UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: oPT - Israel - OCHA
/
2:30
/
MP4
/
184.7 MB

Edited News | OCHA

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: oPT / Israel - OCHA

Escalation of violence increases civilian suffering in Israel and Palestinian Territories - OCHA

As the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestinians takes an increasingly heavy toll on civilians, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed its deep concern for the effect the conflict is having on people’s access to water, sanitation, and health care, especially in Gaza.

“We are alarmed by the continued escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel,” UN OCHA Spokesperson Jeans Laerke said at a press briefing in Geneva today. “The casualty count continues to climb on both sides of the conflict and civilians are suffering,” Laerke added.

The situation appears especially dramatic in the Gaza strip, where fuel and medicines were already scarce, and where shortages affect an estimated two million Palestinians.

“We are in contact with all the relevant actors on the ground so that we can obtain two things: again, access in and out of the Gaza Strip – that’s through the Erez crossing point in the North which has been closed as of 10th of May – and for the goods that we need to get in, in particular fuel. So, these are negotiations that are ongoing”, Jens Laerke said.

OCHA reports that the North Gaza Seawater Desalination Plant is still not operational, affecting an estimated 250,000 people’s access to clean drinking water. Another 230,000 people from Gaza City and Khan Younis have limited access to piped water due to increasing power cuts and the damage to the networks.

“Extensive damage is reported to civilian properties in densely populated areas all over Gaza, with over 200 housing units destroyed or severely damaged”, Laerke reported. “Humanitarian partners working in shelter are supporting displaced families with non-food items and cash support”.

Laerke also said that “education partners inform us that 31 education facilities, including schools, vocational training centres and higher education facilities have been impacted since the start of the escalation.”

According to reports, hundreds of people, many from refugee camps in Gaza, are seeking refuge and shelter in schools run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

“UNRWA says that it has experienced in quickly turning its schools into shelters, but the challenge is the pandemic and the risk of people crowding and spreading the virus”, Laerke said. He added that “another major risk is the UNRWA has not yet been able to put in place necessary preparation in these schools-turned-shelters because of the restriction on staff movement in the past two days.”

Humanitarian workers continue to provide assistance on the ground, but the current insecurity limits the delivery of essential services, including needed response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as people are unable to safely access treatment and vaccination facilities.

“We continue to call for an immediate de-escalation of violence across the occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, reminding the parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect civilians and allow access for humanitarian groups to safely provide assistance,” Laerke said.

  1. Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying.
  2. Wide shot, podium with speakers in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “We are alarmed by the continued escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel. The casualty count continues to climb on both sides of the conflict and civilians are suffering. In the Gaza Strip, home to an estimated 2 million Palestinians, hostilities are also having an impact on access to water, sanitation, healthcare and the COVID-19 response.”
  4. Medium shot, attendee with headphones, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “We are in contact with all the relevant actors on the ground so that we can obtain two things: again, access in and out of the Gaza Strip – that’s through the Erez crossing point in the North which has been closed as of 10th of May – and for the goods that we need to get in, in particular fuel. So, these are negotiations that are ongoing.”
  6. Medium wide shot, attended typing on phone to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “Extensive damage is reported to civilian properties in densely populated areas all over Gaza, with over 200 housing units destroyed or severely damaged. Humanitarian partners working in shelter are supporting displaced families with non-food items and cash support. Education partners inform us that 31 education facilities, including schools, vocational training centres and higher education facilities have been impacted since the start of the escalation.”
  8. Medium close-up shot, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke talking, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): UNRWA says that it has experienced in quickly turning its schools into shelters, but the challenge is the pandemic and the risk of people crowding and spreading the virus. Another major risk is the UNRWA has not yet been able to put in place necessary preparation in these schools-turned-shelters because of the restriction on staff movement in the past two days.”
  10. Medium wide shot, attendee sitting in front of laptop, Room XIV, Palais des Nations
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): We continue to call for an immediate de-escalation of violence across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, reminding the parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect civilians and allow access for humanitarian groups to safely provide assistance.”
  12. Medium shot, TV broadcasting in foreground and podium with speakers to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  13. Medium shot, attendee using listening device, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
  14. Wide shot, UNTV camera in foreground and podium with speakers to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.


Similar Stories

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on escalating violence in DRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on escalating violence in DRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned of the risk of the violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo escalating throughout the Great Lakes sub-region, following the recent takeover of Goma city by the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group.

DR Congo - Human Rights Council  Special Session

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

DR Congo - Human Rights Council Special Session ENG FRA

UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed profound concerns at the ongoing violent escalation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) caused by the ongoing Rwanda-backed M23 offensive. “If nothing is done, the worst may be yet to come, for the people of the eastern DRC, but also beyond the country’s borders,” he told a Special Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

US funding cuts impact - UNAIDS

1

1

1

Edited News | UNAIDS

US funding cuts impact - UNAIDS ENG FRA

US aid funding cuts create confusion, put HIV prevention at risk, says UNAIDS 

The US pause in foreign assistance funding has created “a lot of confusion” in community HIV prevention work, despite the waiver issued for HIV/AIDS programmes, the UN agency to combat AIDS (UNAIDS) said on Friday.

US aid funding cuts,  UNFPA - OCHA - UNOG

1

1

1

Edited News | UNFPA , OCHA , UNOG

US aid funding cuts, UNFPA - OCHA - UNOG ENG FRA

UN agencies offered a dire assessment on Tuesday about the global impact of deep cuts to grassroots humanitarian funding by the incoming US administration and reiterated calls for Washington to retain its position as a global aid leader.

OPT humanitarian update  - UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

OPT humanitarian update - UNRWA ENG FRA

While West Bank camp is destroyed, UNRWA delivers bulk of aid in Gaza

Large swathes of Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank have been completely destroyed following a series of controlled detonations by the Israeli security forces (ISF), the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Human Rights crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Human Rights crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday raised the alarm about the growing human rights crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence and James Rodehaver on fourth year since the coup in Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence and James Rodehaver on fourth year since the coup in Myanmar ENG FRA

At the UN bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, UN Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence and the head of UN Human Rights Myanmar team James Rodehaver, describedunprecedented levels of killing in 2024, four years since the coup.

OPT Update UNRWA, WHO 31 January 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , UNRWA

OPT Update UNRWA, WHO 31 January 2025 ENG FRA

The largest UN agency in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, UNRWA, said on Friday that its staff are still helping the people of Gaza and the West Bank including East Jerusalem who depend on them “for their sheer survival”, a day after the Israeli parliament ban on its activities entered into force.

DRC humanitarian update OCHA - WFP - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WFP , WHO

DRC humanitarian update OCHA - WFP - WHO ENG FRA

Goma: ‘Critical’ moment for population caught in crossfire – UN humanitarians

In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), civilians caught up in heavy fighting face a “critical” 24 hours, with food and water running low and aid unable to enter, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.

Holocaust remembrance day

1

1

1

Edited News | UNOG

Holocaust remembrance day ENG FRA

Nazi death camp survivor Ivan Lefkovits shared harrowing testimony of his experiences on Monday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a timeless message for present and future generations: “Don't be neutral, especially not towards human suffering." 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday said it was “deeply concerned by the use of unlawful lethal force in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank”, as part of an ongoing Israeli military operation.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani briefing on DRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani briefing on DRC ENG FRA

“We are deeply alarmed at the heightened risk of an attack by the M23 armed group on Goma, the capital of North Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” Ravina Shamdasani said.