Palestine, Haiti, Ukraine & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (26 March 2024)

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
-Middle East
-Occupied Palestinian territory
-Sexual exploitation and abuse/report
-Haiti
-South Sudan
-Ukraine
-Yemen
-Migration
-Guest/tomorrow
-Financial contributions

MIDDLE EAST
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, today briefed the Security Council by video teleconference about the ongoing fighting in Gaza. He said that he was appalled by the immense scale of death, destruction, and human suffering wrought by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, with civilian killings at a rate that is unprecedented. And he once again condemned the horrific armed attack by Hamas and other groups on 7 October. Nothing can justify these acts of terror, he said. The remaining hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.
Mr. Wennesland added that he is concerned over what may be violations of international humanitarian law, including possible non-compliance with the requirements of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack.
The Special Coordinator welcomed the opening of a maritime corridor to deliver much-needed additional humanitarian assistance by sea but reiterated that for aid delivery at scale, there is no meaningful substitute to delivery by land.
Mr. Wennesland said that the enormity of the humanitarian, security, and political challenges we face requires a collective, creative, and immediate response. He said that we must urgently address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. He regretted that, despite intensive diplomatic efforts, we have not seen an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report that the UN and its partners continue to do everything possible – wherever and whenever we can – to address surging needs, despite tremendous obstacles to our aid operations in Gaza.
Over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners evacuated two six-year-old patients and their caregivers from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. One of the children has leukemia, while the other has cystic fibrosis, and both will now receive treatment abroad.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus once more appeals for sustained and safe medical transfers in Gaza to ensure all children and sick patients in need of urgent care have a chance to survive. To date, about 3,400 patients have been evacuated out of Gaza. That’s out of some 9,200 people who urgently require medical evacuation.
Meanwhile, as hunger soars in Gaza, aid organizations continue to screen and treat children under the age of five for acute malnutrition. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is carrying out screenings at shelters in Deir al Balah and plans to expand into Al Mawasi and shelters in Khan Younis. Between mid-January and mid-March of this year, more than 28,000 children under the age of five had been screened for acute malnutrition. The nearly 2,000 children diagnosed with acute malnutrition are currently receiving the required treatment.
On Saturday, WHO delivered treatment kits for severe acute malnutrition – as well as therapeutic milk – to the stabilization centre at Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=26%20March%202024