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‘Cycle of attacks must end’: Lead UN official in Ukraine

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The attacks on some of Ukraine’s most important population centres, which reportedly involved almost 400 drones, also left thousands without electricity, heating and water.

Temperatures in the country have dropped to -20° Celsius, and the attacks on energy infrastructure have left families in freezing conditions. Many older persons and people with disabilities are often stuck in their homes in high-rise apartment buildings, without electricity and heating, unable to cook hot meals or recharge their devices to stay connected. 

The latest attacks took place during ongoing peace talks in the United Arab Emirates, involving delegates from Russia, Ukraine and the United States

In Kharkiv, a dormitory housing displaced persons who fled the fighting on the front line came under fire. A hospital and residential buildings were also damaged.

In the capital, Kyiv, thousands of apartment buildings which were gradually being reconnected to basic utilities after the previous wave of attacks on January 9 and 20, were again left without electricity in sub-zero temperatures.

The entire city of Chernihiv and hundreds of thousands of families in the surrounding region were left without electricity.

Repair crews and humanitarian workers continue to work in low temperatures to help the victims.

According to media reports, more than one million people are without power across the country, around 800,000 of whom are in Kyiv.

“This systematic cycle of attacks on energy infrastructure violates international humanitarian law and must stop,” said Mr. Schmale, the Humanitarian Coordinator said in a statement. Ukrainian civilians, he said, should live in their homes in safety and warmth, and not in fear of the next round of destruction.

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Israeli strike in Doha marks ‘alarming escalation’, warns top UN official, in call to uphold diplomatic norms

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Rosemary DiCarlo described Tuesday’s strike in a residential area of the Qatari capital – which targeted Hamas’s political leadership killing several affiliates along with a Qatari security officer – as potentially opening a “new and perilous chapter in this devastating conflict, seriously threatening regional peace and stability.”

The attack occurred on 9 September in residential compounds reportedly housing members of the Hamas’ political bureau, including the son of its chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya.

While Hamas leaders survived, the organization said, the incident disrupted ongoing negotiations over a US-mediated ceasefire and hostage release agreement to end the war in Gaza.

Respect sovereignty

“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of any country, including Qatar – a valued partner in advancing peacemaking and conflict resolution – must be respected,” Ms. DiCarlo told ambassadors.

She urged all parties to exercise restraint and reaffirmed the need to preserve negotiation and mediation channels to prevent further suffering in Gaza and the wider region.

Israel claimed responsibility for the strike, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing it as “a wholly independent operation” following a deadly attack on civilians in Jerusalem on 8 September, which Hamas said it carried out.

Qatar, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the action and expressed concern over further escalation.

Confidence undermined

Ms. DiCarlo told ambassadors that Israel’s strike came “at the height of ongoing consultations.”

“Any action that undermines the work of mediation and dialogue weakens confidence in the very mechanisms we depend on for conflict resolution,” she said, stressing that durable solutions in the Middle East cannot be achieved through further violence.

She called for renewed commitment to diplomacy, warning that the urgency of a ceasefire and hostage release has never been greater.

“I call on all stakeholders to exercise utmost restraint at this sensitive time and recommit to diplomacy. The urgency of a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza has never been greater. Strike a deal. Free the hostages. End the suffering of the people of Gaza.”

Gaza crisis spiralling

Meanwhile, the humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank remains critical.

Since the conflict in Gaza erupted in October 2023 – following attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on communities in southern Israel, tens of thousands have died – mostly civilians – infrastructure and basic services are largely destroyed, and the enclave lies in ruins while a new offensive to take Gaza City is ongoing.

The UN Security Council meets to discuss the situation in the Middle East in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in Doha, the capital of Qatar..

Security Council press statement

Ahead of Thursday’s session, the Security Council issued a press statement expressing condemnation of the strikes in Doha and deep regret over the loss of civilian life.

The statement reaffirmed support for Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and acknowledges the country’s key role in mediation efforts to end the devastating war, alongside Egypt and the United States.

It emphasised that releasing hostages – including those killed by Hamas – ending hostilities, and ensuring civilian protection in Gaza, remain the Council’s highest priorities.

It also on all parties to seize ongoing diplomatic opportunities for peace.

