Syria, Gaza, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (2 April 2024)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
-Syria/Iranian premises
-Syria
-General assembly
-World central kitchen
-Gaza
-Lebanon
-Haiti
-South Sudan
-Ukraine
-Senior personnel appointments

SYRIA/IRANIAN PREMISES
The Secretary-General condemns the attack on diplomatic premises of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus, as well as the reported casualties.
He reaffirms that the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law.
Mr. Guterres also reminds all parties to respect all their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable. He also repeats his calls on all concerned to avoid attacks that could harm civilians and damage civilian infrastructure.
The Secretary-General further calls on all concerned to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further escalation.
He cautions that any miscalculation could lead to broader conflict in an already volatile region, with devastating consequences for civilians who are already seeing unprecedented suffering in Syria, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the broader Middle East.
And this afternoon, the Security Council will hold a briefing on these developments. Khaled Khiari, the Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, will brief Council members.

SYRIA
The United Nations is alarmed by the impact of recent hostilities on civilians in the north-west of the country during the month of Ramadan.
Yesterday, shelling struck residential neighbourhoods in Sarmin in Idlib, killing a seven-year-old girl and injuring nearly a dozen other people, including three women and three children. The shelling also damaged a school.
On Sunday, a car bomb struck a popular market in Azaz, in northern Aleppo – killing at least eight people, including children and a pregnant woman, and injuring many others.
The Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, David Carden, expressed his condolences to the families of those affected and underscored that civilians must never be targets.
Since the start of the year, at least 11 people, including two girls, have been killed by hostilities in north-west Syria. Some 50 others have been injured, including 16 children, according to local health authorities.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This afternoon, the Secretary-General will speak at the General Assembly session on human security.
He will talk about his recent Ramadan solidarity visit to Egypt and Jordan and will reiterate the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.
The Secretary-General will also talk about the need to ensure human security in the face of threats like climate change and the global cost-of-living crisis.

WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the staff of World Central Kitchen following the killing of its staff members in Gaza who were on a humanitarian mission.
The multiplicity of such events is the inevitable result of the way this war is being conducted.
The United Nations re-affirms, yet again, the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Also, the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, has just come out of Gaza. Yesterday, she met the World Central Kitchen team members who, hours later, were tragically killed by the Israeli Forces. She is appalled by this attack and joins others in expressing condolences to their families and loved ones.
For his part, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, described the aid workers as heroes killed while trying to feed starving people.
At least 196 humanitarians have been killed since October in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is one of the world’s most dangerous and difficult places to work.

Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=02%20April%202024