Aid surging into Gaza ‘at scale’ but massive needs remain: OCHA, WHO
On day three of the ceasefire which entered into force on Sunday 19 January, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, welcomed the “surge” in...
Famine in Gaza: ‘a failure of humanity itself,’ says UN chief
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the results of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis were no mystery: “It is a man-made disaster,...
In Damascus, top UN envoy stresses need for credible, inclusive, ‘Syrian owned’ transition
The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria also called for all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians as the country grapples with...
UN chief condemns Gaza killings, urges full respect for ceasefire
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killings due to Israeli airstrikes of civilians in Gaza yesterday, including many children,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents...
Force will not secure Middle East peace: UN General Assembly President
Addressing the 193-member Assembly, President Philémon Yang reiterated the importance of the two-State solution, calling it the only path to lasting peace. “After more...
Top marks for Lebanon schools project helping marginalised kids
According to UNICEF, there are an estimated 300,000 children with disabilities in Lebanon today, although data is limited. To help them access learning opportunities,...
‘Repeated bouts of violence’ put Syria rebuilding at risk: Independent rights investigator
In December 2024, the Bashar Al-Assad regime was toppled by a coalition of opposition groups, led by the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham militia, leading to...
UN warns of escalating conflict in Yemen amid humanitarian crisis, regional tensions
The crisis in Yemen, which worsened in 2014 after Houthi rebels (known officially as Ansar Allah) seized the capital, has been marked by complex...
Forging Peace in Syria: Great opportunities, grave risks
As the fighting intensified, the UN never stopped working behind the scenes to bring about a political solution that would deliver dignity, freedom and...
Syria crisis: UN teams support cholera vaccination in northeastern camps
The cholera outbreak was detected in the camp in early October and subsequently confirmed by laboratory tests. Because Al Hol does not have a...
Syrians face staggering needs amid insecurity and healthcare crisis
Wrapping up a visit to the country, Edem Wosornu, who heads operations and advocacy for the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) said that...
Top humanitarian official issues ceasefire appeal during visit to Gaza City
Muhannad Hadi, who is also the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, made the appeal during a visit to Gaza City,...
‘Political courage’ needed to end war in the Middle East: Top UN envoy
Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, Special Coordinator Sigrid Kaag emphasised that peace in the Middle East is possible.“We can achieve a future where...
Lebanon: Increased violence is the ‘horrific new normal’ for children, warns UNICEF
Peacekeepers have witnessed the “shocking” destruction of villages in southern Lebanon along the UN-patrolled Blue Line that separates the country from Israel, along with...
First Person: How many more children must die before the world acts?
Juliette Touma, the director of communications for the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, has visited Gaza several times during and before the war...
Gaza: Search for food puts lives on the line
Since the end of May, aid distribution in Gaza has been carried out by a mechanism backed by Israel and the United States bypassing...
In Gaza, daily food intake has fallen well below ‘survival’ level
Latest data simulations from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) point to the average Gazan eating just 1,400 calories per day – “or 67...
Aid teams highlight growing anxiety in Gaza after food is looted
“Fifteen World Food Programme trucks were looted late last night in Southern Gaza, while en route to WFP-supported bakeries,” the UN agency said. “These...
UN appeals for restraint after further devices explode across Lebanon
International media reported that walkie-talkies used by members of the Hezbollah militant group blew up on Wednesday, a day after hundreds of pagers across...
Gaza: ‘Unbearable’ suffering continues, UN official tells Security Council
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...
WHO ‘working tirelessly’ to help save lives as Middle East crisis grinds on
Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, was speaking during a press briefing on emergencies in the occupied Palestinian territory and...
Syria risks grave division and destruction, Security Council hears
Geir Pedersen told the Security Council the country faced grave risk of further division that was in no Syrian’s interest.“As I brief you today,...
Gaza: War has set Palestine’s development back nearly 70 years
“Without lifting economic restrictions, enabling recovery, and investing in development, the Palestinian economy may not be able to restore pre-war levels and advance forward...
Gaza: Top independent rights probe alleges Israel committed genocide
In a new report published against the backdrop of intensifying Israeli military operations in Gaza City, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on...
