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29 October 2024
Israeli Knesset vote on UNRWA set to deepen Palestinian suffering
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28 October 2024
UN chief ‘shocked’ at harrowing death and destruction in north Gaza
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28 October 2024
‘Entire population of north Gaza at risk of dying,’ warns UN’s top humanitarian official
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The Sustainable Development Goals 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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29 October 2024
Israeli Knesset vote on UNRWA set to deepen Palestinian suffering
violates Israel’s obligations under international law, and sets a dangerous precedent, the head of the Agency, Philippe Lazzarini has warned. The UN chief pledged later he would take the issue to the General Assembly.“This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees,” Mr. Lazzarini said in a post on X, following reports of the long-anticipated vote being taken by Knesset members, passing by a margin on 92-10.Mr. Lazzarini added that the two bills which will reportedly come into effect within 90 days “will only deepen the suffering” of Palestinians, especially in Gaza where people have been going through “more than a year of sheer hell”.“These bills increase the suffering of the Palestinians and are nothing less than collective punishment,” he said.The UN Secretary-General issued a statement in New York late on Monday warning that if implemented the laws would "likely prevent UNRWA from continuing it's essential work."António Guterres stressed UNRWA provided the principal way of delivering aid and it would have "devastating consequences" were Israel to outlaw the agency."I am bringing this matter to the attention of the UN General Assembly and weill keep the Assembly closely informed as the situation develops," Mr. Guterres said. Virtually the entire population of the Gaza Strip depends on humanitarian assistance, with UNRWA as the “backbone” of UN’s relief efforts in the war-ravaged enclave.In addition to helping deliver food and other lifesaving essentials, UNRWA is also crucial for overseeing the ongoing polio vaccination drive.No alternative to UNRWAUNRWA’s importance has been reiterated by several countries as well as UN’s leadership, including the Secretary-General, who has described the agency’s historic and leading humanitarian role as “irreplaceable”.Mr. Lazzarini further stated that putting an end to UNRWA and its services “will not strip the Palestinians from their refugee status”.“That status is protected by another UN General Assembly resolution until a fair and lasting solution is found to the plight of the Palestinians,” he said.“Failing to push back these bills will weaken our common multilateral mechanism established after World War Two,” he added.UNRWA was established by the General Assembly in December 1949 “to carry out […] direct relief and works programmes” for Palestine refugees. It began its operations on 1 May 1950.'Dangerous and outrageous'In a post on X, the acting head of UN aid coordination office, OCHA, expressed her teams' "full solidarity with UNRWA...whose work is essential to millions of Palestinians."Joyce Msuya added that the decision was "dangerous and outrageous. There is no alternative to UNRWA."Many world leaders expressed their grave concern over the ramifications of the move by Israeli parliamentarians, including nations of the European Union, the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and a Spokesperson for the State Department in Washington.
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28 October 2024
UN chief ‘shocked’ at harrowing death and destruction in north Gaza
amid an ongoing intense Israeli military operation, his Spokesperson said on Sunday.Since the offensive began earlier this month, hundreds of people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, with more than 60,000 others displaced again, many fearing they may never return.Civilians are reportedly trapped under rubble, while the sick and wounded lack access to life-saving care. They also face severe shortages of food and shelter, amid reports of family separations and mass detentions.“The plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in North Gaza is unbearable,” read a statement from the UN chief’s Spokesperson.Mr. Guterres warned that the “widespread devastation and deprivation” caused by Israel’s military operations – particularly around Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun – have made life “untenable” for the Palestinian population there.Despite repeated efforts to deliver essential humanitarian supplies, including food, medicine, and shelter, access continues to be denied by Israeli authorities, with few exceptions, putting countless lives in jeopardy.Adding to the crisis, the postponement of the final phase of the polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza has endangered thousands of children.Little regard for international law“This conflict continues to be waged with little regard for the requirements of international humanitarian law,” the statement noted.Mr. Guterres emphasised that the parties to the conflict must respect and protect civilians, including humanitarian workers and first responders, whose essential work must be facilitated and protected, not impeded and jeopardized.“In the name of humanity, the Secretary-General reiterates his calls for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and accountability for crimes under international law,” the statement concluded.Catastrophic situationOn Saturday, other top UN officials echoed the urgent calls for a halt to Israel's military actions in northern Gaza.Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, warned that the entire population of northern Gaza is “at risk of dying”, calling for an immediate stop to “blatant disregard for basic humanity” by Israeli forces.Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as “catastrophic”, highlighting the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system amid ongoing attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers, calling for an immediate ceasefire to save lives.
