Document Library

28 August 2024, New York

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the occupied West Bank

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the latest developments in the occupied West Bank, including Israel's launch today of large-scale military operations in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas governorates, involving the use of airstrikes, which resulted in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. He strongly condemns the loss of lives, including of children.

The Secretary-General calls for an immediate cessation of these operations.

He calls on Israel to comply with its relevant obligations under international humanitarian law and to take measures to protect civilians and ensure their safety. He urges security forces to exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life.

All those injured must have access to medical care, and humanitarian workers must be able to reach everyone in need.

These dangerous developments are fueling an already explosive situation in the occupied West Bank and further undermining the Palestinian Authority.

The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned by the recent dangerous and provocative acts and statements by an Israeli Minister at the Holy Sites in Jerusalem. He stresses the importance of maintaining the status quo at the Sites.

Ultimately, only an end to the occupation and a return to a meaningful political process that will establish a two-state solution will bring an end to the violence. The United Nations will continue to work with all parties towards this end, to seek a de-escalation of the current situation and promote stability in the region.

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the occupied West Bank | United Nations Secretary-General

Note to Correspondents: Attack on School in Gaza

The Secretary-General condemns the continued loss of life in Gaza, including women and children, as we witness yet another devastating strike by Israel on the Al-Taba’een school in Gaza City, sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinian families, with scores of fatalities, amidst continued horror, displacement, and suffering in Gaza.

The Secretary-General is dismayed to see that the provisions of UN Security Council resolution 2735 (2024) remain unimplemented. He welcomes the mediation efforts of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar leaders, and urges both sides to rejoin negotiations and conclude the ceasefire and hostages release deal.

The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages. He also again underscores the need to ensure the protection of civilians and for unimpeded and safe humanitarian access into and across Gaza. The Secretary-General underlines that international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack, must be upheld at all times.

[END]

31 July 2024

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the Situation in the Middle East

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

The Secretary-General believes that the attacks we have seen in South Beirut and Teheran represent a dangerous escalation at a moment in which all efforts should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli hostages, a massive increase of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and a return to calm in Lebanon and across the Blue Line.

Rather than that, what we are seeing are efforts to undermine these goals.

The Secretary-General has consistently called for maximum restraint by all. It is increasingly clear, however, that restraint alone is insufficient at this extremely sensitive time. The Secretary-General urges all to vigorously work towards regional de-escalation in the interest of long-term peace and stability for all.

The international community must work together to urgently prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, with a devastating impact on civilians. The way to do so is by advancing comprehensive diplomatic action for regional de-escalation.

[END]

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

--

REMARKS TO CALL FOR ACTION:

URGENT HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE FOR GAZA

Dead Sea, Jordan, 11 June 2024

[As delivered]

Your Majesty King Abdullah [ibn Al Hussein],

Your Excellency President [Abdel Fattah] el-Sisi,

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for coming together for this urgent Call to Action for lifesaving relief to the people of Gaza that are under fire in the most dramatic circumstances.

It is now 8 months since the horrific Hamas terror attacks of 7 October and the abduction of Israeli men, women, and children to Gaza.

But 8 months of relentless suffering for Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the speed and scale of the carnage and killing in Gaza is beyond anything in my years as Secretary-General.

At least 1.7 million people – 75 per cent of Gaza’s population – have been displaced, many times over by Israel military attacks.

Nowhere is safe.

Conditions are deplorable.

The public health situation is beyond crisis levels.

Gaza’s hospitals lie in ruins.

Medical supplies and fuel are scarce or non-existent.

More than one million Palestinians in Gaza do not have enough clean drinking water and face desperate levels of hunger.

Over 50,000 children require treatment for acute malnutrition.

And despite the ocean of needs, at least half of all humanitarian aid missions are denied access, impeded, or cancelled due to operational or security reasons.

On top of all this, since the attack on the Rafah border crossing one month ago, the flow of critical humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza – which was already woefully inadequate – has plummeted by two-thirds.

Excellencies,

In the face of this calamity, the world has tried its best to save lives.

And I want to express my gratitude to Egypt and Jordan for all their efforts.

Your Majesty, through you, allow me to thank the people of Jordan for the relief provided -- including through aid convoys, airdrops, and field hospitals.

We all appreciate immensely your personal commitment to mobilize the international community and your persistent call for a robust coordination mechanism for the unimpeded and safe flow of sufficient aid to the people of Gaza. I urge the international community to support Jordan’s efforts as it undertakes its critical role assisting the people of Gaza and serving as a key regional humanitarian hub.

President el-Sisi, I also want to commend your critical leadership and that of the government and people of Egypt -- not only in supporting humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza in so many ways, but also for your pivotal role in seeking an end to this tragic conflict and building a foundation for sustainable peace.

And, of course, we all salute the brave humanitarians in Gaza working in nightmare conditions to stem the suffering.

Our Palestinian humanitarian colleagues, in particular, are working against enormous obstacles and near impossible conditions.

