activities that support or sustain Israel’s occupation.Additionally, the Assembly called on States to cease importing products originating from Israeli settlements and to halt the transfer of arms, munitions, and related equipment to Israel in cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect they may be used in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.Moreover, the resolution urged States to implement sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, against individuals and entities involved in maintaining Israel’s unlawful presence in the Territory. This includes addressing issues related to settler violence and ensuring that those engaged in these activities face legal and financial consequences.AdjournmentFinally, the Assembly temporarily adjourned its tenth emergency special session and authorized the President of the General Assembly to reconvene the session upon request from Member States.The special session is a continuation of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly that last met in May amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza, during which it adopted a resolution, laying out additional rights for the State of Palestine’s participation in Assembly meetings.That resolution did not grant Palestine the right to vote or put forward its candidature to UN Main Organs such as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).It also did not confer membership to the State of Palestine, which requires a specific recommendation from the Security Council.

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17 September 2024

More action on the ground needed to save civilian lives in Gaza, top UN official tells Security Council

The UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for the Strip said in a briefing to the Security Council on Monday. Sigrid Kaag updated ambassadors on the implementation of resolution 2720, adopted last December, which established her mandate following the brutal 7 October Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the start of hostilities in Gaza.She was also tasked with establishing a UN mechanism for accelerating the provision of humanitarian relief consignments to the enclave, operationalized and managed by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS).Supply routes establishedMs. Kaag said “the 2720 Team” has continuously engaged on access issues, addressed obstacles, and proposed solutions to enable assistance by all aid partners, including the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, which she called the “backbone” of humanitarian operations in Gaza.She recalled that 11 months ago, the enclave was largely cut off from most of its supply lines, with all but one access point closed.Despite the complex situation, her mission has negotiated and strengthened supply lines and systems, as well as additional routes, in efforts to facilitate, accelerate and expedite aid flows in a sustained and transparent manner.These routes cover supplies from or via Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, the West Bank and Israel. Humanitarian aid goals unmetHowever, Ms. Kaag said systems in place today are not a substitute for the political will required to reach civilians in Gaza and respond to their needs.“Effective humanitarian operations require the right quality, quantity, and a broad range of goods to meet the daily needs of civilians in Gaza. That goal is not being met,” she said.Additionally, ongoing hostilities across the Strip, the breakdown of law and order, and the looting of supplies are significant impediments to UN efforts to distribute assistance there.Humanitarians also face denials, delays and lack of safety and security, as well as poor logistical infrastructure.Lives at stakeMs. Kaag said “this continues to hamper relief operations despite recent approvals provided for trucks, satellite phones and other equipment,” and engagement on these issues is ongoing.She said “commitments and intentions need to be translated into tangible actions on the ground”, warning that “any delay in implementation comes at direct cost of human lives.”Areas for actionIn the meantime, her mission continues to focus on securing access for a diverse range of goods from the humanitarian and commercial sector, highlighting critical areas.“Modest progress in select areas, such as waste and sewage management, has been made. However, this does not address the totality of the need. For example, cash, prepositioned fuel and hygiene items are urgently needed,” she said.Furthermore, the scope of humanitarian items allowed entry remains too restricted, she added, while the UN also urgently needs the entry of further vital security communications and tracking equipment.Implement agreed protocolsMs. Kaag said a new Joint Coordination Board is now operational but noted that “recent security incidents, including shootings at humanitarian convoys, are unacceptable and demonstrate that agreed protocols and procedures still need comprehensive on-time implementation.”She also hailed the recent medical evacuation of 251 patients and family members to the United Arab Emirates - the largest from Gaza to date. Yet over 14,000 patients still require specialized medical treatment outside Gaza, showing that much more has to be done.Recovery cannot waitStressing that “humanitarian assistance is only a temporary pathway to alleviate suffering”, Ms. Kaag upheld that a comprehensive, just and lasting peace can only be realized through a two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians.