News in Brief 18 December 2023 |

This is the News in Brief from the United Nations. 

Gaza hospital destroyed, WHO chief reiterates ceasefire call

The head of the UN health agency Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has spoken out against the “effective destruction” of a hospital in northern Gaza by Israeli forces over the weekend, leading to the deaths of eight patients including a nine-year-old child.

Kamal Adwan hospital was raided by the Israeli military over four days last week and the World Health Organization (WHO) said that many medical workers were reportedly detained.

“Gaza’s health system was already on its knees and the loss of another even minimally functioning hospital is a severe blow,” Tedros wrote on social platform X.

Less than a third of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are at least partially functional, including only one in the enclave’s north.

“Attacks on hospitals, health personnel and patients must end. Ceasefire NOW,” Tedros insisted.

The WHO chief said that many patients at Kamal Adwan had to self-evacuate “at great risk to their health and safety” while ambulances were unable to reach the facility. 

UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said in an update that on Saturday Israeli forces withdrew from the hospital and according to media reports “an Israeli military bulldozer flattened the tents of a number of internally displaced persons outside the hospital, killing and wounding an unconfirmed number of people”. 

Migrants Day: UN chief calls for rights-based migration governance

Poor migration governance can lead to exploitation and deadly abuse of migrants at the hands of traffickers while inflaming social tensions in host countries.

That’s the message from UN chief António Guterres who on International Migrants’ Day observed on Monday called for “safe migration governance rooted in solidarity, partnership, and respect for human rights”.

Failure to respect these values “corrodes our common humanity”, said Mr. Guterres, who stressed that migration can be a “force for good” enabling millions to improve their lives.

International cooperation on migration is governed by a Global Compact that countries adopted five years ago. 

The document has become a “resource for Member States to assess actions, enhance cooperation, and expand rights-based pathways for migration”, the UN chief said.

Echoing his words, the head of the UN migration agency IOM Amy Pope said that when it’s managed well, “migration is a cornerstone of sustainable development, prosperity and progress”. 

The contributions of people on the move enrich both their origin and destination countries, she insisted, calling for countries to “harness the power of migration”.

Russia: Rights expert slams Navalny’s ‘enforced disappearance’

Jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny should be immediately released and “provided remedies and reparations for all the harm suffered” in accordance with international law, a UN-appointed independent rights expert said on Monday.

Mr. Navalny’s whereabouts have been unknown for over 10 days, which according to Mariana Katzarova, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia, amounts to enforced disappearance.

“I am greatly concerned that the Russian authorities will not disclose Mr. Navalny’s whereabouts and wellbeing for such a prolonged period of time,” she said. 

A Friday court hearing on the violations of Mr. Navalny’s human rights in detention did not take place and Mr. Navalny’s lawyers were reportedly told by the court that their client is no longer held in the Vladimir region. 

Ms. Katzarova cited concerns about Mr. Navalny’s “persistent” ill-treatment in detention and lack of access to adequate medical care since January 2021. 

On 4 August 2023 he was sentenced to an additional 19 years on “extremism” charges, a term which, according to the independent expert, “has no basis in international law”. 

Following sentencing Mr. Navalny was being prepared to be transferred to a harsher regime penal colony. Three of his lawyers were arrested in October.