Gaza: Alarm over Israeli move to deregister NGOs

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The development – which also applies to the occupied West Bank – is a result of the Israeli requirement introduced on 9 March impacting international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

“Unless urgent action is taken…most international NGO partners could be de-registered by 9 September or sooner – forcing them to withdraw all international staff and preventing them from providing critical, lifesaving humanitarian assistance to Palestinians,” said UN and partner aid organizations that are known collectively as the Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Many UN agencies still operate in Gaza, working closely with NGO partners to reach the war-torn enclave’s most vulnerable people. International NGOs are key as they provide critical support to Palestinian NGOs in the form of supplies, funding and technical support.

Collective call

“Without this cooperation, their operations will be severed, cutting off even more communities from food, medical care, shelter and critical protection services,” said the Humanitarian Country Team, which is overseen by the UN’s top aid official in OPT and includes heads of UN agencies and more than 200 local and international NGOs.

Already, NGOs which have not registered under the new system are prohibited from sending any supplies to Gaza.

Just last month, Israeli authorities rejected repeated requests by 29 of them to ship humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing the organizations as “not authorised”.

“This policy has already prevented the delivery of lifesaving aid including medicine, food, and hygiene items,” the humanitarian collective said. “This most profoundly affects women, children, older people, and persons with disabilities, further aggravating the risk of being subjected to abuse and exploitation.”

In a statement urging Israel to reconsider its demand for sensitive employee information from NGOs, the humanitarian country team insisted that impeding its work violates international law “when we are receiving daily reports of death by starvation as Gaza faces famine conditions”.

Convoy tragedy

Meanwhile inside Gaza, reports on Wednesday indicated that at least 20 people were killed and dozens more injured in central Gaza after a convoy of aid trucks overturned into a crowd.

The incident happened in southern Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, on Tuesday, according to the local authorities. Further reports indicated that desperate people seeking aid had climbed onto the lorries before the drivers lost control.

In its latest aid update, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, noted that a full 90 per cent of aid brought into Gaza since 20 July has been “offloaded by hungry crowds or looted by armed gangs”.

People who approach aid convoys near Israeli military checkpoints continue to be killed and wounded, OCHA said.

It cited the health authorities which reported that between 27 May and 4 August, there have been 1,516 fatalities and more than 10,000 injuries at militarised distribution sites or along humanitarian aid convoy routes.

Gaza: Security Council meets on hostage crisis amid ‘unbearable’ conditions facing Palestinian civilians

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča briefed a Security Council meeting on Tuesday called by Israel to discuss the plight of hostages still being held in the war-ravaged enclave.

It comes after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released images and videos of two emaciated hostages, Evaytar David and Rom Braslavsky, sparking outrage and condemnation.

‘An affront to humanity itself’

“The scenes of Evaytar apparently being forced to dig his own grave are appalling,” he said.

“These images, and their own accounts of their treatment, have horrified us all. They are an affront to humanity itself.”

Mr. Jenča acknowledged the presence of Mr. David’s brother, Ilay, who participated in the meeting via videoconference, saying the UN recognises “the profound pain and hardship endured by the families and loved ones of those who remain in captivity.”

He recalled that this week the Jewish community commemorated Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning and remembrance of tragedies endured throughout its history.

“I pay tribute to your courage and determination, and I share your dearest wish: for your brother, and all hostages held in Gaza, to be immediately and unconditionally released,” he said.

A war crime

Currently, 50 hostages continue to be held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in horrific conditions and 28 are thought to be deceased, while freed hostages “have relayed distressing accounts of deprivation, ill-treatment, and abuse.”

Since the conflict began, Hamas and other armed groups have circulated dozens of videos of hostages, including statements made under duress and while clearly suffering, including the most recent footage of the two men.

“International law is clear,” said Mr. Jenča. “Hostage-taking is prohibited – it is a war crime.”

He stressed that people deprived of their liberty must be treated humanely and with dignity and allowed to be visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“They must never be subject to ill-treatment, abuse, or humiliation, as these would also constitute violations of relevant rules of international law,” he added, before reiterating UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s call on Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

Gaza situation ‘unbearable’

Meanwhile, “the situation in Gaza is horrifying – it is unbearable,” he continued, noting that “Palestinians are subjected to squalid, inhumane conditions on a daily basis.”

More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began, according to local health authorities.

“Since the end of May, over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and over 8,100 injured while trying to access food supplies, including in the vicinity of militarized aid distribution sites,” said Mr. Jenča.

“The deaths and injuries continue to mount, day by day, with no end in sight to the suffering.”

This is happening as Israel continues to severely restrict humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, while the aid that is allowed to enter “is grossly inadequate.”

‘Hunger is everywhere’

He told the Council that “hunger is everywhere in Gaza, visible in the faces of children and in the desperation of parents risking their lives to access the most basic supplies.”

Here, he echoed the Secretary-General’s condemnation of the ongoing violence in Gaza, including the shooting, killing, and injuring of people trying to get food.

“International law is clear. Civilians must be respected, protected and never targeted or deliberately deprived of food or access to other lifesaving aid – doing so is a war crime,” he said.

“Israel must immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of sufficient amounts of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, to avert further suffering and loss of life.”

Potential military expansion ‘deeply alarming’

Mr. Jenča also addressed latest reports regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s possible decision to expand military operations through the entire Gaza Strip.

If true, they are “deeply alarming,” he said, as “this would risk catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza.”

He again turned to international law, which is clear that Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian State.

He cited the July 2024 Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which declared that Israel is under an obligation to immediately cease all new settlement activities, evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to bring an end to its unlawful presence there as rapidly as possible.

No military solution

Mr. Jenča concluded his briefing by underlining the UN’s position that the only way to end the violence and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is through a full and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and allowing aid to enter at scale and without obstruction.

Civilians also must be guaranteed safe, unhindered access to assistance.

He stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict in Gaza or the broader Israel-Palestine conflict.

“We must establish political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, start early recovery and reconstruction, address the legitimate security concerns of Israelis and Palestinians, and secure an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation and achieve a sustainable two-State solution,” he said.

This would mean “Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.”

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Children are ‘skin and bones’ as Sudan marks a grim milestone

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

It is a grim milestone for Sudan, the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. But with insufficient funding, lack of access to key regions and intensifying violence, milestones like this have become the grim norm.

“This is not hypothetical. It is a looming catastrophe,” said Sheldon Yett, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Sudan.

And it is a catastrophe that is unduly affecting women and children, many of whom have been displaced multiple times and lack access to even the most basic of services such as clean water, food and protection.

“Every day the conflict continues in Sudan, innocent lives are lost, communities are torn apart and trauma continues to haunt generations,” said Radhouane Nouicer, the UN’s designated expert on human rights in Sudan.

Emotional scar tissue

Children in Sudan are among those most affected by the crisis – 3.2 million children under five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the next year.

On a recent trip Jebel Aulia, a locality in Khartoum state which is at extreme risk of famine, Mr. Yett was horrified by what he saw.

“Many of the children are reduced to just skin and bones,” Mr. Yett said.

However, these children are not only contending with malnutrition – some of them have also been displaced four or five times, and over three-quarters of Sudanese children are out of school.

“The emotional scar tissue is massive – children don’t know where they are going next … often feeling like aliens in their own land,” Mr. Yett said.