“In this light, the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza should not wait,” she said, emphasizing the need for education, healthcare, housing, in addition to establishing governance and security arrangements.“The UN’s position is clear,” she continued. “The Palestinian Authority must resume its full responsibilities in Gaza. Prime Minister (Mohammed) Mustafa’s cabinet has developed comprehensive plans to restore local governance, security and re-establish the rule of law.”Relatedly, international planning efforts by the UN, the European Union, the World Bank and others are ongoing in support of the Palestinian Authority, she said, and her mission has developed financing options for the international community to consider.Mechanism up and runningMeanwhile, UNOPS is committed to supporting Ms. Kaag’s mandate, Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva told the Council.He said the UN mechanism has been running a database covering humanitarian aid consignments into Gaza that has been operational since May and is publicly accessible. So far, 229 consignments have requested clearance and 175 have been approved, 101 have been delivered, 17 are pending clearance, and 37 have been rejected. This translates into more than 20,000 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid cargo delivered, including food and nutrition, shelter items, water and sanitation (WASH) supplies and medical aid.Jordan aid corridor“The consignments were primarily delivered through the Jordan corridor, the direct route from Jordan to Gaza that was formalized and regularized under the mechanism to provide much needed predictability and regularity and to address the backlog challenges that accompanied convoys undergoing multiple inspection and transloading points,” he said.He explained that humanitarian health consignments delivered via this route pass through a single inspection point in Jordan and a single transloading point in Gaza. Prior to the UN mechanism, there were three inspection points and four transloading points. A smaller portion of the consignments was delivered through the Cyprus corridor – “a vital supplementary route for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza” which “is not intended to replace or divert attention from existing land or sea corridors, but rather to enhance overall capacity.”Confidence-building and transparencyHe added that in response to donor requests, UNOPS stands ready to address current logistical challenges for the Cyprus corridor “by offering an end-to-end solution ensuring the coordinated, efficient and transparent delivery of aid.”To support the regularization of the corridors under the UN mechanism, UNOPS has deployed 14 international monitors to Cyprus and Jordan who verify the humanitarian nature of each consignment, facilitate approval for the shipments to proceed to Gaza, and track the journey from point of origin until handover to the final consignee in Gaza for onward delivery. “This very mechanism fosters confidence building among all and provides transparency, informing all of us that what was sent to Gaza indeed make its way to its final destination,” he said.Regarding consignments that are not permitted, the UN mechanism always requires a justification.Allow more aidMr. Moreira da Silva said UNOPS alongside Ms. Kaag’s Office continues to call for more items and consigners to be allowed to enter Gaza.“Eleven of our international monitors are also ready to deploy inside Gaza, in order to reinforce this important verification and tracking mechanism as an additional enabler of our collective efforts to accelerate and increase the amount of humanitarian aid reaching the civilian population in Gaza,” he said.‘Vital lifeline’ from EgyptHe then turned to the Egypt corridor, which has served as “a vital lifeline” for delivering aid to Gaza since the conflict erupted.UNOPS is working closing with the Egyptian authorities to fully integrate the route into the mechanism and a team will be in Cairo this week to finalize the process.“Once completed, the 2720 mechanism will provide a comprehensive real-time overview of all humanitarian cargo entering to Gaza from every supply route. This will enable better prioritization, tracking and monitoring of relief efforts right up to the point of delivery,” he said.Supporting all routesHe told the Council that UNOPS has committed to support the full operational capacity of each corridor. The Office is procuring 280 trucks for the Jordan route, in addition to constructing 10 additional warehousing spaces for the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, and establishing two truck holding areas at the King Hussein Bridge border crossing and inspection site.UNOPS is also securing 38 trucks for use by humanitarians inside Gaza to enable delivery of aid consignments arriving via the different corridors.“We have procured the necessary armoured vehicles, communications and other security equipment that will enable the operational capacity of the mechanism’s international monitors inside Gaza, the 11 monitors, without exerting pressure on the already limited resources of the rest of the humanitarian community,” he said.The UNOPS chief thanked Member States for their financial support to the UN mechanism. He underscored that effective delivery of aid at the scale required will not be possible without political will, necessary security and safety guarantees, and an enabling environment.

