Press Release

Statement by Muhannad Hadi, Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory

20 January 2025

Within the humanitarian system, we have ramped up our readiness ahead of the ceasefire. The United Nations and our partners now stand ready to leverage this opportunity for large-scale relief, as every second counts.

I acknowledge the constructive discussions held with the mediators in Cairo and the agreements reached on implementing humanitarian components of the first phase, including the provision of supplies as essential as water, food, health and shelter to people across Gaza and the long-awaited release of hostages.

I extend my gratitude to the mediators and all parties involved for entrusting the United Nations and our partners with contributing to the delivery of humanitarian assistance outlined in the agreement.

Achieving the targets that have been set will require a collective effort. As the Humanitarian Coordinator, I reaffirm our commitment to successful implementation. We remain equally dedicated to supporting efforts that pave the way for a second phase and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

I call upon the mediators, the parties involved, our partners, community leaders, and the international community, including donors, to work together for effective and timely implementation, guided by the shared goal of saving lives and addressing people’s needs efficiently, meaningfully and in line with humanitarian principles.

Sarah Poole

Sarah Poole

RCO
Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
sarah.poole@un.org
Ms. Poole brings 30 years of experience working globally in development and humanitarian contexts. Since 1999, she has served in numerous leadership position in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), most recently through her appointment in August 2023 as the Special Representative of the Administrator to the UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People. Previously, since 2018 she served as UNDP's Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States region, including her tenure as Regional Director ad interim at the ASG level from February 2020 to February 2021. Ms. Poole has also served as the Deputy Director of the Bureau for Programme and Policy Support; Senior Advisor for the Europe and CIS Region; Resident Representative a.i. and Deputy Resident Representative in Turkey; Team Leader for the Western Balkans, Turkey and Cyprus; Senior Advisor in the Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy; and the global team leader for post-crisis socio-economic and community recovery.

Before joining UNDP, Ms. Poole served as the Regional Refugee Coordinator/Deputy with the US Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia-Montenegro between 1996 and 1999; and with USAID's Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance in Rwanda, Burundi, and Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to 1996. Ms. Poole holds a MSc in Government from the London School of Economics and Political Science; a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; and has served as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University's School for International and Public Affairs, focused on the nexus between crisis, peacebuilding, and development.

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