Humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza amid ceasefire delays
A senior UN official warned the Security Council on Thursday that humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, as delays in implementing the Council-backed peace plan threaten to derail progress made after the ceasefire.
“The implementation of Resolution 2803 cannot wait. All elements of the Comprehensive Plan are interconnected and must be implemented in full. These include the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups, Israeli withdrawal, and deployment of the International Stabilization Force. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) must be enabled to take up its transitional responsibilities in coordination with the Palestinian Authority.”
Briefing the Council, Mr. Alakbarov said Israeli strikes continue nearly every day, while shortages of fuel, engine oil, pesticides and spare parts are disrupting essential services and worsening public health risks across Gaza.
Funding shortages are also hampering the response. According to the UN, the humanitarian response plan for the Occupied Palestinian Territory has received only $540 million of the $4.06 billion required.
Afghanistan ruling erodes women’s rights
Turning to Afghanistan, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has strongly criticized the Taliban’s recently announced “Code on Judicial Supervision and Prosecution,” arguing that it further erodes the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls.
According to a statement released by UNAMA on Thursday, the decree expands already severe restrictions on women’s participation in public life.
The mission warned that the new rules deepen systematic discrimination and intensify the exclusion of women from education, employment, and legal protections.
UNAMA emphasized that women in Afghanistan are being deprived of basic freedoms, including access to justice and the ability to participate equally in society.
The statement also highlighted concerns about the effects of the restrictions on girls’ education and women’s economic independence.
UNAMA urged Afghan authorities to reverse course and comply with international human rights obligations.
Response to DR Congo and Uganda Ebola outbreak ramps up
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is increasing emergency support in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as the deadly virus threatens to worsen hunger and humanitarian conditions across the region.
Health officials have raised concerns about the rare strain, which has already resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of suspected and confirmed cases, including infections reported in neighboring Uganda.
At present, there is no specific treatment or vaccine available.
In response, WFP is working alongside the Congolese government, the World Health Organization, and humanitarian partners to support outbreak response efforts.
The agency is helping transport medical workers and supplies, while also providing food assistance and logistical support to affected communities.
The crisis comes at a particularly difficult time for the DRC, where an estimated 26.6 million people are already facing acute food insecurity. Humanitarian agencies warn that the outbreak could deepen existing hunger and displacement unless international assistance is scaled up quickly.
WFP is calling for urgent, coordinated global support to contain the outbreak and prevent further human suffering in the region.
Jolina Dong, UN News
Source of original article: United Nations (news.un.org). Photo credit: UN. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.globaldiasporanews.com).
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