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17 September 2024

Shining a Light: The Power of Support Services for Women Survivors of Violence in Palestine

is alarming at around 59 percent[1]. According to the United Nations, this includes intimidation, threats of physical harm, property destruction, and forced isolation from friends, family, school, and work. In the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially during the ongoing war, the trauma of violence is compounded and the need for support services is more critical than ever. While support services exist, over half of the women subjected to violence opt to stay silent, whether out of fear of repercussions, disbelief, or a desire to protect others, leading them to suffer in silence.Twenty-seven-year-old Zeina’s story is a testament to the transformative power of these services in the lives of survivors of violence. Enduring years of psychological and physical violence from her husband, parents, and brothers, she sought help by filing a complaint with the Family Protection and Juvenile Unit (FPU) of the Palestinian Civil Police. This action served as an entry point to a network of support services, encompassing healthcare, social services, policing, and justice services, provided in compliance with the National Referral System, that would ultimately change Zeina's life forever.Zeina was referenced to the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) and met with a woman protection counselor there, who recommended she meet with the public prosecution, who confirmed the harm inflicted on her mental well being and her children due to the abuse she endured. Subsequently, she was assessed by Dr. Samah Jaber, Director of Psychological Health Services at the Ministry of Health. Under her guidance and care, Zeina began the process of healing and empowerment. Dr. Samah says that cases such as Zeina’s often escalate which is why help is so vital. “There is a huge need for psychological health,” explains Dr. Jaber, “If they are survivors of violence, especially if they are mothers of little children, this also has a great impact on the health of their children.”“At first, I didn’t trust that these people could solve my problems or help me,” says Zeina. “It was a very difficult experience at first. I refused treatment because I was scared they would take custody of my children and didn’t think the treatment could help.” Despite her initial skepticism, Zeina's trust in Dr. Jaber and her commitment to her well-being grew over time. “After the first and second meetings, things got better, and I felt safer and more comfortable and wanted to continue treatment.” Supported by a dedicated care team, Zeina received individual counseling, medication, and legal assistance tailored to her needs.The road to recovery was not without its challenges, and Zeina continued to face threats to her safety from her abusers. In response, Zeina and her children were transferred to a confidential shelter, where they received continued support from Dr. Jaber, social workers, and legal counselors.With the assistance of her care team, Zeina assumed custody of her children, obtained a divorce from her husband, and pursued her dream of a university degree. The team’s ongoing support, including regular check-ins and counseling sessions, helped her rebuild her life and repair relationships with some of her family. Through the collaborative efforts of the Palestinian government, and UNODC, UNFPA, and UN Women, through the HAYA Joint Programme, women like Zeina have been empowered to break free from the cycle of violence and reclaim their dignity and rights. UNODC with its partners, through HAYA, plays a crucial role in supporting service providers to effectively respond to survivors of violence. This includes offering guidance on handling cases of psychological trauma and ensuring survivors receive comprehensive support. By closely collaborating with service providers, UNODC strengthens the response to gender-based violence and works towards improving outcomes for survivors.“Through our national partners, HAYA is dedicated to empowering and supporting women survivors of violence by offering a comprehensive range of essential services, including psychosocial support,” says HAYA Joint Programme Manager Hazam Tahbub. “As a team, we strive to ensure that no survivor is left behind, encouraging them to promptly access the support necessary to heal and thrive.”With its partners and through HAYA, thus far, UNFPA has successfully increased awareness among thousands of women about available services supporting survivors of violence. These services include protection, legal aid, healthcare, and psychosocial support delivered through awareness-raising initiatives, empowerment outreach programs, and survivors sharing their success stories. Working with its partners, UN Women, through HAYA, prioritizes the well-being of women in Palestine by providing individual and group psychosocial support. These services are delivered through mobile clinics and other venues, including sheltering services, where women's needs are carefully assessed and addressed to enhance the overall resilience and empowerment.Investing in comprehensive support services tailored to the unique needs of survivors can empower them to break free from cycles of violence. Zeina believes that many survivors of violence avoid seeking help due to fears of social stigma and lack of justice but says that it can help change their lives. “Thanks to everyone who helped me,” says Zeina. “I am doing well now and focused on completing my university studies.” Zeina’s story, along with those of others like her, is a testament to the transformative impact of psychosocial support in helping survivors regain agency, rebuild their lives, and envision a brighter future.[1] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) Violence Survey, 2019*Zeina is an alias used to maintain privacy and confidentiality.Funded by the Government of Canada and jointly implemented by UN Women, UNFPA, UN-Habitat, and UNODC, the HAYA Joint Programme seeks to eliminate violence against women and girls through various outreach and awareness-raising activities, to increase access to necessary services for survivors of violence, as well as to strengthen the institutional capacity of government officials to develop and implement legal and policy frameworks promoting and protecting women’s and girls’ rights to live free from violence.

