Good morning to you and welcome to this press briefing at the UN office at Geneva today, the 13th of October.
We will start off firstly, as you know, we had Lynn Hastings, the humanitarian coordinator who was meant to speak with you this morning.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel that press briefing, but we will stick on the subject of the Middle East situation in the Middle East.
I'll start off this briefing and others will join me.
Other spokespeople will join me here on the podium.
We'll start off with the briefing with an announcement that we received just a few hours ago.
Early this morning, Central European time, leaders of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of Safety and Security in Gaza were informed by their liaison officers in the Israeli military that the entire population of Gaza north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within the next 24 hours.
This approximately this amount to approximately 1.1 million people.
In the same order applied to all UN staff and those sheltered in UN facilities, including schools, health centres and clinics.
The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences.
the United Nations strongly appeals for any such order to be rescinded, avoiding what could transform what is already a tragic situation into a calamitous situation.
Now senior officials, including the humanitarian coordinator are working to this end and this includes Chorus Tor Vencilon, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, who is working very hard to de escalate the situation.
I'll turn immediately to Jens from OCHA, who has an update for you as well.
Thank you, Rolando, and good morning, everyone.
To add to that, we shared overnight the flash appeal for the Occupied Palestinian territory.
You should have it in your inboxes.
This urgent appeal calls for nearly $300 million to address the most urgent needs of more than 1.2 million people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Some 100 humanitarian partners are behind the appeal, including thirteen United Nations agencies, including UNWA and international and national NGOs and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The appeal addresses civilian needs in food security, shelter, health, water, sanitation and hygiene protection, education and cash assistance.
Thank you all very much, Yen.
So we'll stay on the subject when you turn to Tarek of WHO, who's got an update on the situation Middle East as well.
Thank you very much, Rolando.
So WHO joins the wider United Nations appeal to Israel to immediately rescind orders for the evacuation within the next 24 hours of 1.1 million people living north of Wadi Gaza?
We also appeal to an end to hostilities and violence in Gaza Strip, where unimaginable human suffering is unfolding.
As we can witness with ongoing airstrikes, civilians have no safe place left to go.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has informed WHO that is that it is impossible to evacuate vulnerable hospital patients from the north of Gaza.
There is a limited bed capacity.
The two major hospitals in the north of the Gaza Strip, the Indonesian Hospital and Shifa Hospital, have already exceeded their combined 760 bed capacity.
99% of the beds at Shifa Hospital, which is one of the main surgical hospitals, are occupied, and the hospitals in the South of Gaza are also overflowing.
Vulnerable patients include those already critically injured adults and children and newborns who depend on life support in intensive care and moving severely ill people.
And remember many of those are children and these severely I'll people whose injuries mean their only chances of survival is a is being on a life support such as mechanical ventilators.
So moving those people is a death sentence.
Asking health workers to do so is beyond cruel health system in Gaza in general and you have received our statement last night about this is at breaking point.
Time is running out to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe if fuel, water, food and life saving health and humanitarian supplies cannot be urgently delivered to the Gaza Strip amidst the complete blockade.
Hospitals have only a few hours electricity each day as they are forced to ration depleting fuel reserves and rely on generators to sustain the most critical functions.
And even those functions we'll have to seize in few days when fuel stocks run out.
And the impact would be devastating for the most vulnerable patients, including the injured who need life saving surgery, patients in intensive care units and newborns depending on care in incubators.
There's a shortage of blood at hospital blood banks in the Gaza Strip.
In the last 24 hours there have been 15 admissions to intensive care units and 106 surgeries at hospitals in Gaza which are already at capacity.
Also medicines for communicable and non communicable diseases for the treatment of the sick are in short supplies.
6 of the 7 main hospitals in Gaza are only partially functioning.
Ben Hindu Beit Hanoon Hospital in the north is non functional because of the repeated airstrikes in the vicinity causing damage to the hospital and surrounding roads.
And what are we hearing from WHO and non WHO health workers in Gaza is is really is horrifying.
Hospital corridors are overflowing, dead bodies are piling up as there is no more space in the morgues and ambulances and doctors have to do a horrific choice on to who to save and who to leave behind.
Now, let's not forget health workers who are extremely resilient and who are doing the best they can, but they have absolutely no time to rest, to pause and to process, and that must be taking a huge toll on their mental health.
Now from the Gaza Strip, estimated an estimated 130 referral patients and their companions each day require access across Beit Hanun Eret's checkpoint to reach scheduled medical appointments.
Eret's checkpoints remain inaccessible due to the security situation.
No entry of medical supplies is permitted through the Karam Abu Salem, Karub Shalom checkpoint.