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World News in Brief: Executions surge in Iran, nuclear test threat, Burkina Faso declares top official unwelcome

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At least 841 people have been put to death by the Government of Iran since the beginning of the year, with ethnic minorities and migrants “disproportionately targeted”, said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Some executions have been carried out publicly, she added, with seven reported this year based on available information: “The real situation might be different. It might be worse given the lack of transparency in the use of the death penalty.”

Imminent executions

Eleven people now face imminent execution; six have been charged with “armed rebellion” owing to their alleged membership of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq group.  

Five others are on death row in connection with their participation in the 2022 protests, following the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, who was detained by Iran’s so-called morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly.  

Ms. Shamdasani reiterated calls from UN rights chief Volker Türk for Iran to impose a moratorium on the application of the capital punishment, as a step towards its abolition.

UN chief warns against ‘playing with fire’ as nuclear test threat looms

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning on the International Day against Nuclear Tests, urging world leaders to halt the threat of renewed detonations.

“Stop playing with fire. Now is the time to silence the bombs before they speak again,” he said in his message, which coincides with the 80th anniversary of the first nuclear test on 16 July 1945 – in the New Mexico desert under the Manhattan Project.

A deadly legacy

Since then, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out worldwide.  

Atmospheric tests in the early decades of the nuclear era spread radioactive fallout across continents, contaminating land and seas, displacing communities and leaving survivors facing health crises passed down through generations.

The international day was declared by the UN General Assembly in 2009, following Kazakhstan’s closure of the Semipalatinsk test site.

It has since become a rallying point for governments, civil society and campaigners pressing for an end to nuclear testing and progress towards full disarmament.

Mr. Guterres stressed that nuclear testing remains a grave danger amid rising geopolitical tensions. He urged States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), adopted by a large majority in 1996 but still not in force nearly three decades later.

“We must never forget the horrific legacy of over 2,000 nuclear tests,” the Secretary-General said. “The world cannot accept this.”

Burkina Faso declares UN Coordinator persona non grata  

The UN chief has expressed regret of the decision by authorities in Burkina Faso to declare the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, persona non grata.

In a statement on Friday, António Guterres said that the transitional authorities had announced the diplomatic sanction declaring her unwelcome, on 18 August.

The UN chief expressed “full confidence” in her “professionalism and dedication and in the broader United Nations system in Burkina Faso.”

During her tenure, Ms. Flore-Smereczniak – who has now left the country – led UN efforts working closely with the Burkinabe authorities to support development initiatives and provide humanitarian assistance.

UN will continue to support Burkinabe

The statement stresses that the UN Charter makes clear the doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to UN officials, as staff members appointed by the Secretary-General are responsible solely to the Organization, and Member States undertake to respect their exclusively international character.

In line with the Charter, the United Nations enjoys privileges and immunities, including the right of its staff to remain and carry out their mandated work.

“Only the Secretary-General, as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Organization, has the authority to decide – after careful investigation – on the withdrawal of any United Nations official.”

Mr. Guterres reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to continue supporting the people of Burkina Faso, and to keep working with the national authorities.  

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South Sudanese ‘are counting on us’, top UN official tells Security Council

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Referencing the recent quarterly report from the Secretary-General on challenges facing the world’s youngest nation, Ms. Pobee underscored that since March, previous gains in the peace process have been largely eroded.

Military offensives, primarily involving South Sudan’s rival militia which answers to the First Vice President and Government troops loyal to the President, have continued, and trust in the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement between the two has been undermined.

Murithi Mutiga, another briefer from the International Crisis Group, explained that the 2018 agreement required President Salva Kiir to work in concord with his rival, First Vice President Riek Machar; thus, the agreement was effectively terminated when President Kiir placed the former Vice President under house arrest on 26 March.

Humanitarian crisis

Ms. Pobee highlighted that recent military offensives have resulted in deaths, displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Furthermore, the displacement crisis is a two-way street, Mr. Murtiga explained: the devastating civil war in neighbouring Sudan has driven 1.2 million refugees into South Sudan, straining already-limited resources.

The conflict in Sudan has also disrupted oil flows to the military Government-controlled Port Sudan and the broader market, causing South Sudan to lose most of its valuable oil revenues.

Mr. Murtiga also underscored that this is one of South Sudan’s worst humanitarian crises since independence in 2011, with 9.3 million in need of dire assistance and 7.7 million suffering food insecurity, including 83,000 at risk of catastrophic conditions, all while brutal sexual violence is on the rise.

And funding cuts are leaving millions without lifesaving assistance, Ms. Pobee emphasised. Halfway through 2025, the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 28.5 per cent funded.