Imagine their lives and circumstances.

Showing up for work when their homes are destroyed and their loved ones killed.

Putting themselves in humanitarian convoys, even when they have been fired upon.

Without those courageous individuals, the aid operations in Gaza would collapse.

And UNRWA is the backbone of this humanitarian response, and it has suffered intolerably alongside the people it supports.

I express my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the 193 UNRWA staff members who have been killed.

There must be full accountability for each and every one of these deaths.

Attacks on UN personnel and premises are unacceptable.

Excellencies,

The horror must stop.

It is high time for a ceasefire along with the unconditional release of hostages.

I welcome the peace initiative recently outlined by President Biden and urge all parties to seize this opportunity and come to an agreement.

And I call on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.

This includes facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid both into and inside Gaza, as they have committed.

All available routes into Gaza must be operational.

And the land routes are absolutely crucial.

I also welcome all coordinated efforts to fully operationalize the mechanism to facilitate aid into Gaza as mandated by Security Council Resolution 2720.

The work of the Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator to accelerate and expand the rollout of the mechanism remains critical. I commend governments and people across the region and the world for supporting it.

The security of UNRWA and our humanitarian partners is vital to moving lifesaving aid over the border and where it needs to go within Gaza.

Deliveries require safe routes and effective deconfliction mechanisms to ensure their security.

They require unimpeded access for security and communications equipment, commensurate with the risks of working in a war zone.

They require immediate efforts to clear routes inside Gaza, which are littered with mines and unexploded ordnance.

Civilians must be allowed to seek safety. And civilians and the infrastructure they rely on must never be militarized or targeted.

Excellencies,

I also call for the world to stand united to safeguard UNRWA in the face of outrageous and relentless attacks.

UNRWA’s role will remain critical not only during the conflict, but afterwards.

Over a million deeply traumatized children in Gaza need psychosocial support and the safety and hope their schools used to provide.

Around 60 per cent of all residential buildings and at least 80 per cent of commercial facilities have been damaged by Israeli bombardment. Health facilities and educational institutions are in rubble.

Only UNRWA has the capacity, skills, and networks needed to support the Palestinian people to face the immense challenge on health, on education and so much more.

Excellencies,

Ultimately, the solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is political.

The only way forward is through a political solution that opens a path to sustained peace, based on two states, Palestine and Israel, living side by side in peace and security, on the basis of the pre- 1967 lines and the relevant United Nations resolutions, previous agreements and international law, with Jerusalem as capital of both states.

Let us keep working to make that a reality – as we work to answer today’s call to action for Palestinians in Gaza in such profound and immediate need.

And I thank you.

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Gaza

The Secretary-General has condemned in the strongest terms the 26 May air strikes on Rafah hitting tents sheltering displaced people. He is heartbroken by the images of the killed and injured, including many small children. As he has said before, the horror and suffering must stop immediately.

The Secretary-General grieves for the over 36,000 Palestinians and some 1,500 Israelis killed in the relentless violence, including the gruesome acts of terror perpetrated by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel on 7 October 2023, the devastating Israeli assault on Gaza, the continued indiscriminate rocket launches towards Israel. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is now compounded by the unconscionable prospect of a man-made famine.

The Secretary-General reiterates his demand for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. He recalls the recent orders of the International Court of Justice, which are binding and must be complied with.

The Israeli authorities must allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian supplies assistance to those in need and all crossing points must be open in line with Security Council resolution 2720 (2023). Humanitarian organizations must have full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to reach all civilians in need across Gaza, in line with Security Council Resolution 2712 (2023).

We must work expeditiously to restore security, dignity and hope for the affected population. This will require urgent efforts to support and strengthen the new Palestinian Government and its institutions, including preparing the Palestinian Authority to reassume its responsibilities in Gaza. We must also move forward with tangible and irreversible steps to create a political horizon.

The devastation and misery of the past seven months have reinforced the absolute need for Israelis, Palestinians, the States of the region and the broader international community to take urgent steps that will enable the parties to re-engage on the long-delayed political path to achieve a two-State solution. The UN will continue to support all such efforts.

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

New York, 28 May 2024

26 May 2024, New York

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Gaza

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

The Secretary-General welcomes today's passage of life-saving humanitarian assistance and fuel from Egypt into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

With more than 800,000 people displaced from Rafah due to hostilities and evacuation orders since 6 May, the Secretary-General stresses that civilians must be protected and their essential needs met – including access to food, shelter and clean water.

With the humanitarian operation near collapse, the Secretary-General emphasizes that the Israeli authorities must facilitate the safe pickup and delivery of humanitarian supplies from Egypt entering Kerem Shalom to those in need. He underscores the need for all crossing points to be open in line with Security Council resolution 2720 (2023) and for humanitarian organizations to have full, safe and unhindered access to reach all civilians in need across Gaza.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages to end the suffering of civilians. He’s dismayed by the lack of implementation of the recent orders of the International Court of Justice regarding the situation Gaza. He reminds the parties that decisions of the Court are binding.