He spoke with one mother in Jebel Aulia whose daughter may be forever changed by the violence.

“Since the war started, my daughter has fallen into a state of silence, and I can feel her heart racing with fear,” one mother said.

A gendered crisis

Around Sudan, as the food insecurity crisis spirals, women and girls are the “hungriest face of the crisis,” according to Salvator Nkurunziza, the UN Women representative in Sudan.

“With conditions now at near famine thresholds in several regions in the country, it is not just a food crisis but a gender emergency caused by a failure of gender-responsive action,” said Mr. Nkurunziza at a Tuesday press briefing in Geneva.

A recent report further drove home the gendered nature of the crisis, revealing that women-led households in Sudan are three times more likely to experience severe insecurity than households led by men.

This is especially concerning as the death, displacement or forced disappearance of men has left more and more women the sole bread winners. In total 75 per cent of women-led households cannot meet basic food needs.

“The data is unequivocal: female-headed households are slipping deeper into starvation, with fewer coping mechanisms, less access to income, and even more systemic barriers than last year,” the report said.

Nevertheless, Mr. Nkurunziza reminded the international community that women are not just victims but also agents of change in crisis settings.

Women-led organizations are on the frontlines, providing food through soup kitchens and supporting displaced families. And yet, they remain excluded from many of the decision-making processes and exposed to undue risks.

An unchanged human rights landscape

Food security and displacement are not the only challenges that the Sudanese face. Rather, the human rights situation is also deteriorating, according to Mr. Nouicer who visited Sudan to meet key government officials in July.

“I remain gravely concerned that civilians in Sudan continue to suffer widespread violations and abuses, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, forced displacement and arbitrary detention,” he said.

He specifically highlighted the unique challenges that women, children and people with disabilities face when confronting displacement and violence.

“The ongoing war has devastated civilian lives and turned daily survival into a constant struggle.”

‘Irreversible damage’

Mr Yett said that in his most recent trip, he saw the best and worst of humanity – the devastating impact of violence and inaction coupled with the hopeful possibilities that peace and action could provide.

“We are on the verge of irreversible damage to an entire generation of children, not because we lack the knowledge or the tools to save them but because we are collectively failing to act with the urgency and at the scale this crisis demands,” he said.

The first step is ensuring access to regions of Sudan like Zamzam which have been cut off from aid. With the rainy season approaching – and some roads already impassable – this is only becoming more difficult.

Mr. Nouicer highlighted that even if a ceasefire between the warring rival militaries happened, the level of devastation and abuse is so extreme that the future will require more than just peace.

“The path forward demands more than ceasefires and peace talks. It requires a sustained commitment to justice, accountability, and inclusive governance.”

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SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Israel calls for focus on Gaza hostages’ plight

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The Security Council is meeting to discuss rising concern in Israel and elsewhere over the dire conditions facing the hostages who remain in Gaza. It follows the release of recent videos by Hamas and other Palestinian militants showing emaciated captives, which the UN Secretary-General called “an unacceptable violation of human dignity.” A senior UN political affairs official reiterated the “unbearable” conditions faced by Palestinians across the war-ravaged enclave. Stay with UN News for live updates in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage. App users can follow the coverage here.

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Gaza crisis deepens as UN warns children are ‘dying before reaching hospital’

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

With 96 per cent of households lacking clean water, many malnourished children are not surviving long enough to receive hospital care.

James Elder, Spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), told at a news briefing in Geneva that it would be a mistake to assume the situation is improving.

“There’s a sense through the world’s press that things are improving,” he said. “But unless there is sustained humanitarian aid…there will be horrific results.”

He emphasised the scale of need: “When food comes in which supports 30,000 children, there are still 970,000 children not getting enough. It is a drop in the ocean.”

Aid still a trickle

The UN relief coordination office, OCHA, said that although unilateral pauses have allowed some aid into Gaza, the current trickle is vastly insufficient.

“There should be hundreds and hundreds of trucks entering Gaza every day, for months or years to come,” said Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson. “People are dying every day. This is a crisis, on the brink of famine.”

Thousands of tons of pre-funded aid remain stuck just outside the enclave, he added, as bureaucratic delays and lack of safe access continue to block distribution.

Urgent scale-up needed

In New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq also noted the impediments to bringing in and distributing sufficient aid.

“Massive food shortages continue to impact people’s chances for survival,” he said. “As malnutrition levels rise, children’s immune systems are weakened, hindering their development and growth far into the future.”

Last Thursday alone, 71 kitchens delivered over 270,000 hot meals across Gaza, including 10,000 to health facilities. But that figure falls far short of what’s needed to feed more than two million people.

“We need an urgent scale-up of supplies, as well as an environment that allows humanitarians to reach people in need safely, rapidly and efficiently,” Mr. Haq added.

Health challenges continue

Some medicine has entered Gaza in recent days, but supplies remain limited. Health workers continue to operate under extreme pressure and shortages.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 46 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome in July, including two deaths. The condition, which affects the nervous system, has been linked to compromised immunity, poor nutrition and hygiene-related infections.

The situation of pregnant women and nursing mothers is equally alarming. The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said that 40 per cent of pregnant or breastfeeding women are suffering from severe malnutrition, with newborn deaths and stillbirths on the rise.

Meanwhile, three UN fuel tankers reached Gaza City on Monday. The fuel will power critical health, water and sanitation services, but OCHA stressed this only allows operations to run at “bare minimum” capacity.

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The world is demanding action over plastic pollution: UN environment chief

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

“The world wants and indeed needs a plastic conventional treaty because the crisis is getting out of hand – and people are frankly outraged,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN agency leading the talks.

“We know that plastic is in our nature, in our oceans, and yes, even in our bodies…What is sure is that no one wants to live with the plastic pollution.”

Out of control

Unless an international accord is inked, plastic production and waste is projected to triple by 2060, causing significant damage – including to our health – according to UNEP.

Switzerland’s top environment official Katrin Schneeberger echoed the call for a legally binding treaty, insisting that plastic waste “is choking our lakes, harming wildlife and threatening human health. This is more than just an environmental issue, it is a global challenge that demands urgent and collective action.”

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the treaty negotiations, Ms. Schneeberger underscored that there was “no call for a production cap” by producing countries.

Spirit of compromise?

“Reaching a shared understanding that measures are needed on both the production and consumption sides can help unlock the negotiations,” she said in her capacity as Director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.

Supporters of a deal have compared it to the Paris Climate Accord in terms of its significance. They have also pointed to the pressure allegedly being brought to bear against a deal by petrostates, whose crude oil and natural gas provide the building blocks of plastics.

“We will not recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis: we need a systemic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy,” UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has insisted in previous comments on the need for global regulations on plastics.

Virtuous circle

With 10 days of talks scheduled on the treaty at the UN in Geneva, supporters of an accord hope that the deal will cover the full life cycle of plastics, from design to production and disposal.

The treaty should “promote plastic circularity and prevent leakage of plastics in the environment”, according to the text now guiding negotiations led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC).

At 22 pages, the INC document contains 32 draft articles which will be discussed line by line. The text is designed to shape the future instrument and serves as a starting point for negotiations by countries meeting in Geneva.

“Some [countries] will have to deal with reduction, others will have to deal with mechanical recycling and others will deal with alternatives,” Ms. Andersen said. “Let’s see how we can get to this through the negotiations. I think there’s a lot of good faith in the working group right now.”