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28 October 2024
‘Entire population of north Gaza at risk of dying,’ warns UN’s top humanitarian official
calling for an immediate stop to “blatant disregard for basic humanity” by Israeli forces.“What Israeli forces are doing in besieged north Gaza cannot be allowed to continue,” said Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a statement posted on the social media platform X.Hospitals have been hit, health workers detained and first responders prevented from rescuing people trapped under the rubble, she noted.“Shelters have been emptied and burned down…families have been separated, and men and boys taken away by the truckload,” she added.According to reports, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since Israeli security forces renewed their offensive in northern Gaza earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced again.“The entire population of north Gaza is at risk of dying,” Ms. Msuya warned.“Such blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop.”Siege ends at key hospital ‘at heavy cost’The head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) also voiced deep concern over the situation, highlighting the severe impact on healthcare.In a post on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as “catastrophic”.“Intensive military operations unfolding around and within healthcare facilities and a critical shortage of medical supplies, compounded by severely limited access, are depriving people of life saving care,” he said.He also noted that the Gazan health ministry informed WHO that the siege at Kamal Adwan Hospital – one of the last minimally functioning hospitals in the north – has ended, “but it came at a heavy cost.”Following the detention of 44 male staff members, only female staff, the hospital director and one male doctor are left to care for nearly 200 patients in desperate need of medical attention.Protect hospitals at all timesReports that hospital facilities and medical supplies were damaged or destroyed during the siege are deplorable, Mr. Tedros said.“The whole health system in Gaza has been under attack for over a year. WHO cannot stress loudly enough that hospitals must be shielded from conflict at all times. Any attack of healthcare facilities is a violation of international humanitarian law.”He added that the only path to safeguard “what remains of Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system” is through an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.“Lives depend on it!” he stressed.
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24 October 2024
Israeli strikes delay polio vaccine campaign in the north
The UN health agency said pauses in the bombardment are key.“Humanitarian pauses are essential for its success, allowing partners to deliver vaccination supplies to health facilities, families to safely access vaccination sites and mobile teams of health workers to reach children in their communities,” WHO said.But, due to the escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza was forced to postpone the third and final phase of its campaign, which was set to begin today.In a post on X, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was very concerned about the postponement, saying any outbreak must be contained before any more young lives are destroyed by the virus. This final phase aimed to vaccinate 119,279 children across northern Gaza, organized by the committee, which includes the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) and partners.Besieged and bombardedRight now, 400,000 people are trapped in the north, facing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) evacuation orders and constant bombardment in the ongoing year-long war, which began following Hamas-led deadly attacks on Israel and the capture of 250 hostages, more than 100 of which remain in Gaza.On Tuesday, UNRWA, WHO and other UN agencies asked Israeli authorities for immediate access to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid.The UN health agency said the current conditions, including ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to jeopardise people’s safety and movement in northern Gaza, making it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination, and health workers to operate.Campaign ready to begin“It is imperative to stop the polio outbreak as soon as possible, before more children are paralysed and poliovirus spreads further,” WHO said.“It is crucial therefore that the vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is facilitated through the implementation of the humanitarian pauses, ensuring access for wherever eligible children are located.”WHO and UNICEF urged all parties to ensure that civilians, health workers, and civilian infrastructure, such as schools, shelters, hospitals, are protected and renew their call for an immediate ceasefire.To date, all logistics, supplies and trained human resources were prepared to vaccinate children across northern Gaza with a second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) following a first round conducted across the Gaza Strip from 1 to 12 September 2024.However, given that the area currently approved for temporary humanitarian pauses was substantially reduced and are now limited only to Gaza City, a significant decrease from the first round, many children in northern Gaza would have missed out on the polio vaccine dose.Polio returns to GazaAfter eradicating the disease a quarter of a century ago, Gaza reported its first case of polio earlier this year, one of the consequences of the year-long war and besiegement of the Strip, which has seen restricted aid delivery, damage and restrictions for access to critical water and sanitation services and over-crowding in makeshift shelters driven by repeated Israeli evacuation orders.This prompted a swift response by WHO and partners to unroll a campaign across the devastated Strip.To interrupt poliovirus transmission and its spread, at least 90 per cent of all children in every community and neighborhood must be vaccinated. Polio causes paralysis and other grave symptoms and can spread rapidly.A delay in administering a second dose of nOPV2 within six weeks reduces the impact of two closely spaced rounds, decreasing immunity. Delay could threaten regionHaving a significant number of children miss out on their second vaccine dose will seriously jeopardise efforts to stop the transmission of the virus, the UN health agency stressed, adding that it could also lead to further cases in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring countries.Since the rollout of the second round of the polio campaign in Gaza on 14 October, 442,855 children under age 10 have been successfully vaccinated in Gaza's central and southern areas - 94 per cent of the target in these areas.A total of 357,802 children between two and 10 received vitamin A supplements as part of efforts to integrate the delivery of polio vaccine with other essential health services in Gaza.