Additionally, challenges to humanitarian access are growing with increased instances of aid workers being attacked, as poor infrastructure and administrative obstacles impede relief efforts.

Call to act

The UN, African Union, regional intergovernmental development body, IGAD, and many others in the international community, have repeatedly called for a cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue without any concrete response from the warring parties.

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, addresses the Security Council meeting on Sudan and South Sudan.

“While government officials have publicly expressed their commitment to elections by December 2026, the Parties must take steps to return to dialogue and make the necessary decisions to move the country forward. Declarations of commitment are not enough,” Ms. Pobee stressed.

She urged the Security Council to call on all actors and stakeholders to uphold the peace agreement. If they fail to lay the groundwork for peaceful, credible elections in December 2026, the risk of a relapse into violence will rise significantly amid growing regional instability.

It is the shared responsibility of the international community to work with the South Sudanese parties to avoid such a failure, she stressed. “The people of South Sudan are counting on us.”

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UN official decries deadly Ukraine strikes, urges return to diplomacy

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Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), renewed the call for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy to end the devastation.

“Ukrainian people have endured nearly three-and-a-half years of unimaginable horrors, death, devastation and destruction. They urgently need relief from this nightmare,” he said.

He stressed that diplomacy, not fighting, needs to escalate in the coming days and weeks.

“Diplomacy that leads to real, tangible, verifiable and lasting results that would be felt by the long-suffering people on the ground,” he added, reiterating that the UN remains ready to support all efforts toward a just, lasting peace in line with the UN Charter and international law.

ASG Jenča briefs the Security Council.

Brutal attacks continue

Mr. Jenča described the “brutal” scale of the latest attacks.

Overnight between 30 and 31 July, a large-scale Russian aerial assault on Kyiv killed at least 31 people – including five children – and injured 159 others, 16 of them children. It marked the highest number of child injuries in a single night in the capital since the invasion began in February 2022.

The strikes damaged 27 locations across four districts of Kyiv, including a school, a preschool, a paediatric hospital wing, and a university building.

“An entire section of an apartment block was also reportedly destroyed, leaving many trapped beneath the burning rubble,” said Mr. Jenča.

Humanitarian workers, including UN agencies and local partners, responded swiftly, delivering shelter kits, emergency psychosocial support and legal counselling to affected families.

Strikes beyond Kyiv

Beyond Kyiv, attacks were reported across at least seven regions – Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy and Chernihiv – with a total of at least 120 civilian casualties in a single night.

In Donetsk, two people were reportedly killed and 10 injured; in Kharkiv, one person was killed and seven injured. Additional casualties were confirmed in Sumy, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

In Kamianske, a hospital attack left three dead – including a pregnant woman – and 22 injured, many of them medical staff. In Novoplatonivka, Kharkiv region, six were killed while waiting for humanitarian aid.

“These continuing horrendous attacks are simply unacceptable,” said Mr. Jenča.

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, reports that since the start of the full-scale invasion thorugh June this year, more than 13,580 civilians – including 716 children – have been killed, and over 34,000 injured.

Casualties inside Russia

Mr. Jenča also noted civilian casualties inside Russia.

Between 25 and 29 July, Russian authorities reported attacks in Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Leningrad and Rostov regions, resulting in at least six deaths and multiple injuries.

While the UN cannot verify these reports, Mr. Jenča expressed concern and reiterated that “attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law and must stop immediately – wherever they occur.”

Abuses against POWs

He also detailed new allegations of abuse against Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).

According to OHCHR interviews with nearly 140 recently released male POWs, “nearly all…reported having been subjected to torture or ill-treatment,” including beatings, electric shocks, and suffocation.

OHCHR also documented credible reports of 106 executions of Ukrainian soldiers in Russian custody.

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UN official reiterates call for Gaza ceasefire as ‘nightmare of historic proportions’ unfolds

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Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, told ministers and ambassadors that ongoing talks must lead to a permanent end to hostilities, the release of all hostages, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, and for recovery and reconstruction to begin.

He painted a grim picture of conditions on the ground, citing expanded Israeli military operations, particularly in Deir Al-Balah, which have led to further mass displacement.

UN premises were also struck, hampering humanitarian operations and exacerbating the already dire situation.

ASG Khiari briefs the Security Council.