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Press Release

09 September 2024

Defending the Right to Learn: Education in the Face of War

According to UN data, the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip has left 625,000 students completely deprived of their access to education, and 23,000 teachers deprived of the ability to deliver learning adequately. Following 7 October all UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip were closed. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are now using these schools as shelters. About 93 per cent of school buildings are estimated to have sustained some level of damage. At least 84.6 per cent of schools in Gaza will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again.Since the beginning of the war, around 9,000 students and 400 teachers have been killed in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the total number killed is around 76 students and two teachers.Movement restrictions, military operations, and violence have exacerbated a pre-existing education crisis to unprecedented levels, affecting at least 782,000 students across the West Bank. The threats to the right to education for Palestinian students have never been so serious.Attacks on education have serious, long-term physical and psychological repercussions for students and teachers. Formal teaching and learning have been suspended for over an entire school year now, with no indication as to when they may resume, which may lead to a significant increase in dropout rates. Military use and destruction of schools and other educational institutions remain a constant threat, creating significant barriers to learning, and impacting access to quality, equitable, inclusive, and safe education - which is a human right of all children. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations highlighted “This important day reminds us of the damage of war on young learners’ bodies, minds, and spirits. From injuries and loss of life to abduction, forced displacement, sexual violence, recruitment to the fighting, and lost opportunities, the risks are enormous”.It is crucial to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment. We must stand united in safeguarding our educational institutions, promoting peace, and fostering a culture of respect and understanding to provide consistent, safe, and high-quality education to all Palestinian children.We also echo once again the Secretary-General's call for ‘an immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustained ceasefire in Gaza’ and the ‘immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,’ some of whom are also students.

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Press Release

12 August 2024

International Youth Day: Resilience and Humanitarian Action of Palestinian Youth in Times of War

Relentless airstrikes in densely populated areas, forced displacement and staggering deprivation have resulted in the death of almost 40,000 Palestinians- around a quarter of whom are reported to be youth, brutally disrupting the futures of Palestinian youth in Gaza. While 85% of Gaza's schools have incurred various degrees of damage, all universities have been destroyed. As a result, eighty eight thousand university students in Gaza are unable to continue their education. The extensive damage to educational, social, and cultural institutions will have severe, long-term impacts on the future prospects of youth.Despite high levels of educational attainment, youth unemployment rates are high across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In Gaza, the war has significantly worsened Gaza’s already severe poverty and pervasive unemployment. ILO warns that unemployment rates will continue to rise, limiting the future potential of Palestinian youth.Centering youth in the humanitarian response and building peace in PalestineDespite the risks, youth are taking action as part of the humanitarian response in Palestine. 23-year-old Atta from Gaza, a member of the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) says: “I amplified my voice as a survivor of the war to spread awareness about the innocent civilians living in Gaza, sharing their eagerness for just peace and self-determination.” Palestinian youth contribute to humanitarian action by supporting first-response efforts and delivering food and emergency supplies to displaced people. Youth also provide mental health and psychosocial support to displaced people in shelters. Numerous young Gazan journalists are covering events on the ground, with other young Palestinian influencers raising international awareness online.The UN in Palestine actively supports the meaningful youth engagement. Youth should participate not only as beneficiaries but also as leaders and partners in humanitarian response and peacebuilding. Their visions for a brighter, peaceful, and prosperous future are crucial for rebuilding Gaza, and ultimately achieving lasting peace across the region.This year’s International Youth Day theme, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,” marks the innovative spirit of young individuals who leverage digital technologies for humanitarian action and sustainable development. In Gaza, the electricity and connectivity issues mean that youth can hardly access such pathways. For those youth, and their peers in the West Bank, the UN in Palestine will continue to amplify their voices as they continue to strive to pave the way toward a more sustainable world.