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23 October 2024
War has set Palestine’s development back nearly 70 years
“Without lifting economic restrictions, enabling recovery, and investing in development, the Palestinian economy may not be able to restore pre-war levels and advance forward by relying on humanitarian aid alone,” Gaza war: Expected socioeconomic impacts on the State of Palestine, concludes, produced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA).The analysis suggests three recovery scenarios for Palestine. Given that the recovery will be a long-term process, the report assessed both the immediate impact projected for 2025 and the long-term impact anticipated by 2034, a decade after the start of the conflict.“Our assessments serve to sound the alarm over the millions of lives that are being shattered and the decades of development efforts that are being wiped out,” said ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti.“It is high time to end the suffering and bloodshed that have engulfed our region. We must unite to find a lasting solution where all peoples can live in peace, dignity and reap the benefit of sustainable development and where international law and justice are finally upheld.”Projections estimate that the gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 35.1 per cent in 2024 compared with a no-war scenario, with unemployment potentially rising to 49.9 per cent.Three recovery scenariosBuilding on findings published in November and May, the report estimates that poverty in Palestine will rise to 74.3 per cent in 2024, affecting 4.1 million people, including 2.61 million people who are newly impoverished.The assessment also examines the extent and depth of deprivation, employing multidimensional poverty indicators and includes recovery prospects for Palestine after a ceasefire is reached as well as three early recovery scenarios.The non-restricted early recovery scenario sees restrictions on Palestinian workers lifted and withheld clearance revenues restored to the Palestinian Authority.In addition to $280 million in humanitarian aid, $290 million is allocated annually for recovery efforts, resulting in an increase in productivity by one per cent annually, enabling the economy to recover and putting Palestinian development back on track.Unrestricted aid can helpThe assessment suggests that a comprehensive recovery and reconstruction plan, combining humanitarian aid with strategic investments in recovery and reconstruction along with lifting economic restrictions, could help put the Palestinian economy back on track to realign with Palestinian development plans by 2034.But, this scenario can only play out if recovery efforts are unrestricted, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.“Projections in this new assessment confirm that amidst the immediate suffering and horrific loss of life, a serious development crisis is also unfolding – one that jeopardises the future of Palestinians for generations to come,” he said.“The assessment indicates that, even if humanitarian aid is provided each year, the economy may not regain its pre-crisis level for a decade or more."As conditions on the ground allow, he said, the Palestinian people need a robust early recovery strategy embedded in the humanitarian assistance phase, laying foundations for a sustainable recovery.Humanitarian situation deterioratingThe humanitarian situation is catastrophic and deteriorating daily, said UNDP's Chitose Noguchi, briefing reporters in Geneva from Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, where many displaced people are currently living.“The State of Palestine is experiencing an unprecedented setback in development to the year 1955,” she said.“Restrictions that are currently stifling the economy must be lifted,” she stressed, underlining the new assessment conclusion’s importance for the region. Currently, assessments are being conducted in Lebanon and Syria.Read the full report here.