Humanitarian toll deepens

At least 1,891 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 30 June, according to figures from Gazan health authorities, including 294 people reportedly killed while attempting to collect aid near militarised distribution points.  

Evacuation orders continue to force repeated displacement, while food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening despite a limited uptick in the entry of humanitarian supplies.

On the Israeli side, 13 soldiers have been killed in the same period. Palestinian armed groups have continued sporadic rocket attacks into Israel. According to Israeli sources, 50 hostages – including 28 believed to be dead – are still being held by Hamas and other groups.

“The Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned the continued holding of hostages by Hamas and other armed groups,” Mr. Khiari stressed. “Hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.”

Places of worship struck

The briefing also highlighted growing concerns about civilian casualties and attacks on protected sites.  

Mr. Khiari condemned a 17 July strike on the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which killed three and injured several others. The strike forced the evacuation of roughly 600 Palestinians, including children and persons with special needs, who had been sheltering there.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office expressed regret, describing the strike as the result of “stray ammunition,” and said an investigation was underway, Mr. Khiari reported.

© UN Women/Samar Abu Elouf

A woman and child walk through the heavily bombed town of Khuza’a in the Gaza Strip.

Dire fuel shortages

Since 9 July, Israel has allowed limited fuel deliveries through the Kerem Shalom/Karim Abu Salem crossing, after 130 days of a full blockade.

However, the amount is “a fraction of what is required to run essential life-saving services in Gaza, where nearly every aspect of life depends on fuel,” Mr. Khiari warned.

Occupied West Bank

Turning to the occupied West Bank, Mr. Khiari reported high levels of violence, including deadly Israeli military operations, attacks by settlers on Palestinians and retaliatory attacks by Palestinians against Israelis.

He noted that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is facing a severe fiscal crisis, with $2.7 billion in withheld clearance revenues, crippling its ability to pay salaries and provide basic services.

“Unless urgently addressed, the deterioration of the PA’s fiscal and institutional situation could have catastrophic consequences, undermining the significant progress made over many years to build up Palestinian institutions,” he warned, urging immediate international support.

A wide view of the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Tensions in the wider region

Mr. Khiari also highlighted continued tensions along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, as well as renewed violence in Syria’s Sweida region and Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory.

He urged both Israel and Syria to adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and to avoid any actions that risk escalating the conflict.

Call for a political horizon

Mr. Khiari concluded by reiterating that only a revived political process towards the two-State solution can deliver a sustainable solution.

“Our goal is clear: realizing the vision of two States – Israel and a 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,” he said.

People dying from lack of aid every day in Gaza: WFP official

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Ross Smith, director of emergency preparedness and response, briefed journalists in New York in the wake of a deadly incident on Sunday in which dozens of civilians were killed and injured while waiting to access food as a WFP convoy was entering northern Gaza.

“Yesterday’s incident is one of the greatest tragedies we’ve seen for our operations in Gaza and elsewhere while we’re trying to work,” he said, speaking from Rome.

“And it’s completely avoidable, and it’s an absolute tragedy,” he added.

Famine conditions and malnutrition

Gaza’s population stands at roughly 2.1 million and earlier this year, food security experts warned that one in five people faces starvation.

Mr. Smith said WFP assessments show that a quarter of the population is facing famine-like conditions. Almost 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and need treatment as soon as possible.

Pointing to reports, he said “people are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance every day, and we are seeing this escalate day by day.” 

He stressed that food assistance, and humanitarian assistance more broadly, are “the only solution at the moment” for Gaza.

Minimum operating conditions

Mr. Smith said humanitarians have a set of minimum operating conditions that need to be in place for them to work effectively.

These include crossing points into Gaza, “proper routing” inside the enclave so that teams can move independently, and the entry of more than 100 trucks of aid a day.

“We also need to have no armed actors near food distribution points, near our convoys, and near the movement of those convoys from one place to another,” he continued, while underscoring the need to reach people where they are and not in otherwise predetermined locations.

“And I would say above all that we have had agreements in principle on these things, but we have not had adherence to these in practice in Gaza itself. And this is really where the breakdown is, and it’s where we see incidents like (yesterday) take place,” he said.

Ceasefire now

Mr. Smith also highlighted the critical need for a ceasefire “so that we can move effectively.”

In response to a journalist’s question, he said WFP moved more than 200 trucks of assistance per day into Gaza during the ceasefire earlier this year. Since mid-May, it has been able to move less than 10 per cent of what is needed.