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Gaza | United Nations Secretary-General

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

REMARKS TO THE PRESS - ON THE MIDDLE EAST

New York, 7 May 2024

We are at a decisive moment for the Palestinian and Israeli people and for the fate of the entire region.

An agreement between the Government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas is essential to stop the unbearable suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and of the hostages and their families.

It would be tragic if weeks of intense diplomatic activity for peace in Gaza, yield no ceasefire. No release of hostages. And a devastating offensive in Rafah.

I reiterate my appeal for both parties to show the political courage and spare no effort to secure an agreement now.

To stop the bloodshed. To free the hostages. And to help stabilize a region which is still at risk of explosion.

This is a crucial opportunity that the region – and indeed the world – cannot afford to miss.

Yet things are moving in the wrong direction.

I am disturbed and distressed by the renewed military activity in Rafah by the Israeli Defence Forces.

The closure of both the Rafah and Karem Shalom crossings is especially damaging to an already dire humanitarian situation. They must be re-opened immediately. Just to give an example; we risk running out of fuel this evening.

I urge the Government of Israel to stop any escalation, and engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks.

After more than 1,100 Israelis killed in the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October … after more than 34,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, haven’t we seen enough?

Haven’t civilians suffered enough death and destruction?

Make no mistake – a full-scale assault on Rafah would be a human catastrophe.

Countless more civilian casualties. Countless more families forced to flee yet again – with nowhere safe to go.

Because there is no safe place in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the repercussions will be felt far beyond, in the occupied West Bank, and across the region.

Rafah is the epicenter of humanitarian operations in Gaza.

Attacking Rafah will further upend our efforts to support people in dire humanitarian straits as famine looms.

International humanitarian law is unequivocal: civilians must be protected – whether they leave Rafah or stay in the city.

International humanitarian law must be respected by both parties.

I also remind Israel of its obligation to facilitate the safe and unimpeded access of humanitarian aid and staff into and across Gaza.

Even the best friends of Israel are clear:

An assault on Rafah would be a strategic mistake, a political calamity, and a humanitarian nightmare.

I appeal to all those with influence over Israel to do everything in their power to help avert even more tragedy.

The international community has a shared responsibility to promote a humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and a massive surge in life-saving aid.

It is time for the parties to seize the opportunity and secure a deal for the sake of their own people. Thank you.

[END]

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the situation in the Middle East

The Secretary-General reiterates his pressing call to both the government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas to go the extra mile needed to make an agreement come true and stop the present suffering.

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the indications that a large-scale military operation in Rafah may be imminent. We are already seeing movements of people – many of these are in desperate humanitarian condition and have been repeatedly displaced. They search safety that has been so many times denied.

The Secretary-General reminds the parties that the protection of civilians is paramount in international humanitarian law.

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the situation in the Middle East

The Secretary-General reiterates that it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East.

The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond.

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

[END]

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

New York, 14 April 2024

[as delivered]

Madam President,

Excellencies,

The Middle East is on the brink.

The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict.

Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate.

Now is the time for maximum restraint.

This emergency session has been convened upon an urgent request by the Permanent Representative of Israel, who noted in his letter dated 13 April to the President of the Security Council, that Iran had launched – and I quote -- “a direct attack from within its territory of more than 200 UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles towards Israel in clear violation of the UN Charter and international law.” [unquote]

Yesterday, the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran also addressed a letter to the President of the Security Council, stating that – and I quote -- “in the late hours of 13 April 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out a series of military strikes on Israeli military objectives.” [unquote]

He stated that the action was taken – and I quote -- “in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defence as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, and in response to the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on 1 April 2024 against Iranian diplomatic premises” – unquote.

According to the latest reports, Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles from its territory toward Israel, with most intercepted.

Several missiles reportedly struck within Israeli territory, one of which damaged an Israeli military facility in the south of the country.

And overall, a few civilians were injured.

Madam President,

When the nature of the attack became clear, I stated the following last night and I quote:

“I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening.

And I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities.” [unquote]

I remind all Member States that the Charter of the United Nations prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

Furthermore, the principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law, as I stated when condemning the 1 April attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Madam President,

It’s time to step back from the brink.

It is vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East.

Civilians are already bearing the brunt and paying the highest price.

And we have a shared responsibility to actively engage all parties concerned to prevent further escalation.

As the Friendly Relations Declaration of 1970 states, acts of reprisal involving the use of force are barred under international law.

We have a shared responsibility to secure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.

We have a shared responsibility to stop violence in the occupied West Bank, de-escalate the situation along the Blue Line, and re-establish safe navigation in the Red Sea.

We have a shared responsibility to work for peace.

Regional – and indeed global -- peace and security are being undermined by the hour.

Neither the region nor the world can afford more war.

Thank you.

[END]