ÌýHIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
MONDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2024
Secretary-General /Middle East
In a video message, the Secretary-General said that today, October 7, marks one year since the horrific events that took place when Hamas launched a large-scale terror attack in Israel, killing over 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals, including children and women. He said that 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.  Ìý
The Secretary-General demanded once again the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Until then, Hamas must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the hostages. Ìý
He said 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. The Secretary-General asserted that it is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns.  Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region.  Time for peace, international law and justice.Ìý
You will find messages throughout the Ãå±±½ûµØsystem marking one year since the 7 October attacks.Ìý
Among those is a statement by the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, saying that, during his engagements with Israeli officials and other stakeholders, the Special Coordinator expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks, with his profound sympathy for the families of those who were abducted. He reiterated his commitment to mediation efforts towards a ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.ÌýÌý
Joyce Msuya, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, also said that today it has been 12 months of unrelenting tragedy that must end. She calls for the hostages to be released and treated humanely; for civilians to be protected and have their essential needs met; for Palestinians arbitrarily detained to be released; for humanitarian workers to be safeguarded and have their work facilitated; for perpetrators to be held to account for any serious violations of international humanitarian law; and for the assault on Gaza to stop.Ìý
Occupied Palestinian Territory
On the ground, our OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) colleagues remain very concerned that areas north of Wadi Gaza that are increasingly being cut off, compounded by the issuance of evacuation orders for the vast areas there. This is putting pressure on more than 400,000 people to move south to Al Mawasi, an area that is overcrowded, polluted and lacking in the basic services that people need. Ìý ÌýÌýÌýÌý
Southern Gaza is completely overwhelmed and cannot accommodate more people.Ìý
As of this morning, initial information indicates that more than 50,000 men, women and children have been displaced within northern Gaza, and some patients have left hospitals in the evacuation zone. 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.ÌýÌý
We and our partners are continuing to closely monitor the movement of people and also to provide displaced families with the necessary assistance as needed. However, OCHA stresses that ordering civilians to evacuate does not keep them safe if they have no safe place to go and no shelter, and food, medicine or water to survive.ÌýÌý
OCHA warns that the situation in northern Gaza is increasingly dire - with residential areas being attacked, hospitals ordered to evacuate, and electricity still cut off. 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. 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.Ìý
Meanwhile in the south, there is no shelter stock as the rainy season approaches, and health supplies are running low. Ìý
Israeli authorities have allocated a single, unsafe road for aid workers to bring in supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they face active hostilities and violent, armed looting, fuelled by the collapse of public order and safety.Ìý
Nevertheless, we and our partners continue to provide life-saving assistance wherever we can to Palestinians in Gaza. UNRWA (Ãå±±½ûµØRelief and Works Agency) says that since last 7 October, it has provided more than 5.6 million medical consultations across Gaza. The agency has also reached nearly 1.9 million people with two rounds of flour over the past year, with nearly 367,000 people receiving three rounds of the distributions.Ìý
LebanonÌý
Turning North, in Lebanon, the Special Coordinator for the United Nations, Jeannine Hennis-Plasschaert, continues her close engagements with all actors, urging for an immediate ceasefire and that space be created for diplomatic initiatives.ÌýÌý
We note that heavy strikes in both directions across the Blue Line have continued through the weekend and today, with casualties reported from Israeli strikes including in Beirut and southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have also reported dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries since 3 October of this year.Ìý
UNIFIL in southern Lebanon have continued to observe heavy exchanges of fire over the weekend, including this morning. Airstrikes as well as ground incursions by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) targeted multiple areas across the Blue Line.Ìý
The Mission also reports that Hizbullah launched dozens of attacks over the same period, including to repel ground incursions by the IDF and target areas in northern Israel itself. Several people were reportedly injured following Hizbullah’s strikes on Haifa. ÌýThat’s what we are getting from local officials. Due to the security situation, UNIFIL personnel had to take shelter in bunkers since early morning today.Ìý
And in a statement the peacekeeping mission issued over the weekend, UNIFIL notes their deep concern with respect to recent activities by the Israeli army immediately adjacent to one of the peacekeeping Mission’s position, southeast of Marun ar Ras in Sector West, which is inside Lebanese territory. Ìý
UNIFIL said this is an extremely dangerous development and that the IDF has been repeatedly informed of this ongoing situation through the regular communications channels. It is unacceptable to compromise the safety of Ãå±±½ûµØpeacekeepers carrying out their mandate handed over to them by the Security Council, and UNIFIL reminds all actors of their obligations to protect United Nations personnel and United Nations property.Ìý
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Lebanon/HumanitarianÌý
On the humanitarian front in Lebanon, we continue to be worries about the attacks on the health system. According to the Lebanese authorities, 36 incidents targeting health care facilities have been reported between 8 October 2023 and 4 October 2024. ÌýAt least 96 primary health care centres, and three hospitals, have been forced to close due to the hostilities. Attacks have not only impacted facilities but also health personnel with the World Health Organization putting the number of health workers on duty killed in the same period to 77. Our health partners are supporting the Lebanese health authorities and delivering additional trauma and emergency kits to hospitals. They are also providing medicines. ÌýÌý
Water infrastructure is also affected to date, with at least 25 water facilities damaged. That impacts 300,000 human beings. ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
We and our partners are also providing hundreds of thousands of drinking water to people in collective shelters.Ìý
Ongoing hostilities and displacement orders continue to displace people, particularly from the south of the country and the capital’s southern suburbs. The International Organization for Migration has recorded more than 540,000 displaced people, since October 8th.