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23 October 2024
‘The smell of death is everywhere’ in northern Gaza, UNRWA chief says
The head of UN Palestine refugee agency Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X: UNRWA staff report that they cannot find food, water or medical care.‘Just waiting to die’“The smell of death is everywhere as bodies are left lying on the roads or under the rubble. Missions to clear the bodies or provide humanitarian assistance are denied,” he said.“In northern Gaza, people are just waiting to die. They feel deserted, hopeless and alone. They live from one hour to the next, fearing death at every second.”Let families leaveMr. Lazzarini said that throughout the war, some staff stayed in the north and “did the impossible” to support internally displaced people.Some UNRWA shelters were kept open despite heavy bombardments and attacks on the agency’s buildings.“On behalf of our staff in northern Gaza, I am calling for an immediate truce, even if for few hours, to enable safe humanitarian passage for families who wish to leave the area and reach safer places,” he said.“This is the bare minimum to save the lives of civilians who have nothing to do with this conflict.”The UN and partners estimate that more than 60,000 people have been displaced from North Gaza governorate to Gaza City. Within North Gaza, about 4,000 people have fled from Jabalia to Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahya, with still others displaced within Gaza itself. Trapped under rubbleThe UN humanitarian aid office, OCHA, is reporting that for five days, people have been trapped under the rubble in the Falouja area of Jabalia.“Our urgent plea to go and help them has been repeatedly denied by Israeli authorities,” said OCHA’s Gloria Lazic, who is in Gaza.More than 40 people from three families are reportedly trapped “and we don't know if we finally get this approval how many will still be alive,” she said, stressing that “every minute counts”. Step up aid, improve security: UN envoyMeanwhile, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland was in Gaza on Tuesday where he saw firsthand the continued destruction and profound suffering of the people.Mr. Wennesland had meetings with UN staff and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who told him about the alarming security and humanitarian situation across the enclave, especially in the north.He said the challenges faced by the people of Gaza, including serious violations of international humanitarian law, are enormous, highlighting the urgent need for food, medical supplies and protection.“A significant increase in the entry of humanitarian assistance and an improvement in security is urgently required,” he said.The envoy reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s repeated call for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.“I call on all relevant parties to urgently pursue these goals,” he said. “Gaza is an integral part of Palestine. Ultimately, the solution for Gaza is political.” ‘Horrific’ health situationThe Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) also added his voice to the call for a ceasefire.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the health situation in the north as “horrific”, with precarious access to essential care.WHO and partners transferred 14 critical patients and 11 companions from Kamal Adwan Hospital southward to Al-Shifa Hospital on Monday as part of a two-day mission.The transfers were carried out amid hostilities and access restrictions. As a result, the team was forced to stay at Kamal Adwan overnight due to the intense fighting.Delays and denials“This was a fourth attempt to reach Kamal Adwan,” Tedros said. “Despite an initial agreement, the delivery of critical medical supplies, blood, and fuel, which are essential for keeping Kamal Adwan Hospital operational, were denied just a few hours before the mission departure.”Tedros reported that healthcare continues to be attacked and hospitals starved of supplies and fuel. At the same time, consistent mission delays and denials severely compromise WHO’s ability to regularly reach health facilities.“We urge for a sustained and safe humanitarian access,” he said, calling for a ceasefire now.Challenges to healthcareHumanitarian partners working in the health sector report that communications challenges are hampering efforts to gather information on conditions at the other medical facilities in North Gaza, namely the Indonesian and Al Awda hospitals. UNRWA noted that none of its medical points in the north are operational, and although teams are ready, they urgently need medical supplies to be able to provide care.
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22 October 2024
Guterres ‘unequivocally condemns’ continued civilian deaths in Gaza
Including Israeli strikes on a residential block in Beit Lahiya on Saturday which killed dozens, according to the Gazan health ministry.“Civilians must be respected and protected at all times” and the UN chief “remains deeply alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating situation for civilians in northern Gaza, including mass displacement and the lack of essentials for survival,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, briefing reporters in New York.Mr. Guterres called for immediate and unhindered access for humanitarian and rescue teams to allow them to continue their lifesaving work.“The recent attacks that have hit hospitals in North Gaza are exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis and placing the lives of tens of thousands at grave risk,”, Mr Haq continued, calling for combatants to protect patients and medical staff.“The violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza by all parties to this conflict are unacceptable. Accountability for any international crimes that have been committed by any party is essential,” Mr Haq said, adding that the Secretary-General reiterates his calls for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza.'Impossible' to sustain: Rights officeThe UN human rights office, OHCHR, earlier expressed growing alarm over Israel’s military operations in northern Gaza, saying that life has become “impossible” for civilians trapped in the north amid repeated orders to move and severely limited access to essential humanitarian supplies.The dire situation has left many on the brink of starvation, OHCHR said on Sunday.“While the Israeli military has demanded that all civilians leave north Gaza, it has continued to relentlessly bomb and attack the area, especially in and around Jabalya Camp. These attacks have made it extremely dangerous for civilians to flee.”It also reported fears among Palestinians that leaving could mean they will never be allowed to return to their homes.Israeli forces have destroyed homes and schools serving as shelters, leaving many civilians with no refuge as winter approaches.Attacks on hospitalThe suffering has deepened further as hospitals struggle with critical shortages of fuel and medical supplies, and rescue teams report being blocked or attacked while attempting lifesaving operations.