He said the UN agency has enough stocks pre-positioned outside Gaza to supply the entire population for two months “if we can get a ceasefire and if we can move.” 

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Gaza: ‘Unbearable’ suffering continues, UN official tells Security Council

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Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East Khaled Khiari said more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed since mid-June alone, many of them while seeking aid.

Citing figures from the Gazan health authorities, he reported that the total number of Palestinian fatalities since 7 October 2023 had surpassed 56,500.

“The level of suffering and brutality in Gaza is unbearable,” Mr. Khiari said. “The continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people is unjustifiable.”

Killed trying to access aid

Mr. Khiari cited multiple incidents involving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) opening fire near food distribution points.

On 17 June, at least 50 people were killed and 200 injured in Khan Younis when an IDF tank opened fire on a crowd waiting for UN World Food Programme (WFP) aid trucks.

Once again a week later, IDF troops reportedly opened fire near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, this time killing 49 Palestinians and injuring 197 others.

“We strongly condemn the loss of lives and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza,” Mr. Khiari said. “We call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.”

He emphasised that the UN “will not participate in any aid delivery modality that does not comply with the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence, and neutrality,” a sentiment which other UN officials have repeatedly said as well.

Strong condemnation

Mr. Khiari reiterated the UN’s strong condemnation of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for their attacks in Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and led to more than 250 being taken hostage. Fifty hostages, including one woman, remain in captivity.

“Nothing can justify these acts of terror. We remain appalled that hostages may be subjected to ongoing ill-treatment and that the bodies of hostages continue to be withheld,” he said.

At the same time, he also condemned “the widespread killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, including children and women, and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals and mosques.”

Rising violence in the West Bank

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli raids and settler violence have escalated.  

Mr. Khiari reported that a 15-year-old boy and an elderly woman were killed in separate incidents on 25 June. Armed settlers also killed several Palestinians during attacks in Surif and Kafr Malik.

“The escalating violence in the occupied West Bank is alarming,” Khiari said, warning that military operations and settler expansion are leading to fatalities, displacement and destruction.

Iran-Israel ceasefire brings hope to the region

Mr. Khiari concluded his briefing with comments on the wider Middle East region, particularly the recent flare-up between Israel and Iran.

He welcomed the 24 June ceasefire agreement between the two countries, announced by US President Donald Trump, and credited US and Qatari mediation.

“We hope that this ceasefire can be replicated in the other conflicts in the region – nowhere is this more needed than in Gaza,” he said.

Sudan: ‘Fighting shows no signs of abating,’ senior UN official tells Security Council

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On Friday, the UN Security Council heard sobering briefings from Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, and Shayna Lewis, Sudan Specialist and Senior Advisor with Preventing and Ending Mass Atrocities (PAEMA), a US-based organization.

Ms. Pobee stressed that front lines continue to shift as the RSF and SAF press on with their military objectives, warning, “the warring parties appear unrelenting in their resolve to pursue military objectives.”

She noted the growing use of advanced weaponry, including long-range drones, which have expanded the violence into previously stable areas.

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Sudan.

Ms. Pobee further warned of the conflict spilling further into the region, citing recent reports of violent clashes in the tri-border area between Sudan, Libya and Egypt, involving the SAF, RSF and forces affiliated with the Libyan National Army.

Human rights violations

Ms. Pobee also referenced UN human rights reports documenting a tripling of arbitrary civilian killings between February and April this year.

“Entrenched impunity is fuelling these and other gross human rights violations and abuses. All parties to the conflict must be held accountable,” she stressed.

Ms. Lewis’s briefing focused on the worsening humanitarian situation, highlighting the over 15 million children now in need of assistance due to ongoing attacks on civilians.

Shayna Lewis, Senior Advisor and Sudan Specialist at Preventing and Ending Mass Atrocities (PAEMA), addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in Sudan.

Returning from a recent visit to Sudan, she shared accounts of severely injured children in hospitals and stressed that up to 80 per cent of health facilities in conflict areas are no longer functioning.

She also cited examples of indiscriminate attacks on hospitals by both the SAF and RSF, including a suspected SAF drone strike on 21 June that hit a hospital in West Kordofan, killing over 40 people and destroying critical lifesaving equipment.

Both Ms. Lewis and Ms. Pobee raised alarm over the warring parties’ widespread use of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls across Sudan.