The UNEP-led talks follow a decision in 2022 by Member States to meet and develop an international legally binding instrument to end the plastic pollution crisis, including in the marine environment, within two years.

The scale of the problem is massive, with straws, cups and stirrers, carrier bags and cosmetics containing microbeads just a few of the single-use products ending up in our oceans and landfill sites.

In comments to journalists, Ms. Andersen recalled touring Pakistan after deadly flooding killed more than 1,000 people in 2022 and seeing that debris and plastic were “a big part of the problem and so this is why we’re here, to find a solution while not leaving anyone behind and while ensuring that the economic wheels would keep turning”.

Disabling effect

Campaigners gathering on the sidelines of the negotiations expressed their hopes for as ambitious a treaty as possible.

They included Shellan Saling, from California, who’s the interim chair of the Youth Plastic Action Network (YPAN). “Plastic affects everything from climate change to health to fertility to even birth defects; it affects physical disabilities, as well as invisible disabilities,” she told UN News on Monday.

Any treaty inked in Geneva will have to be sufficiently robust to accommodate the needs of all countries of the world whose approach differs regarding plastic design, production, waste and recycling. It will also have to stand the test of time, Ms. Andersen said.

UN News interview with YPAN interim chair Shellan Saling

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World News in Brief: Child deaths in Pakistan, Ukrainian rail station attack, new UN-India development partnership

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The children picked up the unexploded ordnance in a nearby field, mistaking it for a toy, and brought it back to their village where it later detonated, UNICEF said.

The ordnance is likely one of the many unexploded shells left over from the military clashes between Pakistan and India in May, according to news reports.

Extending condolences to those affected, the agency stressed that “no child should fall victim to landmines or unexploded ordnance.”

The organization denounced the presence of explosive remnants of war, as they continue to pose deadly risks to children and communities in conflict zones – and former conflict areas – worldwide.

Ordnance risk education

Since January, UNICEF has collaborated with the Government to educate 9,500 children on the risks posed by leftover munitions in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The agency called on Pakistan to increase support for lifesaving explosive ordnance risk education.

Five dead in attack on Ukrainian rail station

Amid a wave of record civilian casualties, an overnight strike early Tuesday on a railway station in the city of Lozova, in Ukraine’s frontline Kharkiv region, killed five civilians and workers, injuring several others.

According to a social media post from the UN humanitarian aid agency (OCHA) in Ukraine, the railway station was heavily damaged, and surrounding homes were also affected.

According to news reports, the attack triggered fires across the city and disrupted rail traffic in Lozova, a strategically important transport hub.

Emergency assistance is ongoing, with aid workers on site providing emergency repair materials and psychological support.

UN-India partnership launches SDG projects across Global South

At Tuesday’s daily press briefing in New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq highlighted the launch of a new UN-India partnership to facilitate cooperation across the Global South and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN-India Global Capacity-Building Initiative, will showcase successful innovations to countries across the Global South, tailored to national priorities.

The Gates Foundation and the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme are also supporting the projects, which will be implemented with national partners in the Caribbean, Laos, Nepal, South Sudan and Zambia.

The projects aim to enhance digital health, food security, census preparedness and vocational skills training.

India and UN join forces for South-South Cooperation to accelerate the SDGs.

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UNHCR urges Pakistan to stop forced returns of Afghan refugees

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

He expressed particular concern over the plight of women and girls sent back to Afghanistan, which has been under Taliban rule for four years.

On 31 July, Pakistan confirmed that Afghan refugees would be deported under an ongoing ‘Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan’.

UNHCR has received reports of arrests and detention of Afghans across the country, including PoR cardholders.

Violation of non-return principle

“We acknowledge and appreciate Pakistan’s generosity in hosting refugees for over 40 years amid its own challenges,” said Mr. Baloch.

“However, given that those holding PoR cards have been recognized as refugees for decades, their forced return is contrary to Pakistan’s long-standing humanitarian approach to this group and would constitute a violation of the principle of non-refoulement.”

The situation is unfolding amid a mass return of Afghans from neighbouring countries, including Iran.

This year, over 2.1 million have already returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan, including 352,000 from Pakistan.

Listen to our interview with Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, on returnees coming from Iran.

Concern for women and girls

“UNHCR remains particularly concerned about women and girls forced to return to a country where their human rights are at risk, as well as other groups who might be endangered,” said Mr. Baloch.

He urged the authorities to ensure that any returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.

Moreover, UNHCR has continued to seek an extension of the validity of PoR cards, which expired at the end of June, and welcomed the additional one-month “grace period” granted by Pakistan. 

“UNHCR strongly urges the Government of Pakistan to apply measures to exempt Afghans with continued international protection needs from involuntary return,” he said.

“We also appeal to Pakistan’s established goodwill to allow legal stay for Afghans with medical needs, those currently pursuing higher education, or in mixed marriages.”

Far-reaching impact

He said the large-scale return of Afghans from neighbouring countries has put immense pressure on basic services, housing and livelihoods, as well as host communities.

The general policy is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. According to UN aid coordination office OCHA, almost half the population – nearly 23 million people – will require humanitarian assistance this year to survive.

Mr. Baloch warned that “mass and hasty returns significantly heighten protection needs, and risk instability in Afghanistan and the region, including onward movement.”

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First Person: Documenting despair and finding hope amidst the rubble of Gaza

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Some 21 months have passed since the 7 October armed attacks on Israel which sparked the current brutal conflict.

Thousands have died and much of Gaza has been laid to waste, but life must continue, according to the correspondent, who is remaining anonymous for security reasons.

“Those who live here in Gaza don’t need long explanations to understand the meaning of this war.

It is enough to listen for a few minutes: Planes buzz incessantly overhead, and airstrikes silence everything except fear which, although invisible, fills every space between our tents and seeps into our bodies.

A young boy is rescued after he was caught in an attack on a school shelter.

At night, there’s absolute darkness except for the flashes of bombing.

We sleep knowing that waking up is not guaranteed.

Every morning in Gaza is a new attempt to live, and every evening a challenge to survive. This is the harsh reality we live in.

I am one of more than two million Palestinians living under the burden of displacement. I document stories of war and despair while experiencing their full bitterness.

Since our home was destroyed in November 2023, the tent has become our safety. My family, once part of my private world, is now part of the stories I share with the world.

Here, life is simple and tragic.

Sleeping on the hard ground, cooking over firewood and the exhausting pursuit of a morsel of bread are no longer options, but a way of life imposed by the cruelty of war.

In the face of my eldest son, who is not yet 14, I see a reflection of a war that has stolen his childhood and imposed burdens on him greater than his years.

He has become an expert at water distribution routes, haggling for bread and carrying heavy gallons of water. I feel boundless pride in his courage, yet simultaneously a painful sense of powerlessness because I can’t protect him from what’s happening around us.

Oasis of hope

My wife is trying to create an oasis of hope for our other children. My two eldest daughters continue to learn online when the internet is intermittently working and to read whatever books are available.

My youngest daughter draws on worn pieces of cardboard while my youngest son, who is four, has no memory of anything other than the sound of explosions.

We stand helpless in the face of his innocent questions. There are no schools, no education, only desperate attempts to keep the brightness of childhood alive in them, in the face of a brutal reality.