“Hospitals have been hit and are left without power while injured people are left without care,” Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said on social media.“Denying and weaponizing humanitarian assistance to achieve military purposes is a sign of how low the moral compass is…no one should beg to assist or to be assisted,” he added.Every minute countsUN relief coordination office, OCHA, urged Israeli authorities to allow immediate access to rescue dozens still trapped under rubble.“Every minute counts…previously, delayed approvals resulted in rescue teams only recovering dead bodies,” it said in a post on X.Internet access has been disrupted and at least three Palestinian journalists killed, limiting the flow of information from the region.War must stop nowThe UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process also condemned the continuing attacks.“The nightmare in Gaza is intensifying. Horrifying scenes are unfolding in the northern Strip amidst conflict, relentless Israeli strikes and an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis,” Tor Wennesland said in a statement on Sunday.He called for the immediate end of the war, the release of hostages held by Hamas, and an end to forced displacement. He emphasized the need to protect civilians and allow unimpeded humanitarian aid.“The path ahead will require courage, political will and renewed dialogue. We owe it to the families suffering in Gaza and Israel. The war must stop now.”
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21 October 2024
First Person: Football dream alive in Gaza despite ‘constant fire’
Despite living “under constant fire.’Mohamed Abu Jalda who is currently living in a camp for displaced people after fleeing his home, practices on the beach in the Al-Mawasi area of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.He spoke to UN News’s Ziad Taleb."I am Mohamed Abu Jalda, a player for the Rafah Services Club a football team in the first division in Gaza.I had a big ambition to become a great football player like others outside the Gaza Strip, but because of the war, my ambition and my life were delayed. I'm now 20 years old, trying to become a professional, but I can't because I live in Gaza under constant fire.Every day I feel like I'm dying; may God give us patience to endure this life. I am from Rafah, but I now live in the Shaboura camp for displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of Rafah.It's been five months since I was moved there.Whenever I find some free time and feel like playing football, I head to the beach, the only place where I can play.We were displaced and no one came to look for us. I want my voice to reach the world.My dream and ambition is to play football. I’ve had this ambition since I was 10 years old, but now I’m over 20, and I see nothing because I live in Gaza under this oppression. ‘What makes me different?’Why can't I become a football player? What makes me different from anyone else in the world? I have ears like them, a nose like them, and feet like them; there is nothing different.Because of the war, no opportunities have come my way. Before the war, I was physically fit, but now things have changed due to the displacement we are living through.I try to train every three days on the beach to fulfill my ambition and hope that my voice reaches the world, because I have the right to become a professional footballer as much as anyone else.I hope that God grants me success to become a football player.I am proud to be from Gaza and I hope to play for the Palestinian national team, because this is my right.Let them test me, and I will show all the skills I have in football."
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21 October 2024
Palestine: International law obliges Israel to end occupation, says rights panel
All States and international organizations, including the United Nations, have obligations under international law to bring to an end Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.It details the obligations for Israel, third-party States and the UN to bring to an end the unlawful occupation, according to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.“Israel’s internationally wrongful acts give rise to State responsibility, not only for Israel, but for all States,” said Navi Pillay, chair of the UN Human Rights Council-mandated commission.“All States are obligated not to recognise territorial or sovereignty claims made by Israel over the occupied territories.”Read the commission’s full position paper here.States must not provide assistanceExplaining the commission’s paper, Ms. Pillay said that States must demonstrate how their dealings differ regarding Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.As an example, she noted that a State must not recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or place its diplomatic representatives to Israel in Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as the capital of their future State.In addition, States must not render aid or assistance in maintaining the unlawful occupation, which includes financial, military and political aid or support, the commission chair said.How the UN can implement actionThe paper also details how the General Assembly and the Security Council can identify and implement the precise actions required to bring the occupation to an end as rapidly as possible.The commission found that the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, is authoritative and unambiguous in stating that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful.“The commission has always stated that the root cause of the protracted conflict and cycles of violence is the occupation,” Ms. Pillay said, noting that its 2022 report to the General Assembly had concluded that the occupation is unlawful under international law.“The Commission welcomed the historic advisory opinion from the highest court in the United Nations system,” she said.Work to end occupation“It is incumbent on all States to work cooperatively in order bring the unlawful occupation to an end and to work towards the full realisation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination,” Ms. Pillay said, calling on all States to implement the General Assembly resolution passed on 13 September 2024.On 17 September, the General Assembly adopted a resolution during its 10th emergency special session calling for an end to Israeli occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory within one year.Read our explainer on UN emergency special sessions here.The UN Human Rights Council mandated the commission in May 2021 to “investigate, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law leading up to and since 13 April 2021”.Find out more about the commission here.
