UN News Today 17 April 2025 |

Gaza war grinds on and journalists still banned from reporting: UNRWA

It’s been more than 18 months since war in Gaza began, and in that time, Israel has banned international journalists from reporting from inside the enclave, leaving eyewitness testimonies “discredited and questioned”, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Thursday.

In a call to “get international media into Gaza”, Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, warned that reliable reporting has been overtaken by propaganda and “dehumanizing” hate speech.

“Palestinian journalists continue to do heroic work, paying a heavy price,” he said, noting  that 170 have been killed to date,” he said in an online post. He also insisted that the free flow of information and independent reporting “are key to facts and accountability during conflicts”.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office (OHCHR), in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, also expressed deep concerns about the dangers facing journalists there – although the situation “has always been very difficult”, he maintained.

“They have been subject to oppression in many instances we’ve recorded – killings and censorship and detention. But we have also recorded is a massive spike in such oppression, attacks,  killings, detention and censorship since 7 October 2023.”

DRC violence impacting children and women especially, warns UNICEF

An update on the emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the security situation remains critical in the east of the country.

That’s because of ongoing advances by the Rwanda-backed M23 paramilitaries who have ignored multiple appeals to turn back by the Security Council and regional organizations in Africa, along with the European Union – or face sanctions.

On the humanitarian front, aid teams have warned once again that the intensifying violence has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and put millions of young lives at risk.

Here’s Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, addressing the Security Council on Wednesday:

“I’d like to draw special attention to the most defining, and horrifying, feature of this conflict is the rampant violence being committed against children and women. Scores have been killed or injured. There has been a 100 per cent increase in verified grave violations in the first quarter of this year, as compared to the first quarter of 2024. These include indiscriminate attacks, large-scale recruitment and use of children, collective abductions of children, as well as widespread sexual violence. The rate of sexual violence against children has reached shockingly high levels.”

UNICEF provides assistance including drinking water to nearly 700,000 people per day in the Goma region. It also ensures the distribution of medical kits, psychosocial support for traumatized children, and care for unaccompanied minors.

Myanmar: risk of disease spread is real and dangerous, warn health teams

Aid agencies in Myanmar have warned that conditions are perfect for a massive disease outbreak following the earthquake disaster more than two weeks ago.

Multiple factors are to blame, including overcrowded shelters, smashed sanitation systems and contaminated water supplies.

The outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases was common already even before the earthquake, but “the situation is so much more dangerous now for people – especially children,” said Eric Ribaira, UNICEF Chief of Health in Myanmar.

“The situation is so much more dangerous now for people especially children in these earthquake-affected areas….and we are not forgetting the special needs faced by pregnant women and they are really the ones confronted with the reality of having to deliver babies in these extremely challenging circumstances.”

To respond to the threat, UNICEF provides clean drinking water and sanitation solutions, along with medical and clean delivery kits for pregnant women.

“The needs are huge and we must do everything we can to prevent these outbreaks and ensure that women can deliver their babies safely,” Mr. Ribaira said.

Daniel Johnson, UN News.

Music composed and produced by Joachim Harris. All rights reserved