More than 625,000 children in Gaza have been deprived of an education.

This is due to the destruction of schools and the lack of a safe environment in which to learn.

The future of an entire generation is threatened.

A drawing depicts people dying as they try to access food from a truck in Gaza.

Bearing witness

I work alongside other journalists. We wander between hospitals, streets and shelters.

We carry our journalistic equipment not only to document events, but also to be a voice for those whose voices have been silenced.

We film a child suffering from severe malnutrition, listen to the story of a man who has lost everything and witness the tears of a woman unable to provide food for her children.

We document a scene which is repeated daily: Thousands of people rush to reach a flour truck. They run after the trucks, collecting the last grains of flour from the ground.

They don’t care about danger as the hope of getting their hands on a loaf of bread is more precious than life.

Each time, casualties fall along the convoys’ routes and militarised distribution points.

We walk the streets, alert to every sound, as if we’re waiting for the end with every turn we make.

There’s no longer time for surprises or sadness, only constant tension and anxiety that has become part of the survivors’ DNA here.

This is the reality that cameras don’t capture, but it is the daily truth we try to explain to the world.

A WHO worker assesses a destroyed hospital in northern Gaza.

Tears of UN colleagues

We document the efforts of the United Nations and its various organizations.

I see staff sleeping in their cars to be closer to the crossings, and I see our UN colleagues crying as they listen to the stories of my fellow Gazans.

There is not enough aid. The crossings open and close abruptly, and some areas are deprived of supplies for days.

The western areas of Gaza City are overcrowded. Tents are spread out on every corner, on the sidewalks and among the rubble of destroyed homes, in dire conditions.

Empty markets

The value of the local currency has evaporated. Those with money in their bank accounts pay fees of up to 50 per cent to withdraw it, only to find themselves facing nearly empty markets. Whatever is available is being sold at exorbitant prices.

Vegetables are scarce, and when available, a kilogramme can cost more than $30. Fruit and meat are a distant memory.

The health system is in a state of complete collapse as 85 per cent of Gaza’s hospitals are no longer functioning and most dialysis and chemotherapy services have stopped.

Medications for chronic diseases are unavailable. I am unable to secure medicine for my parents, who suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure, and there is no hope of surgery which could save my brother’s arm, which was injured in an airstrike.

A young boy carries a water bottle through an area where people are living in tents.

Witness to everything

Sometimes, I feel caught between two identities, the journalist documenting the suffering and the human experiencing it.

But, perhaps this is where the strength of our journalistic mission from the Gaza Strip lies: to be a voice from the heart of the tragedy, to convey to the world the reality of what is happening on a daily basis.

Every day in Gaza poses a new question:

Will we survive?

Will our children return from their search for water?

Will the war end?

Will the crossings be opened so aid can be delivered?

From here, we will continue, because untold stories die and because every child, woman and man in Gaza deserves to have their voice heard.

I am a journalist.

I am a father.

I am displaced.

And I am a witness to everything.

Hunger in Gaza: Women and children face death in search of food

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

“I used to easily receive aid distributed by the UN,” Abir Safi, a displaced person from the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, told UN News. “Now, we get nothing. I risk my life by going to the Zikim crossing and returning with an empty bag. All I want is to return to my children with some food.”

Ms. Safi said she never imagined that providing for her children would become a deadly adventure. After losing her husband in the war, she found herself alone, facing the responsibility of supporting her family amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

She was among thousands of citizens who gathered along Rashid Street in northern Gaza, which connects the Zikim crossing to northern Gaza, hoping to receive humanitarian aid.

A horse-drawn cart carries the bodies of more than seven Palestinians killed while trying to reach aid.

‘Bullets over my head’

Our correspondent witnessed the arrival of thousands of Palestinians returning from a journey in search of food supplies. Thousands of emaciated bodies – men, women, and children – were caught in a scene that has become a daily occurrence. Everyone is running in search of the few aid trucks that reach northern Gaza.

The United Nations has the capacity and resources necessary to distribute aid in a safe, dignified manner to all those in need in the Gaza Strip. The organization continues to call for the lifting of restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the entry and distribution of aid into Gaza.

The danger lies not only in the crowding and chaos, but also in the death that lurks around everyone. Fayza al-Turmisi, a displaced person from Shuja’iyya, described the horrific scene along Rashid Street in northern Gaza.

“They fire shells and bullets at us here. We are forced to lie on the ground. I hide among more than 200 men, and bullets fly over my head. If you raise your head, you get hit. If you stay on the ground, bullets fall around you.”

A young Gazan was injured while trying to obtain aid.

Between mourning and hunger

Mohammed Mudeiris, aged seven, said he lost his father in an airstrike just the day before. He doesn’t have the luxury of grieving for his father as he is now the sole breadwinner for his siblings.

Walking through the dense crowds, he extends his small hand, begging for a handful of flour to take back to his siblings.

“I am the eldest of my siblings,” he said. “My father was killed in an airstrike yesterday. I am trying to ask someone to give me a plate of flour or a meal from the aid that arrived today.”

Mohammed Mudeiris, a child who lost his father in an Israeli airstrike, coming to secure food for his siblings from aid trucks arriving via the Zikim crossing.

‘I risk my life to bring food to my children’

The race for food is not limited to men. Women are forced to take this risk, driven by the responsibilities of motherhood and the needs of their children.

“I throw myself into danger to bring food for my children,” said Asma Masoud, who was displaced from northern Gaza.

“We never get our fair share of aid,” she said. “My husband is paralysed, and there are widows and women like me who cannot provide food for their children.”

Highlighting that some young people take the aid and sell it at exorbitant prices that she cannot afford to buy, Ms. Masoud called on the world to ensure “a fair distribution mechanism and to allow UNRWA [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] and international organizations to do so”.

Aid should be distributed via text messages so that every person in need receives their share, as was the case before, she said.

“But now, only a few people are profiting and selling the aid,” she stated. “We cannot tolerate that. It is an injustice.”

Asma Masoud, a displaced woman from northern Gaza, returning from a search for food.

‘I don’t know how I’m going to feed my children’

Ms. Safi agreed with Ms. Masoud, complaining that “the beneficiaries now are largely thieves.”

“I’ve lost a lot of weight, and all my health is gone,” Ms. Safi said. “I don’t know how I’m going to feed my children. I want to receive aid with dignity. Aid used to come through the United Nations, and I could easily go and receive it, but now I don’t receive anything.”

I want to receive aid with dignity.

This chaotic system leaves behind widows, women, the elderly and many other complex humanitarian cases, such as Maqboula Adas, who supports her injured husband and her son who has a broken leg.

“My husband is injured and cannot move,” she explained. “My eldest son has a broken leg, and I also have three daughters. No one supports us except God. Every day I go to try to get some flour. If it weren’t for that, they would have died of hunger.”

Maqboula Adas, a displaced woman from Shuja’iyya.

Carts carry corpses

At the height of this tragedy, macabre scenes emerge. Instead of carrying bags of flour, a horse-drawn cart transports the bodies of at least seven Palestinians who were killed while trying to get aid.

While some young men carried sacks of flour on their backs, ambulances bring the wounded and dead from the northern regions. The achievement of getting food aid comes at a heavy price.

One young man was injured in the head and face while trying to collect aid.