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18 October 2024
Over 1.8 million in Gaza face extreme hunger
and livelihoods decimated during the ongoing Israeli military offensive, a UN-backed food security assessment released on Thursday has revealed.Figures from the global IPC food security initiative show that 133,000 people – or 6 per cent of the enclave’s population – are already experiencing Phase 5 or “catastrophic” food insecurity.It’s feared this number could rise to around 345,000 people – or 16 per cent of the entire population – between the winter months of November and April next year.“The risk of famine persists across the whole Gaza Strip. Given the recent surge in hostilities, there are growing concerns that this worst-case scenario may materialize,” the assessment noted.Situation ‘intolerable’The Secretary-General is alarmed by the IPC report’s findings amid high displacement and restrictions on humanitarian aid flows, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters during Thursday’s regular news briefing in New York.“One year into the conflict, famine looms. This is intolerable,” Mr. Haq said.The Secretary-General is also calling on Israel to immediately reopen all crossing points, he added.In addition, bureaucratic impediments must be removed, and law and order must be restored inside Gaza so that UN agencies can deliver lifesaving humanitarian assistance, Mr. Haq emphasised.Key recommendationsThe IPC assessment also stressed that only through widespread access to adequate food, medical supplies, water, and basic services across the Gaza Strip, can the risk of a rapid descent into famine be contained.It calls for an immediate, unconditional and sustained ceasefire, restoration of food systems, and better prevention and management of rising and acute malnutrition.Blanket supplementary feeding programmes and infant and young child feeding programmes need to be bolstered, including promotion of breastfeeding and care for non-breastfed infants.UN responseUN agencies for their part continue their efforts to assist all Gazans despite severe challenges, including insecurity, access difficulty, and ongoing evacuation orders and fighting.The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for instance, has prioritised reactivating local food production and restoring the availability of highly nutritious food, especially as the winter season approaches. Even prior to the war, winters in Gaza saw spikes in hunger and malnutrition.“To curb acute hunger and malnutrition, we must act now – immediately cease hostilities, restore humanitarian access to deliver critical and essential food aid and agricultural inputs in time for the upcoming winter crop planting season which has already started – to allow them to grow food,” said Beth Bechdol, the agency’s Deputy Director-General.“Humanitarian aid alone is not enough. People need fresh, nutritious food. To make a difference, we also need to support farmers to continue and restart the production of food, as well as the flow of imported food and non-food items,” she added.Significant livestock lossesFAO also voiced “deep concern” over significant losses of livestock, which are indispensable for the livelihoods and basic survival of Gaza’s population.The agency has set up a programme to safeguard some 30,000 sheep and goats – representing around 40 per cent of the remaining livestock. As of the end of September, it has distributed fodder to over 4,400 livestock holders in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, and veterinary kits to about 2,400 herder families.It stands ready to deliver more essential supplies, including additional fodder, greenhouse plastic sheets, plastic water tanks, vaccines, energy blocks and animal shelters, once access, security, and mobility conditions are restored, FAO said.“By nourishing these animals, enough milk can be provided for all of Gaza’s children,” it added.Water shortage in northern GazaThe humanitarian crisis is being compounded by a severe water shortage in northern Gaza. Tens of thousands of civilians are facing “grave danger” there as Israeli military operations continue, the UN warned on Thursday.The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that ongoing hostilities are severely hampering access to essential resources, particularity water.“Intense hostilities, evacuation orders and loss of access to numerous water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in northern Gaza have rendered a number of systems for water production and wastewater collection inoperable,” said Deputy UN Spokesperson, Mr. Haq, during a press briefing in New York, on Thursday.In Jabalya and Beit Lahya, municipal well water production has completely stopped. Daily water distribution in northern Gaza has plummeted to just 638 cubic meters, compared to 380,000 cubic metres throughout Gaza before October 2023.Mr. Haq also noted that UN partners are “preparing for winter and taking urgent steps to mitigate the risk of flooding.”Despite these challenges, humanitarian efforts continue. The second round polio vaccination campaign in central Gaza reached over 181,000 children, with plans to expand it to southern Gaza on Friday.