Government of Hope

Despite the ongoing violence and human rights abuses, Ms. Pobee underscored the significance of the new “Government of Hope.”

On 31 May, a new interim Prime Minister was inaugurated, announcing reform plans and immediately appointing a cabinet of professional technocrats.

Ms. Pobee also acknowledged the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, who has been engaging with the Prime Minister, civilian groups and the warring parties.

Through this crucial communication, the Personal Envoy is helping these stakeholders work toward an inclusive political resolution.

“I urge this Council – once again – to unite in lending full support to Personal Envoy Lamamra’s efforts, and to use its influence with the parties and their external backers to press for a genuine commitment to dialogue and de-escalation,” Ms. Pobee said.

Ambassadors also heard a briefing from the Chair of the Sudan Sanctions Committee, established by the Council pursuant to Resolution 1591 (2005), on the work of the Committee. Following the open briefing, the Council held closed consultations during which Personal Envoy Lamamra also briefed members.

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Upcoming elections ‘crucial opportunity’ for Central African Republic, UN top official tells Security Council

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December’s local, legislative and presidential elections “represent a crucial opportunity” to strengthen democratic governance, promote reconciliation and consolidate stability, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations told ambassadors in the Security Council.

The timely holding of presidential and legislative elections is a constitutional requirement, and the Government has consistently demonstrated its commitment to holding local elections, he added.

Although the final electoral roll is currently delayed due to technical difficulties, national authorities, supported by the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, have made significant efforts to advance the revision of the electoral register through nationwide registration.

“This process took place without major security incidents, reflecting effective collaboration between the Central African national defence forces and MINUSCA, as well as public interest in engaging with the political process,” said Mr. Lacroix.

Challenges remain

Although the 19 April agreement between the government and leaders of various opposition armed groups aimed to end hostilities in the country, violence – primarily perpetrated by armed groups and militias – continues to undermine stability.

“The security situation remains fragile in border regions,” said Mr. Lacroix, noting the spillover effects of the conflict in neighbouring Sudan.

Last week, a Zambian peacekeeper was killed when suspected Sudanese armed elements opened fire on a MINUSCA patrol responding to reports of an attack against civilians in the north-east of the country.

Mr. Lacroix also informed the Security Council of human rights and humanitarian concerns.

Though progress has been made in advancing judicial accountability, notably by the Special Criminal Court, a lack of funding is expected to jeopardise the Court’s operations by September.

In addition, as urgent needs continue to outpace available resources, “the humanitarian situation remains dire,” said Mr. Lacroix, calling for strong support for lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

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‘Recovery must move ahead’ in southern Lebanon, top aid official says

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Imran Riza made the appeal following a visit to Bint Jbeil and Tyre districts on Tuesday.

“What I saw in South Lebanon was both depressing and inspiring. The scale of destruction – to villages, health facilities, and water systems – is disturbing,” he said in a statement.

Fighting, ceasefire and escalation

The crisis stems from fighting that erupted between Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Israeli forces following the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people.

Israel launched an incursion into southern Lebanon in late September 2024 and carried out airstrikes across the country that killed thousands and displaced nearly a million people. 

Last November, Lebanon and Israel signed a ceasefire agreement to end the fighting. 

It called for Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants to withdraw from the south, while the Lebanese military would redeploy to the region to guarantee the peace alongside troops from UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL, who monitor the Blue Line of separation between the two countries. 

Since then, ceasefire violations have occurred and violence has escalated, including recent Israeli strikes on areas of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, reportedly targeting Hezbollah.

‘No time to lose’

Mr. Riza described the people he met in the south as truly inspiring. 

“It’s clear they want to return home, rebuild, and restart their productive lives,” he said.

“Everyone continues to feel a palpable sense of insecurity. Many still lack basics like water and electricity. Too many are still displaced, their homes flattened.”

He said people spoke of their need for peace, safe movement, basic services, and support to rebuild.

“They also shared the trauma they and their children have endured, and the importance of addressing mental health in the wake of what they have lived through,” he added.

The Humanitarian Coordinator stressed the critical need for sustained funding to restore water, electricity, healthcare, and education, and to assist people eager to get on with their lives.

“There is no time to lose – recovery must move ahead,” he said.

Diplomats reinforce support for UN mission

Meanwhile, diplomats from dozens of countries showed their solidarity with UNIFIL’s work in south Lebanon in a visit to the mission’s headquarters in Naqoura on Tuesday.