“I came to collect aid, but today wasn’t my day,” he said. “I will come again despite my injury, and I hope God will provide for me next time.”

Thousands of Palestinians seeking aid arriving from the Israeli Zikim crossing in northern Gaza.

Risk of famine

Gaza is facing a severe risk of famine, with food consumption and nutrition indicators at their worst levels since the beginning of the current conflict, according to a warning issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

At least 147 deaths due to hunger and malnutrition have been reported, including 88 children. More than 28,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition have been recorded among children, according to reports from the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme.

Despite promises to facilitate the flow of aid, restrictions on the entry of food and fuel, along with ongoing attacks near the crossings, have prevented supplies from reaching those in need. In addition, the chaotic distribution of aid within Gaza has further complicated the situation and placed civilians at greater risk.

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has documented the deaths of hundreds of people attempting to access aid amid ongoing gunfire and shelling near relief truck routes and military distribution points.

Abir Safi, a displaced woman from Al-Zaytoun neighbourhood.

‘If I get killed, who will take care of my children?’

Amidst this chaos, widow Enaam Siam, a mother of six, recounts her struggle for food.

“I am a widow and a mother of six orphaned children, one of whom is injured,” she said. “Every day, I go out amidst death to bring them food. I see the dead and wounded.”

She asked why aid is no longer delivered to warehouses and distributed via text message.

“If I am killed, who will take care of my children? There are thousands of women in a similar situation. We want safety, peace and a fair system that ensures aid reaches those in need.”

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Dozens more migrants die after boat capsizes off the coast of Yemen

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

With many victims believed to be Ethiopian nationals, this heartbreaking incident highlights the “urgent need to address the dangers of irregular migration along the Eastern Route,” one of the busiest and riskiest migration routes in the world mainly used by people from the Horn of Africa, said the IOM in a statement on Tuesday.

“Every life lost is a powerful reminder of the human toll of irregular migration,” said the agency.

Safer pathways

Since the beginning of 2025, IOM has recorded more than 350 migrant deaths and disappearances along the Eastern Route, with actual figures likely to be significantly higher.

The agency called for stronger international and regional cooperation to prevent further loss of life by expanding safe and regular migration pathways, enhancing coordinated search and rescue efforts, protecting survivors, and supporting their safe, dignified return and sustainable reintegration into their countries of origin.

Tackling root causes

“Immediate lifesaving assistance and protection for vulnerable migrants must be prioritised, alongside targeted efforts to tackle the root causes of irregular migration,” said the agency.

Commending local authorities for their swift response, the IOM reiterated its commitment to supporting ongoing interagency efforts to identify and assist survivors, recover bodies, and provide support to affected families.

Working with partners to mobilise resources and deliver humanitarian assistance to people on the move, the IOM said this tragic loss of life is a reminder of the crucial need for “safe, regular pathways, strong protection systems, effective search and rescue operations, and accountability for smugglers and traffickers.”

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Mounting civilian casualties in Sudan as fighting intensifies

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

It has now been 842 days since conflict between troops from the military government and their former allies-turned-rivals in the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in Sudan, turning the country into the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Heavy fighting continues in North Darfur State, with multiple civilian casualties reported in recent days – most notably during clashes in the state capital, El Fasher, on 1 and 2 August – following earlier violence between armed groups near the Abu Shouk camp for displaced people, which currently hosts 25,000 residents.

Starvation threat

One year after famine was confirmed in Zamzam camp on the outskirts of El Fasher, the city remains under siege, with no food aid deliveries entering by road, leaving residents of the regional capital increasingly facing starvation.

Prices of food items such as sorghum and wheat are more than four times higher than elsewhere in the country, while many families are unable to afford even the most basic items.

“Limited cash assistance continues, but it is nowhere near enough to meet rising needs,” said Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq on Monday during the daily briefing in New York.

Cholera menace continues

Meanwhile, cholera continues to spread across Darfur, with nearly 1,200 cases reported – around 300 of them children – in the locality of Tawila since late June.

In South Darfur, health authorities have reported more than 1,100 suspected cases and 64 deaths since late May, as “shortages of medical supplies, clean water and sanitation services are severely hampering the humanitarian response,” said Mr. Haq.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that the lives of more than 640,000 under-fives are at heightened risk of violence, disease and hunger in the region.

Compounded crisis

In Blue Nile State, floods in Ed Damazine displaced more than 100 people and destroyed at least 200 tents at Al-Karama camp on 1 August, further compounding the challenges facing people who fled their homes due to conflict.

Meanwhile, in Khartoum State, the presence of deadly landmines in multiple locations adds a dangerous new layer to the threats already faced daily by civilians.

As OCHA’s Director of Operations, Edem Wosornu, visits Sudan this week to assess the humanitarian situation, the agency has called for sustained and expanded humanitarian access along with greater international support for the most vulnerable.

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World News in Brief: Uganda’s refugee funding crisis, academic freedom tested in Serbia, rural resilience in Afghanistan

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Uganda has a progressive refugee policy which enables refugees to work and access public services. This coupled with its geographic proximity to crises has made it the continent’s largest refugee-hosting country.

“Emergency funding runs out in September. More children will die of malnutrition, more girls will fall victim to sexual violence, and families will be left without shelter or protection unless the world steps up,” said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s director for external relations.

UNHCR estimates that it costs $16 per refugee per month to provide essential services, but at this point, the agency will only be able to deliver $5 worth of aid each month.

Funding missing

Most refugees are entering Uganda from war-torn Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – all countries which have been ravaged by protracted armed conflicts and acute food insecurity.

These refugees are seeking shelter and life-saving aid, and many of them are children.

In a recent visit to some of the refugee camps, Ms. Hyde met one 16-year-old girl who fled violence in South Sudan after losing her parents. She is now caring for her four younger siblings alone.

“She dreams of going back to school, but survival is all she can think about,” Ms. Hyde said.

Children like her depend on the aid which UNHCR and the Uganda government provide. But with only 25 per cent of the funding required, the aid is quickly disappearing.

“Uganda has opened its doors, its schools, and its health centers. This model can succeed, but it can’t do it alone,” Ms. Hyde said.

A test of democratic resilience in Serbia as crackdown on protests continues

Independent human rights experts warned Monday that Serbia’s intensifying crackdown on protests and protestors — especially students, professors and civil society — violates international human rights and undermines democracy.

The protests, which began in late 2024 in response to an infrastructural collapse which killed 16 people, have become a nationwide call for accountability, transparency and justice.

“What we are witnessing in Serbia is a systematic attempt to silence critical voices and dismantle the independence of academic institutions. This is not just a student protest — it is a test of human rights accountability and democratic resilience,” the experts said.

Independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva to monitor and report on special human rights matters. They are independent of the UN system and any government.

Renewed commitment

Since the end of June, the experts said that they have observed increasingly violent repression of protests, including unlawful arrests, prolonged detention and smear and surveillance campaigns against individuals. Some protesters have reportedly been seriously injured.

Educational institutions in particular have come under pressure with some universities slashing faculty salaries and some high school teachers have been threatened with disciplinary action for supporting the protesters.

“Instead of listening to young people’s voices, the Government has chosen to punish them. This approach not only violates international human rights standards, but also, by its very nature, undermines the very foundation of a democratic society,” the experts said.