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Press Release
21 October 2024
UN Human Rights Office is concerned over the potential destruction of the Palestinian population in north Gaza
For two weeks since 6 October, the Israeli military has taken measures that make life in North Gaza impossible for Palestinians while repeatedly ordering the displacement of the entire governorate. Israeli authorities prevented the entry of all essential supplies to North Gaza between 1 and 14 October, exacerbating the already dire situation under which food and fuel supplies to the north were dwindling, and many were facing starvation. After 15 October, a token amount of aid seems to have entered the North, but this does not commensurate with the needs of the population.While the Israeli military has demanded that all civilians leave North Gaza, it has continued to relentlessly bomb and attack the area, especially in and around Jabalya Camp. These attacks have made it extremely dangerous for civilians to flee, and the UN Human Rights Office has received reports over the last weeks of Palestinians targeted while fleeing. Many Palestinians in the North have also expressed fears that should they flee; they will never be allowed to return to their homes in North Gaza. Israeli troops have also destroyed residential buildings and attacked schools serving as shelters, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and further limiting available shelter as winter approaches. One strike on a residential block in Beit Lahiya on 19 October killed at least 87 Palestinians according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Keeping with the trend in this escalation, many of the casualties appear to be children and women.The Israeli military’s resumed attacks on two of the three main hospitals in North Gaza put even more pressure on the civilian population. All three hospitals, already damaged in previous IDF attacks, are also struggling with shortages of supplies and fuel. Rescue teams and medics continue to report restrictions and direct and indirect attacks by the Israeli military, hindering lifesaving operations, including the recovery of Palestinians trapped under rubble. Internet services in North Gaza have been disrupted since 19 October, and at least 3 Palestinian journalists were killed in the last 2 weeks, limiting the available information about the conditions of life in North Gaza.Reports also indicate that tens of Palestinian men are being taken into custody by the IDF, raising fears that they may be subjected to arbitrary detention as well as torture and other ill-treatment, especially considering previous violations documented by the UN Human Rights Office. Israel must promptly announce the identity of all those taken into custody and ensure their access to their lawyers and families.We reiterate that all parties must respect and protect civilians. Palestinian armed groups must refrain from deliberately co-locating military objectives and civilians or civilian objects and must take all feasible precautions to protect the civilian population and civilian objects under their control against the effects of attacks. Even where Palestinian armed groups have failed to comply with these norms of IHL, Israeli forces retain their obligations to respect the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack.The UN Human Rights Office reminds the State of Israel of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024 that it take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in Gaza. It also reminds Israel that, as the occupying power, it must ensure the provision of food, medical supplies and shelter for the population of Gaza, as also ordered by the International Court of Justice.
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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
10 July 2024
OHCHR: Palestinians have nowhere left to shelter
On 7 July, IDF issued an order to civilians in areas of central parts of Gaza City, including At Tuffah and Ad Daraj, to immediately evacuate to the west of Gaza City. While issuing this evacuation order, the IDF intensified its strikes in the south and west of Gaza City, targeting the very areas where they had instructed people to move to. In the morning of 8 July, IDF issued a statement confirming that they had hit an UNRWA HQ located west of Gaza City, again in the area where people had been told to relocate. Later, on 8 July, IDF issued another order calling people in parts of Gaza City, including those in its western part, to further evacuate to Deir al Balah -which is already seriously overcrowded with Palestinians displaced from other areas of the Gaza Strip and where there is little infrastructure and limited access to humanitarian assistance.Palestinians have nowhere left to shelter.The UN Human Rights Office has repeatedly raised concerns that IDF’s evacuation orders are confusing, often instructing people to relocate to areas where IDF military operations are ongoing. We reiterate our call on Israel to take all efforts to ensure the safety of civilians in Gaza.Against this backdrop, the UN Human Rights Office is also deeply worried about the fast-deteriorating civil order throughout the Gaza Strip, which is having a significant negative impact on the protection of Palestinians in Gaza and on the humanitarian space.The Office calls for an immediate ceasefire.
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