The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, UN officials warned on Monday, describing overflowing hospitals, critically malnourished children, and desperate civilians risking their lives to secure food for their families.
Shipping is crucial to the global economy, with more than 100,000 vessels a day transporting some 80 per cent of world commerce, but it remains vulnerable to disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions and transnational crime.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the killing of six Palestinian journalists in Gaza this past weekend, his Spokesman said on Monday.
Across war-torn Sudan, civilians continue to face ongoing attacks, starvation and cholera outbreaks.
This year’s International Youth Day theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,”...
Mr. President, Excellencies,
I brief you for the second time this week as the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, placing over two million Palestinians in even greater peril and further endangering the lives of the remaining hostages.
The latest decision by the Government of Israel risks igniting another horrific chapter in this conflict, with potential consequences beyond Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
On 8 August, Israel’s Security Cabinet reportedly approved Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed plan for “defeating Hamas” and endorsed five “principles for ending the war”: the disarmament of Hamas, the release of all hostages; the Gaza Strip’s demilitarization; Israeli security control over the Strip; and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
The Prime Minister’s office also announced that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will prepare to take control of Gaza City, while providing humanitarian assistance outside combat zones. The IDF said that it is fully mobilized and preparing for an expanded military operation in Gaza.
This is yet another dangerous escalation of the conflict.
For now, we have limited official details of Israel’s military plans. However, according to Israeli media reports, the government foresees the displacement of all civilians from Gaza City, by 7 October 2025, affecting some 800,000 people, many of them previously displaced. Reports indicate that the IDF would then surround the city for three months. This would then reportedly be followed by an additional two months to seize control of central Gaza’s camps and clear the entire area of Palestinian armed groups.
Mr. President,
We are already witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of unimaginable scale in Gaza. Director Ramesh Rajasingham from OCHA will shortly provide you with the latest updates in this regard.
If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction – compounding the unbearable suffering of the population. Last night thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv and cities across Israel to call for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
The UN has been unequivocal: the only way to stop the immense human suffering in Gaza is through a full, immediate, and permanent ceasefire. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, allowing rapid, safe, unimpeded, and large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid to the population. Civilians – including humanitarian workers, and those seeking aid – must be protected.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security. Palestinians must be able to return to their homes. In its 19 July 2024 Advisory Opinion, the International Court of Justice stated that “Israel, as the occupying Power, has the obligation not to impede the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination, including its right to an independent and sovereign State, over the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.
Mr. President,
As I emphasized to this Council a few days ago, there is no military solution to the armed conflict in Gaza or the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There will be no sustainable solution without an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation and the achievement of a viable two-State solution. Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a Palestinian State.
We must plan for Gaza’s future as we address the urgency of developments on the ground today.
We must establish political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, start early recovery and reconstruction, address the legitimate security concerns of Israelis and Palestinians, and forge a path for the realization of a viable two-State solution. In this regard I urge the immediate implementation of the political, humanitarian, and security steps outlined in the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
Critically, these frameworks must facilitate a legitimate Palestinian Government that can reunify Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, politically, economically, and administratively. This Government must represent Palestinians across the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian territory. A united leadership is crucial to managing post-conflict Gaza and advancing Palestinian self-determination and sovereignty.
I urge the Palestinian Authority to advance its stated goal of holding elections. Palestinians have the right to have their voices heard and to be meaningfully included in the process of shaping the future of the State of Palestine.
Our ultimate goal remains unchanged: Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable, and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
Thank you.
It’s essential to work towards a two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict as the international community addresses the reality of starvation on the ground in Gaza, the Security Council heard on Sunday.
The UN Security Council met Sunday morning in New York following the Israeli cabinet’s decision to again expand its military operation inside the Gaza Strip and take full control of the key population centre of Gaza City. UN chief António Guterres described it earlier as a “dangerous escalation” for the two million civilians trapped in the enclave as well as the remaining Israeli hostages still held captive. Follow our Meetings Coverage Section’s live reporting of the crisis meeting and UN News app users can follow here.
The UN Security Council has expressed alarm at the sharp escalation of violence in Syria’s Sweida region since mid-July, condemning attacks against civilians and calling for urgent protection and humanitarian access.
The UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) has warned that the Gaza Strip faces a “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis, with no agency aid allowed in for more than five months and malnutrition deaths climbing sharply.
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The UN’s top human rights official insisted on Friday that the Israeli Government must not pursue a complete military takeover of the Gaza Strip, beginning with full control of Gaza City.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed grave concern over Israel’s decision to “take control of Gaza City”, his Spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
80 years after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the “only guarantee” against the use of nuclear weapons today is their “total elimination”, the UN Secretary-General said on Friday.
Help is needed urgently to halt a deadly cholera outbreak that is sweeping across Sudan, UN agencies said on Friday, while warning that communities continue to be terrorised by parties to the conflict even as they flee violence.
Exhausted UN aid workers in Gaza on Thursday continued to report a lack of food across the enclave, while medical teams warned that hospitals are overwhelmed by a daily influx of injured people and close to “near-total collapse”.