The experts called on the Serbian government to renew its commitment to human rights and justice, stressing that academic freedom and access to justice are pillars of democracy.

New programme in Afghanistan seeks to rebuild farmer resilience

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in concert with the United Kingdom, is launching a new agricultural resiliency programme in Afghanistan in the hopes of improving production and nutrition throughout the country.

Resilient Agriculture Livelihoods (ReAL) hopes to reach over 150,000 people in all eight regions of the country by the end of next May. It will specifically target small-scale farmers, landless labourers, livestock keepers and women and girls.

“Afghanistan’s farmers are extraordinarily resilient, but repeated climate and economic shocks are eroding this strength. This project lays down important pathways to help farmers rebuild that resilience,” said Richard Trenchard, the FAO representative in Afghanistan.

Agricultural cornerstone

The ReAL program will work to expand market access for farmers in addition to managing climate risks in a way that will promote sustainable land use and enable communities to not rely on humanitarian assistance long-term.

Between 2022 and 2024, FAO reached over 30.3 million people in Afghanistan with emergency food relief and long-term resilience projects, work which helped to decrease the food insecurity crisis by half.

“In a country where agriculture sustains most lives, this is a short-term investment with long-term impact,” said Mr. Trenchard.

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UN urges MPs to deliver on development promises for 600 million in landlocked nations

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Speaking at Monday’s Parliamentary Forum of the Third UN Conference on LLDCs, senior UN leaders stressed that political will, matched with national legislative action, is essential if a new decade-long development plan is to make a real difference.

There are 32 such countries globally, home to over half a billion people. Many are also among the world’s least developed, hindered by high transport costs, limited access to global markets, and heightened vulnerability to climate impacts.

Cost burden

“These challenges are persistent and structural,” said High Representative Rabab Fatima who leads the office championing LLDCs. “They stem not just from being landlocked but from limited infrastructure, narrow export bases, and lack of access to finance.”

The figures, she said, tell a stark story: LLDCs account for seven per cent of the world’s population but only one per cent of global GDP. Trade costs are 30 per cent higher than for coastal states. Just 61 per cent of LLDC populations have electricity access, compared to 92 per cent globally — and fewer than 40 per cent are connected to the internet.

“These are not just statistics. They reflect real human challenges,” said Ms. Fatima.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) meets President Serdar Gurbangulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, during his visit for the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries being held in Awaza.

Be ‘champions of change’

She described the Awaza Programme of Action as “a milestone” and “a clear roadmap” to help transform structural disadvantages into opportunities. But she stressed that delivering on its goals requires action at the national level.

“Parliaments have a decisive role,” Ms. Fatima said. She urged lawmakers to align national strategies with the programme, secure financing, promote trade and integration, support good governance, and form parliamentary groups dedicated to implementation.

“You are lawmakers, you are budget-makers — and champions of change. Your leadership is essential to ensure that the Awaza Programme delivers tangible and lasting results for the 600 million people of LLDCs,” she told delegates.

Foundational role

President of the UN General Assembly Philémon Yang echoed her message, highlighting that “parliaments are essential to translating global commitments into measurable national progress.”

He emphasised that parliaments provide the legal framework for development in areas like infrastructure, innovation, and trade — and that they also hold the purse strings for key sectors such as education, healthcare, and climate action.

Addressing the urgency of environmental responsibility, Mr. Yang cited the July 2025 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed that climate action is a legal duty of all states.

Stronger cooperation

“Parliaments monitor government performance and ensure the efficient use of public funds,” Mr. Yang said. “Beyond policy and budgets, they are the bridge between the State and citizens.”

He also called for stronger inter-parliamentary cooperation — regionally and globally — to address the shared and specific challenges faced by LLDCs.

Concluding, Mr. Yang reaffirmed the UN General Assembly’s role as “the parliament of humanity,” committed to tracking progress and keeping LLDCs on the global development agenda.

“Let us strengthen this partnership between national parliaments and our global institutions,” he said, “so that we can deliver on the promise of sustainable development — a promise grounded in peace, prosperity, and dignity for everyone, everywhere.”

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Geography shouldn’t define destiny: UN summit on landlocked nations opens in Turkmenistan

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Urging global leaders to rethink development for landlocked nations, the UN chief declared: “We gather today to reaffirm a fundamental truth: geography should never define destiny.”

According to the UN Development Programme, of the 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) worldwide, 16 are in Africa, 10 in Asia, four in Europe, and two in Latin America. Together, they are home to over 500 million people.

Trade barriers, debt distress, and deep inequality

Mr. Guterres outlined the “daunting challenges” LLDCs continue to face – steep barriers to trade, high transport costs, and limited access to global markets. He warned that the debt burden of these countries has reached “dangerous and unsustainable levels.”

Although LLDCs account for seven per cent of the world’s population, they represent just over one percent of global economic output and trade. “This is a stark example of deep inequalities that perpetuate marginalization,” said the Secretary-General, attributing this to “an unfair global economic and financial architecture that does not reflect the realities of today’s interconnected world”, as well as to the legacy of colonialism.

Decade of ambition: the Awaza Programme of Action

The task before the conference, known as LLDC3 and running in Awaza through Friday, is to find solutions to these challenges.

“LLDC3 is about launching a new decade of ambition – through the Awaza Programme of Action and its deliverables – and fully unlocking the development potential of landlocked developing countries,” said Mr. Guterres.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024, that action plan represents a renewed and strengthened global commitment to support LLDCs’ development aspirations.

Four priorities for progress

The Secretary-General outlined four key priorities:

Accelerate Economic Diversification & Digital Transformation
• Invest in value-added industries, local innovation, and inclusive growth.
• Bridge the digital divide to unlock AI, e-commerce, and smart logistics.
Strengthen Trade, Transit & Regional Connectivity
• Upgrade infrastructure and simplify cross-border procedures.
• Integrate LLDCs into global value chains and reform trade systems.
Advance Climate Action & Resilience
• Double adaptation finance and build climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Support LLDCs in green transitions with technology and partnerships.
Mobilize Financing & Partnerships
• Reform global financial systems to ensure fair, accessible funding.
• Scale concessional finance and unlock climate investment at speed.

“The success of landlocked developing countries is essential to the success of the 2030 Agenda,” Mr. Guterres stressed.

“We have the knowledge, and we have the tools … Together, we can transform geography from a barrier to a bridge – connecting not just markets, but the peoples and cultures that give meaning to development.”

Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Guterres emphasized that the conference reflects a new era of cooperation taking shape across Central Asia – one grounded in mutual trust, shared priorities, and growing regional solidarity.

“At a time when multilateral cooperation is being tested, this spirit of partnership is more essential than ever,” he said.

Regional challenges, global solidarity

The session opened with a welcome from Turkmenistan’s President, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who highlighted national initiatives to strengthen international cooperation in healthcare, climate action, and environmental protection.

He also drew attention to regional challenges such as the drying of the Aral Sea and falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, which is the world’s largest enclosed body of water and the setting for the Third UN LLDC Conference.

In his remarks, UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang noted the “rapidly approaching deadline for the 2030 Agenda” and called for decisive action and a renewed commitment to multilateralism and foundational values.

He emphasized that the three pillars of the UN Charter – peace, development, and human dignity – must remain at the heart of all efforts, and that actions must reflect the promise to leave no one behind.