Food partners report that since September 23rd, more than 500,000 received hot meals. Partners are also delivering other essential supplies.ÌýÌý
We and our partners,Ìýin close collaboration with the Government of Lebanon, continue to lead and coordinate relief efforts for displaced and affected people.Ìý
The Flash Appeal we issued last week for $426 million is currently 12 per cent funded with only $53 million in the bank.ÌýÌýWe urge donors to give. Give in cash and give quickly.
Ãå±±½ûµØRefugee Agency
UNHCR High Commissioner Grandi visited Beirut to express his solidarity with Lebanon and to mobilize more support for all those affected, both Lebanese and refugees. They told him how desperate they are to feel safe, and for the airstrikes to stop so they can return to their towns and villages.ÌýWith large numbers of people displaced within the country in just two weeks, government-run shelters are overwhelmed and UNHCR is working with humanitarian partners and the authorities to urgently find safe shelter for all those without.ÌýUNHCRÌýis also providing people with essential relief items, cash assistance, shelter assistance, medical care and other support. But the international community must significantly increase funding in order for humanitarians to respond adequately.Ìý
Sudan
Turning to Sudan, another grave humanitarian crisis. OCHA is deeply concerned about the worrying situation in the capital of North Darfur, El Fasher, where we are seeing reports of continued clashes posing a risk to hundreds of thousands of civilians who remain in the area.Ìý
As you know, famine conditions have already been confirmed in the Zamzam camp for displaced people, which is just outside of El Fasher, and we think that other camps in the area are likely to have famine conditions.ÌýÌý
Our colleagues in Sudan are closely following the developments and continue to advocate for an immediate stop to the fighting, and for the protection of civilians and humanitarian access – of both supplies and personnel – throughout the country.
In the first few days of October alone, tens of thousands of people have been displaced across Sudan due to fighting. This includes in North Darfur, West Darfur and Sennar states, where airstrikes, clashes between rival forces, and insecurity near villages and markets have displaced as many as 42,000 people, both within Sudan and across borders. That is what the International Organization for Migration is telling us.Ìý
We are also closely monitoring the cholera outbreak in Sudan. As of Saturday, 21,000 cases of cholera had been reported over the past two months, including more than 600 fatalities from cholera. That's what WHO and Sudan's Ministry of Health are telling us.ÌýÌý
Over the weekend, however, UNICEF was able to charter a plane, which carried 1.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccines. That plane arrived in Port Sudan to bolster the response, which aims to vaccinate more than 1.8 million people in the most affected states – which are Gedaref, Kassala and River Nile State.Ìý
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Deputy Secretary-General/South AfricaÌý
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, is wrapping up her visit to Johannesburg, in South Africa.ÌýÌý
She arrived there yesterday to discuss South Africa’s priorities and their vision for their forthcoming chairmanship of the G20 summit, as well as national efforts to drive sustainable development. While there, she held meetings with officials, including with the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Roland Lamola and the Minister of National Treasury, Enoch Godongwana. The Deputy Secretary-General expressed the UN’s full support for South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025 and the effective participation of the African Union. She also met with women leaders from all sectors and met with the Ãå±±½ûµØcountry team. Later today, she will go to Baku, Azerbaijan to take part in the Pre-Cop meeting to the Ãå±±½ûµØClimate Change Conference, which will be held later this year.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
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International DaysÌý
Today is World Habitat Day.ÌýÌý
By 2030, 60 per cent of urban residents will be under the age of 18, and this year’s theme is "Engaging youth to create a better urban future". In his message, the Secretary-General says the theme highlights the vital role of young people in creating a better urban future.ÌýÌýÌý
The other international day is World Cotton Day. Cotton is also a major source of income. A single tonne of cotton provides year-round employment for five people on average, often in some of the world’s most impoverished regions.ÌýÌý
Programming NoteÌý
Tomorrow, around 12:30 p.m., the Secretary-General of the United Nations is expected to speaks to reporters at the Security Council stakeout.
At 1:30 p.m., Tuesday 8 October, there will be a press briefing by Reem Alsalem, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.
We expect Sharon Birch, the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, to brief on Thursday of this week.
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