In Africa’s Sahel region, deepening violence and poverty – driven by displacement, hunger and terrorism – are stripping women and girls of their right to safety, education and a viable future.
Hungry civilians are reportedly eating animal feed as women and girls face a “gender emergency” in war-torn Sudan, UN officials said on Thursday.
Hopes for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been shaken by a surge in brutal attacks on civilians by armed groups, including the Rwandan-backed M23 militia, in the country’s troubled eastern region.
Hostilities have continued in Sweida, Syria, despite a ceasefire agreement, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in an update published on Wednesday.
UN data published on Wednesday underscores the tiny amount of cultivable land that remains in the Gaza Strip, contributing to the famine-like conditions now being endured by more than two million people there.
Hopes for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been shaken by a surge in brutal attacks on civilians by armed groups, including the Rwandan-backed M23 militia, in the country’s troubled eastern region.
The world changed forever 80 years ago this Wednesday when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima during the Second World War.
Aid agencies warned on Wednesday that most partner organizations providing vital relief across Gaza will likely have to shut down their operations within weeks, unless Israel withdraws its demand that they provide sensitive information about Palestinian employees.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel continues to deteriorate, with Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including the remaining hostages in Gaza, continuing to suffer immensely as a result.
In the past week, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released images and videos of two hostages – Evaytar David and Rom Braslavsky – looking visibly emaciated, as they described the appalling conditions of their captivity. The scenes of Evaytar apparently being forced to dig his own grave are appalling. These images, and their own accounts of their treatment, have horrified us all. They are an affront to humanity itself. I would like to acknowledge the presence of Ilay David, the brother of Evyatar David, who we will hear from shortly.
Mr. David,
Please know that we at the United Nations recognize the profound pain and hardship endured by the families and loved ones of those who remain in captivity. Nearly two years have passed, with the immeasurable suffering and fear intensifying with every passing day. I am especially mindful that this week, the Jewish community commemorated Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning and remembrance of historical tragedies endured by the Jewish people — a time that echoes with the pain of loss across generations. I pay tribute to your courage and determination, and I share your dearest wish: for your brother, and all hostages held in Gaza, to be immediately and unconditionally released.
Mr. President,
Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continue to hold 50 hostages, 28 of whom are thought to be deceased, in captivity in horrific conditions. Released hostages have relayed distressing accounts of deprivation, ill-treatment, and abuse. Since 7 October 2023, Hamas and other armed groups have circulated dozens of videos of hostages, including statements made by hostages under duress and clearly suffering, including the most recent footage of Evaytar David and Rom Braslavsky.
International law is clear. Hostage-taking is prohibited – it is a war crime. Those deprived of liberty must be treated humanely and with dignity and allowed to receive visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross. They must never be subject to ill-treatment, abuse, or humiliation, as these would also constitute violations of relevant rules of international law. I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. They must be freed– now.
Mr. President,
The situation in Gaza is horrifying – it is unbearable. Palestinians are subjected to squalid, inhumane conditions on a daily basis.
Since the beginning of the conflict, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Since the end of May, over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and over 8,100 injured while trying to access food supplies, including in the vicinity of militarized aid distribution sites. The deaths and injuries continue to mount, day by day, with no end in sight to the suffering.
Israel continues to severely restrict humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, and the aid that is permitted to enter is grossly inadequate. Hunger is everywhere in Gaza, visible in the faces of children and in the desperation of parents risking their lives to access the most basic supplies.
I would like to echo the Secretary-General’s condemnation of the ongoing violence in Gaza, including the shooting, killing, and injuring of people attempting to get food for their families. International law is clear. Civilians must be respected, protected and never targeted or deliberately deprived of food or access to other lifesaving aid – doing so is a war crime.
Israel must immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of sufficient amounts of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, to avert further suffering and loss of life.
Mr. President,
the latest reports regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s possible decision to expand Israel’s military operations through the entire Gaza Strip, if true, are deeply alarming. This would risk catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
International law is clear in this regard. Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian State. As declared by the International Court of Justice, in its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – as rapidly as possible.
Mr. President,
The United Nations has been clear: there is only one path to ending the ongoing violence and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza — a full and permanent ceasefire. The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Life-saving humanitarian aid must flow into Gaza at scale and without obstruction, and civilians must be guaranteed safe, unhindered access to assistance.
There is no military solution to the conflict in Gaza or the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We must establish political and security frameworks that can relieve the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, start early recovery and reconstruction, address the legitimate security concerns of Israelis and Palestinians, and secure an end to Israel’s unlawful occupation and achieve a sustainable two-State solution - Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
Thank you.
Famine was declared in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur one year ago. And since then, little has changed – no aid trucks have reached the region, the nearby city of El Fasher is still under siege and food prices are four times higher than other parts of the country.