The diplomatic visit included representatives of 38 countries, including all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. 

Peacekeepers from 47 countries currently serve with UNIFIL, which was established in March 1978 to confirm Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. 

Its mandate was most recently defined in Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), which called for a full cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel following their 34-day war on Lebanese territory that year. 

An encouraging sign

UNIFIL Head and Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, welcomed the delegation and noted it would have been impossible to host the diplomats just a few months ago. 

“Your presence here is an encouraging indication of the increased stability in the south and the progress made since the understanding on a cessation of hostilities came into effect on 27 November 2024,” he said. 

“The support of UNIFIL’s troop-contributing countries – and the countries who contribute in other ways – is essential to restoring stability to south Lebanon and along the Blue Line. I thank them and their peacekeepers serving on the ground for their continued contributions.”

The delegation also visited two UNIFIL positions along the Blue Line, near Marwahin and in Labbouneh. 

Ambassadors expressed their appreciation for the mission’s important work. 

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Gaza: UN official warns of ‘assault on dignity’ as blockade cripples humanitarian response

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Speaking to journalists in Gaza City, Jonathan Whittall, OCHA‘s local Head of Office, painted a dire picture of life under what he called a “total and complete blockade” now approaching its third month.

“The coming days in Gaza are going to be critical. Today people are not surviving in Gaza, those that aren’t being killed with bombs and bullets are slowly dying,” he said.

Whittall stressed that humanitarian agencies are unable to meet the soaring needs of civilians due to the collapse of supply lines. Hospitals are overwhelmed, but medicines and equipment are running out. People are going hungry, but food warehouses are empty and bakeries are closing. Clean water is desperately needed, but water wells are inaccessible.

He noted that solid waste is piling up in the streets with no equipment to remove it, and that rescue efforts after airstrikes are impossible without fuel and machinery. Displaced families are forced to live in rubble without shelter materials, and fishermen are being shot at sea, while humanitarian organisations lack the resources to assist them. “Nowhere in Gaza today is safe”, he said.

He added that children need to learn, but schools have been destroyed or are inaccessible, and that education supplies are not available. Prices of the remaining goods in Gaza continue to rise, but there is no cash available. There is no cooking gas or fuel, forcing families to burn trash to generate some energy.

“This is not only about humanitarian needs, but it’s about dignity. There is an assault on people’s dignity in Gaza today,” he warned.

“We also know that humanitarian workers, first responders, you as journalists, should be protected, like all civilians, but we’re being killed in a war that appears to be fought without any limits,” he added.

Whittall emphasised that the situation in Gaza does not even resemble a war. “People in Gaza are telling me that they feel like it’s the deliberate dismantling of Palestinian life in plain sight, for all to see, documented every day by you as journalists,” he said.

He described the devastation witnessed daily — including children’s bodies thrown by explosions, families burnt alive, and colleagues killed — as part of what he termed “everyday atrocities.”

“As humanitarians we can see that aid is being weaponised through its denial,” he warned. “There’s no justification for the denial of humanitarian assistance. And humanitarian aid should never be weaponised.”

Despite the catastrophic conditions, he stressed that humanitarian organisations are continuing to operate where possible, but “we have less and less and less supplies and less and less capacity to be able to meet the growing and growing needs that are intensifying across Gaza.”

“Lives depend on the blockade being lifted, on aid being allowed to enter into Gaza, on the ceasefire being reinstated,” he said, calling for real accountability rather than waiting for history to judge the international community’s response.

Hunger and malnutrition surging

In a separate statement, OCHA warned of a “severe decline” in food availability across Gaza, as malnutrition rates escalate rapidly, particularly among children.

A UN partner organisation recently screened around 1,300 children in northern Gaza and identified over 80 cases of acute malnutrition, representing more than double the rate recorded in previous weeks.

“Nutrition partners report a critical shortage of supplies due to the obstruction of aid entry and challenges in transporting essential materials within Gaza,” OCHA said. Access to key facilities, including UNICEF’s main warehouse in Rafah, remains heavily restricted.

Journalists who visited the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) main warehouses this week found them largely empty of food supplies, including flour.

Call for accountability and action

“Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” UNRWA said in a separate statement, stressing that international law prohibits indiscriminate attacks, the obstruction of humanitarian assistance, and the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure.

The agency reiterated its call for a renewed ceasefire, the dignified release of all hostages, and the immediate, unhindered flow of humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza.

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