Noting LLDCs’ vulnerability to climate change and structural challenges, Mr. Yang said these countries “must never lack access to opportunity, prosperity, or hope,” and called for international solidarity, infrastructure investment, and the practical realization of freedom of transit.

He also announced that the General Assembly had proclaimed 6 August as the International Day of Awareness on Landlocked Developing Countries, to be observed annually.

“The General Assembly will continue to serve as a global platform in support of these countries,” he said, emphasizing the importance of monitoring the Awaza Programme of Action and preparing for its high-level review in 2029.

Turning vulnerability into opportunity

Also addressing the opening session, Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the UN Economic and Social Council, said LLDC3 is “a pivotal moment” for the 32 landlocked nations striving to overcome structural barriers to development.

Hailing from Nepal, which is both landlocked and least developed, he emphasized that the Awaza Programme of Action must serve as a “bold, ambitious, actionable, and future-oriented blueprint” to turn vulnerability into opportunity for over 570 million people.

Mr. Thapa underscored the urgency of addressing the “growing complexity, scale and urgency” of challenges facing LLDCs, including debt distress, climate impacts, and infrastructure gaps. Mr. Thapa urged the creation of an infrastructure investment facility for LLDCs, along with scaled-up climate finance, increased concessional resources, and accelerated technology transfer.

He also stressed the importance of regional cooperation and sustainable transport, praised Turkmenistan’s leadership, and reaffirmed ECOSOC’s commitment to advancing the Awaza Programme of Action – pledging to integrate LLDC priorities such as food security, youth empowerment, and climate resilience across all ECOSOC discussions and processes.

LLDC3 continues tomorrow, Wednesday 6 August, with roundtables and events on a range of topics, including connectivity and transport, South-South cooperation, youth engagement and more. Find all our coverage here.

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Gaza: As aid trucks enter, videos of Israeli hostages and attack on Red Crescent staffers spark outrage

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Meanwhile, on Thursday and again on Saturday, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants published disturbing videos of two emaciated Israeli hostages, sparking worldwide outrage and condemnation from UN leaders, including Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday.

The hostages pictured, Rom Braslavsk and Evyatar David, are two of the 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

At Monday’s daily briefing in New York, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said the Secretary-General “was very shocked by this unacceptable violation of human dignity.”

UN rights chief Volker Türk added in a statement that he was appalled by the humiliating treatment of the hostages. Both he and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, reiterated their call for an unconditional, immediate release of all hostages still being held since the 7 October terror attacks.

The High Commissioner said the “intolerable” sight of starvation in Gaza served as another reminder that the violence had to end. “Saving lives must be everyone’s priority.”

He called for Israel to immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded aid: “Denying civilians access to food may amount to a war crime, as well as potentially a crime against humanity.”

Attack on aid workers

On Sunday, the Israeli military reportedly struck the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Younis, killing one and injuring three other staff members.

The facility is marked with the Red Crescent emblem and is thus protected under international humanitarian law.

The UN rights office (OHCHR) in Palestine expressed deep shock and outrage over these killings.

“These workers continue to engage in life-saving efforts putting their own lives at risk,” OHCHR said.

Aid entry

Amid these controversies, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, posted on social media on Saturday, saying that since Friday, the agency had brought 24 trucks with medical supplies into Gaza.

Items included essential medicines, trauma and surgery supplies, treatments for non-communicable disease and laboratory and water testing supplies.

Mr. Haq also highlighted on Monday that in recent days, the UN and its partners have collected wheat flour, ready-to-eat rations and hot meals from crossing points into Gaza, but most of the cargo was taken by the hungry and desperate before reaching intended destinations.

Additionally, hygiene kits and nutrition supplies, including high-energy biscuits for pregnant and breastfeeding women and infant formula, have entered in the past week.

However, in the second week since the Israeli announcement of tactical pauses to allow safe passages for UN aid convoys, Mr. Haq said realities on the ground remain largely the same.

This includes many challenges to delivering aid, resulting in the impediment of two of the 11 missions on Sunday and the full passage of only seven.

Famine-like conditions

This aid is still a fraction of what is needed, as a catastrophic food crisis worsens across the Strip.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said it “is doing everything possible to distribute vital food assistance to families,” but reported on Sunday that over half a million people in Gaza are enduring famine-like conditions.

The UN aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) released an audio of Manar, an employee who works within Gaza, on Monday. She said that “food is never enough,” and that many walk in the heat for hours to search for food and medical supplies.

The Commissioner-General for UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, underscored that this near-famine is largely due to deliberate efforts to dismantle the UN-coordinated humanitarian system through the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is responsible for the killing of nearly 1,400 starving Palestinians near its sites and convoy routes, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Prioritising the GHF, Israel has prevented UNRWA – “the backbone of humanitarian response” – from bringing in assistance since 2 March, he said.

The final straw? Plastic pollution talks get underway in Geneva

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

Unless an international accord is inked, plastic waste is projected to triple by 2060, causing significant damage – including to our health – according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The scale of the problem is massive, with straws, cups and stirrers, carrier bags and cosmetics containing microbeads just a few of the single-use products ending up in our oceans and landfill sites.

Supporters of a deal have compared it to the Paris Climate Accord in terms of its significance. They have also pointed to the pressure allegedly being brought to bear against a deal by petrostates, whose crude oil and natural gas provide the building blocks of plastics.

“We will not recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis: we need a systemic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy,” UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has insisted.

Circular argument

The aim of the deal is for it to encompass the full life cycle of plastics, from design to production and disposal “to promote plastic circularity and prevent leakage of plastics in the environment”, according to the text being used to guide the talks of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) gathering in the Swiss city.

At 22 pages, the INC document contains 32 draft articles which will be discussed line by line. The text is designed to shape the future instrument and will serve as a starting point for negotiations.

10-day stint

For 10 days from 5-14 August, delegations from 179 countries are due to pore over the INC text as they meet at UN Geneva, alongside more than 1,900 other participants from 618 observer organizations including scientists, environmentalists and industry representatives.

A key aim of the meeting is to share tried and tested ways of reducing plastic use such as non-plastic substitutes and other safer alternatives.

Ahead of the talks in Geneva, the respected medical journal The Lancet published a warning that the materials used in plastics cause extensive disease “at every stage of the plastics life cycle and at every stage of human life”.

According to more than two dozen health experts cited in the journal, infants and young children are particularly vulnerable. “Plastics are a grave, growing, and under-recognized danger to human and planetary health” and are responsible for health-related economic losses exceeding $1·5 trillion annually”, it noted.

To follow the plastic pollution talks live on UN Web TV, click here: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16cqrvu2w

Leading the talks in Geneva is Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (or the INC) on Plastic Pollution, and Head of the INC Secretariat.

“In 2024 alone, humanity was projected to consume over 500 million tonnes of plastic. Of this, 399 million tonnes will become waste,” she said.

Latest forecasts indicate that plastic leakage into the environment will grow 50 per cent by 2040. “The cost of damages from plastic pollution could rise as high as a cumulative $281 trillion between 2016 and 2040,” she maintained.

The road to an international accord:

Five negotiation sessions towards a plastics treaty have taken place so far:

The first was in Uruguay in November 2022.
Two more followed in 2023 – in France and Kenya.
In April 2024, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) convened in Canada.
Most recently, discussions took place in Busan, Republic of Korea, at the end of last year. These talks were adjourned after delegations agreed to resume discussions in Geneva, under the leadership of the Chair of the Committee, Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso of Ecuador.