The Security Council is meeting to discuss rising concern in Israel and elsewhere over the dire conditions facing the hostages who remain in Gaza. It follows the release of recent videos by Hamas and other Palestinian militants showing emaciated captives, which the UN Secretary-General called “an unacceptable violation of human dignity.” A senior UN political affairs official reiterated the "unbearable" conditions faced by Palestinians across the war-ravaged enclave. Stay with UN News for live updates in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage. App users can follow the coverage here.
On Tuesday, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported the deaths of five children with a dozen seriously injured, following the detonation of an unexploded mortar shell in the city of Lakki Marwat in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the weekend.
Children in Gaza are dying not just from hunger, but from the total collapse of the systems meant to protect them, UN agencies warned on Tuesday.
As conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel continue to deteriorate, a senior UN official upheld the need for a political solution to the crisis in Gaza that can lead to a lasting peace between the two peoples.
From land disputes in Guatemala to youth leadership in Colombia, Indigenous Peoples are leading efforts to resolve conflict and build sustainable peace in their communities. At a time of rising inequality and growing demand for natural resources, Indigenous rights and leadership is becoming ever more central to preventing conflict and restoring trust in fragile settings. Ahead of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) highlights how, together with its partners, it is working to support and amplify Indigenous-led peacebuilding efforts around the world.
Earlier this year, DPPA co-sponsored a high-level discussion titled “Indigenous Peacebuilding as a Pathway Towards Healing Peoples, for Peace & Planet” on the margins of the twenty-fourth session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), which took place from 21 April to 2 May 2025. In her remarks, Awa Dabo, Deputy Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) highlighted the significance of the UN General Assembly resolution on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (A/79/455), adopted in December 2024. “Peacebuilding must honour and respect Indigenous governance and institutions, while upholding their right to full participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life,” she said. The resolution affirms that sustainable peace must be anchored in the recognition and protection of Indigenous rights, including meaningful participation in peace agreement negotiations, transitional justice, conflict resolution, and mediation efforts. The resolution also emphasizes the role of indigenous women in advancing inclusive peace and stresses the need to address historic injustices and strengthen Indigenous institutions as a foundation for long term reconciliation.
DPPA is helping turn these commitments into reality through a range of projects backed by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).
In Colombia, War Child’s “Intercultural Mae Kiwe” project promotes the safe and meaningful participation of Afro-Descendant and Nasa youth in political and peacebuilding activities, focusing on the protection of their rights and integrating traditional practices into local peacebuilding efforts. In Guatemala’s Polochic Valley, a joint OHCHR and FAO initiative has trained 582 Qeqchi leaders from 10 communities, strengthening their capacity to manage agrarian conflicts and engage in land and food security governance. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a collaboration among FAO, UNHCR, and UNICEF has helped reduce the marginalization of the Indigenous Twa by securing legal land titles, supporting reconciliation ceremonies, and establishing community committees with significant Twa representation. In the Philippines, IOM, UNFPA, and UN Women are facilitating dialogue between minority non-Moro Indigenous Peoples and government taskforces, building their capacity for effective participation in peace processes.
These projects reflect a broader strategic shift: recognizing Indigenous Peoples not only as beneficiaries of peacebuilding but as active agents shaping it. The initiatives also illustrate how support from the Peacebuilding Fund is helping close the implementation gap between global norms — such as A/79/455 — and realities on the ground. During the event, Member States including Australia, Guatemala and Mexico shared national experiences and emphasized the importance of Indigenous peacebuilders, mediators and facilitators. “We must ensure the strengthening of the capacities and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples to enable their participation in all peace initiatives, negotiations, and mechanisms,” said Ambassador José Alberto Bríz Gutiérrez, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations. Participants, including Indigenous representatives, echoed these calls, advocating for continued DPPA support to ensure their communities have the resources, platforms and protection needed to contribute to peace.
Participants also underscored the need to respond to long-standing sources of tension affecting Indigenous communities. The UN Permanent Forum has warned that the unprecedented demand for critical minerals is intensifying tensions between extractive industries, authorities, and Indigenous communities whose lands are rich in these resources. As these tensions grow, genuine partnership with Indigenous Peoples will be key to preventing violence and fostering sustainable peace.
“The United Nations, Member States, Indigenous Peoples, all have to engage on the way forward to include and amplify Indigenous wisdom, knowledge and voices in multilateral peace efforts — in peace talks, mediation and reconciliation processes,” said Binalakshmi Nepram, founder of the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous peacemaker from Manipur. “This is about our shared humanity, and we thank DPPA for the valuable support and partnership.”
The daily struggle to survive an ongoing war in Gaza and to protect one’s family – while reporting on the fear and chaos that conflict brings – has become an unrelenting obligation for a UN News correspondent in the embattled enclave.
As conflict intensifies between rival militaries in Sudan, the UN humanitarian wing (OCHA) expressed alarm on Monday over mounting civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions across the country.
In Gaza, UN aid teams continue to report that Gaza is on the brink of famine with the UN human rights chief on Monday denouncing images of starvation inside the enclave as “an affront to our collective humanity.”