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Press Release

31 July 2024

Israel must immediately end practices of forced eviction that threaten to displace more than eighty Palestinian families from their homes in Batn al-Hawa, Silwan, East Jerusalem.

Overall, around 87 Palestinian families, totalling approximately 600-680 individuals, are facing legal proceedings initiated by settlers to evict them from their homes in Batn al-Hawa. On 9 and 10 July, the Jerusalem District Court rejected the appeals of the Gheith, Abu Nab and Al-Rajabi families against eviction rulings in lawsuits submitted by Jewish Israeli settlers demanding the families' eviction. These families live in nine residential units accommodating over 80 Palestinians, including children, women, elders, and residents with special needs.In one example of particular concern, authorities are escalating steps towards the forced eviction of the Shehadeh family - consisting of 15 people, including 8 children – following the Israeli High Court's rejection of a petition appealing a Supreme Court decision of 11 April 2024 that had ordered the Shehadeh family to vacate their four-story home in Batn al-Hawa, Silwan, East Jerusalem, in favour of Jewish Israeli settlers. On 14 July, the family received an eviction notice demanding that they vacate their home within 20 days, at the expiry of which the settlers could have the eviction order enforced.These cases are examples of an ongoing systematic settlers' campaign and application of a range of laws discriminatorily (some dating to the Ottoman and British Mandate periods), including Israel's Absentees' Property Law and the 1970 Legal and Administrative Matters Law, to uproot Palestinians from their homes, take over their property and implant Israeli settlers in the heart of Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem. International humanitarian law prohibits Israel from imposing its own laws in occupied territory, which includes the application of Israeli laws to evict Palestinians from their homes. Furthermore, the laws in themselves are inherently discriminatory against Palestinians, in violation of Israel's international human rights obligations.

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Press Release

11 June 2024

Shock at impact on civilians of Israeli raid in Gaza to free hostages

We are profoundly shocked at the impact on civilians of the Israeli forces’ operation in An Nuseirat at the weekend to secure the release of four hostages. Hundreds of Palestinians, many of them civilians, were reportedly killed and injured. The manner in which the raid was conducted in such a densely populated area seriously calls into question whether the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution - as set out under the laws of war - were respected by the Israeli forces.Our Office is also deeply distressed that Palestinian armed groups continue to hold many hostages, most of them civilians, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law. Furthermore, by holding hostages in such densely populated areas, the armed groups doing so are putting the lives of Palestinian civilians, as well as the hostages themselves, at added risk from the hostilities.All these actions, by both parties, may amount to war crimes.The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, welcomes Security Council Resolution 2735 calling for a "full and complete ceasefire", the release of hostages held by Palestinian armed groups, the return of the remains of dead hostages, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners. An immediate priority must be to ensure the full and unfettered flow of humanitarian aid to the desperate population of Gaza.The High Commissioner calls on all parties as well as third States, in particular those with influence over the parties to the conflict, to also maximise efforts to work towards the goal whereby Israelis and Palestinians can fully enjoy all human rights and live side by side, in peace.

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