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Cholera spreads in North Darfur, 640,000 children under threat, UNICEF warns

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

More than 1,180 cholera cases – including an estimated 300 in children – and at least 20 deaths have been reported in Tawila, a town that has absorbed over half a million people fleeing violence since April.

Across the wider Darfur region, the toll is even more alarming: nearly 2,140 cases and at least 80 fatalities as of 30 July.

“Despite being preventable and easily treatable, cholera is ripping through Tawila and elsewhere in Darfur, threatening children’s lives, especially the youngest and most vulnerable,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative in Sudan.

With hospitals bombed and many health facilities shuttered, Tawila – located just 70 kilometres from the besieged state capital El Fasher – has become a flashpoint of overlapping crises.

Limited access to clean water, poor sanitation and overcrowded camps have created ideal conditions for the disease to spread.

Deepening catastrophe

The cholera outbreak is unfolding against a backdrop of deepening catastrophe. Since the war between rival militaries erupted in April 2023, critical infrastructure has been decimated, millions displaced and food systems dismantled.

Famine has already been declared in at least 10 locations, including the vast Zamzam camp, with over a dozen more areas at risk.

Sudan’s extreme vulnerability to climate shocks – from droughts to devastating floods – has further compounded the crisis, leaving families to navigate the deadly intersection of conflict, hunger, disease and environmental collapse.

Over 640,000 children at risk

More than 640,000 children under five in North Darfur alone are now at risk. Recent assessments show that the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the region has doubled in the past year.

“Children whose bodies are weakened by hunger are far more likely to contract cholera and to die from it,” UNICEF warned.

“They cannot wait a day longer.”

Call for action

UNICEF is urgently calling on all parties to ensure sustained, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. Bureaucratic delays, looted aid convoys and active fighting have hampered the delivery of vital supplies, including vaccines, therapeutic food and medical kits.

The agency is scaling up its emergency response in Tawila and across Darfur, distributing Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), chlorinated water and hygiene kits.

Nearly 30,000 people in Tawila now have daily access to safe drinking water, while outreach teams are raising awareness on prevention and early treatment.

Funds urgently needed

To support long-term containment, UNICEF plans to deliver more than 1.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccine and bolster treatment centres.

Additional supplies – soap, latrine slabs, plastic sheeting – are being readied, though access remains the greatest obstacle.

Since the outbreak was officially declared in August 2024, more than 94,000 cholera cases and over 2,370 deaths have been reported across 17 of Sudan’s 18 states. UNICEF says it urgently requires $30.6 million to fund its emergency cholera response.

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Awaza gears up to host UN conference on landlocked developing countries

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

More than 20 heads of state and government and some 3,000 delegates from international organizations, civil society, youth, academia and the private sector are expected to attend the conference.

UN News is on the ground in Awaza, reporting on the event as it unfolds.

At the flag-raising, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov formally welcomed participants. “Welcome to Awaza. I wish all participants success in the Conference,” he said.

UN High Representative Rabab Fatima expressed hope that the gathering would help “strengthen and expand partnerships among nations.”

Shared challenges and solutions

The opening ceremony, on Tuesday, will be attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, arriving from Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he spoke at the new Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (centre), alongside Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu (left), and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Umarov (right), arriving in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

“This Centre symbolizes the new era of cooperation in Central Asia – grounded in shared priorities and solutions,” he said.

Warning of “complex and interlinked challenges” including stalled poverty reduction, rising hunger and accelerating climate impacts, he stressed that Central Asia is already experiencing melting glaciers, shrinking water supplies and growing trade barriers.

The Centre, he added, can become “a vital pioneer” for implementing the Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries, turning geographic constraints into opportunities through regional cooperation.

A city transformed

Awaza, a national tourist zone on Turkmenistan’s Caspian coast, has been transformed into a global forum.

Final deliveries of water stations, security scanners, screens and technical equipment continued Sunday at the large sports complex-turned-conference venue. UN technical staff and local teams worked around the clock to set up cameras, plenary halls and logistics for dozens of side events.

“A massive preparatory effort has been carried out jointly with the UN to create the necessary conditions for delegates and all participants,” said Aksoltan Atayeva, Turkmenistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN. “We take our responsibility seriously and are doing everything possible to ensure the best conditions and successful work.”

Final preparations being made at the venue of the LLDC3 conference in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

Beyond meetings

In a nearby pavilion, countries prepared exhibitions highlighting progress in transport, energy and communications.

“The Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline are among the key projects,” Annaberdi Kashanov at the Turkmenistan pavilion, told UN News.

There are 32 landlocked developing countries worldwide, home to over 500 million people. Many are also among the world’s least developed countries, facing structural challenges such as high transport costs, limited market access and vulnerability to climate shocks.

Robust infrastructure and improved connectivity remain critical to overcoming these barriers, facilitating trade and integration into global markets.

The LLDC3 conference aims to promote global partnerships to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development.

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Violence in northern Mozambique forces thousands to flee, straining aid efforts

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Arun Kumar N

The displacement is the latest consequence of a cascade of overlapping emergencies in the country – including armed violence, climate shocks, disease outbreaks and a severe funding shortfall. Since January, over 95,000 people have fled insecurity in Cabo Delgado and humanitarian access is becoming increasingly fragile.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), attacks by armed groups between 20 and 28 July triggered the displacement of at least 46,667 people across the districts of Chiúre, Ancuabe and Muidumbe.

Chiúre was the hardest hit, with more than 42,000 people uprooted – over half of them children.

“Insecurity persists, and people on the move often lack civil documentation,” OCHA said in a humanitarian bulletin on Saturday. “These challenges may impact the ability of displaced people to move freely, safely access basic services and maintain their livelihoods.”

Children separated from families

Attacks in Chiúre Velho, Ocua and Mazeze have driven families to Chiúre Sede, where they are sheltering in overcrowded conditions in the neighbourhoods of Bairro Micone and Bairro Namicir. Reports indicate a high number of unaccompanied or separated children.

Food, shelter and essential non-food items are reported as the most urgent needs, according to humanitarian partners.

The security situation in Ancuabe district also deteriorated rapidly. According to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), the number of displaced families nearly tripled in one week, reaching 444 households (1,946 people), including over 1,200 children. The violence forced residents of Nanduli village to seek refuge in Chiote and Ancuabe Sede.

In Muidumbe, fighters reportedly torched homes in Magaia village and opened fire near Mungue. Nearly 500 families fled to nearby displacement sites, where humanitarian access remains limited.

Protection concerns, limited funding

OCHA stressed that under international law, civilians must be allowed to seek safety and freely choose their destination. But insecurity, lack of documentation and involuntary relocations are compounding protection risks.

At the same time, the aid response remains severely underfunded.

As of July, only 19 per cent of Mozambique’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan has been funded. Of the $352 million requested, just $66 million has been received – forcing agencies to reduce their response targets by over 70 per cent. They now aim to assist only 317,000 people, down from the target of 1.1 million at the start of the year.

“Urgent and sustained funding is essential to prevent further deterioration and address the escalating humanitarian needs that remain as acute and widespread as ever,” the OCHA report warned.

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