And following air strikes, the Rafa crossing with Egypt remains closed.
And just to close, as we were reporting on the attacks on on health, as of yesterday, six PM, 76 health attacks have been confirmed in Occupied Palestinian territory and those include 34 attacks on healthcare in the Gaza Strip.
Those attacks resulted in 11 fatalities of healthcare workers on duty, 16 injuries, 20 ambulances and 19 health facilities being affected.
The Gaza Emergency Operations Centre that is supported by WTO has also sustained heavy damages.
This will be sent to you plus some additional information in a in a note by e-mail.
Thank you very much, Tarek.
I was told that the my statement that I read out earlier was not transmitted on the Zoom platform.
So if you indulge me before we turn to the rest of our speakers on the Middle East, I'll, I'll just repeat what I said here in this room Early this morning.
Central European Time Team leaders of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Department of Safety and Security in Gaza were informed by their liaison officers in the Israeli military that the entire population of Gaza north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within the next 24 hours.
This amounts to approximately 1.1 million people.
The same order applied to the UN staff and those sheltered in UN facilities, including schools, health centres and clinics.
the United Nations considers it impossible for such a move to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences.
The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order to be rescinded, avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.
Senior officials, including the humanitarian coordinator, are working to this end, and this includes the UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process tour of Insolent.
I'll now turn to Ravine, who has an update from the Office of the **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
We continue to follow with deepening horror, the desperate situation for civilians in Gaza and in Israel.
As we have stressed, civilians must never be used as bargaining chips.
Yet we continue to receive heartbreaking messages of helplessness from people in Gaza who are moving from house to house, terrified, seeking elusive safety.
And civilians continue to be held hostage by Palestinian armed groups in clear violation of international humanitarian law.
We call again for their humane treatment and their immediate and unconditional release.
More than 2700 people, including civilians, have already been killed in both Israel and Gaza.
We urge Palestinian armed groups to halt the use of inherently discriminatory, inherently indiscriminate projectiles which violate international humanitarian law as well as attacks directed against civilians.
And we urge Israel to ensure full respect for international humanitarian and human rights law in any and all military operations.
Air strikes and artillery strikes have already led to the destruction of large parts of densely populated neighbourhoods in Gaza, and rhetoric from **** level officials raises concerns that a message is being sent to the members of the Israeli Defence Forces that international humanitarian law has become optional rather than compulsory.
It is absolutely crucial that Israeli leaders make it unambiguously clear that military operations must be conducted in full compliance with international law.
Israeli authorities announced a few hours ago that the entire population of Gaza, north of Wadi Gaza, should relocate to southern Gaza.
This order is affecting more than a million Palestinians, including children, older and sick people, forcing them to relocate with little or no no transport and with scant guarantees for their safety amidst continuing hostility.
We echo the Secretary General spokesperson's call for this to be rescinded, avoiding a calamitous situation.
International humanitarian law grants special protection for specifically protected persons and objects, including medical personnel, medical units, medical transport, humanitarian relief personnel and objects, as well as cultural property.
The parties to the conflict must respect and protect them in all circumstances.
The complete siege announced by Israel is already leading to a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with estimates that more than 250,000 people in Gaza have already been displaced, the only power station seizing to operate, and a serious shortage of water.
No fuel, food, water or medical supplies are being allowed in, placing the entire population of Gaza at risk.
Such collective punishment of civilians is strictly prohibited by international law.
The UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Walker Turk urges all states to insist upon and assist the parties to the conflict in immediately implementing A humanitarian corridor to ensure safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid.
We should not look back and regret that we did not do everything in our power to avoid a disaster.
In many countries around the world, there has also been a proliferation of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate speech.
The **** Commissioner deeply deplores this.
We call on political and other leaders to speak out unequivocally against such speech and to take clear measures to stem any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.
This is a time for the international community to come together in solidarity, advocating for the protection of all civilians, no matter where, no matter what.
As the **** Commissioner stressed this week in the UN General Assembly, it is of the utmost importance that an urgent solution is found to the 56 year old conflict.
We are at the disposal of both Israelis and Palestinians to do what we can to help the region break from this vicious cycle of bloodshed, hatred and polarisation.
We'll turn now to James of UNICEF, who has an update on the situation of children in the region.
Yeah, thanks so much everyone.
Let me try and add to what has been said from a UNICEF point of view on children.
Hundreds and hundreds of children have now been killed and injured every hour in Gaza.
The number of children killed is rising.
The killing of children must stop.
The images, the stories are clear.
Children with horrendous burns, mortar wounds, lost limbs and hospitals are absolutely overwhelmed to treat them.
Tariq has covered this very well.
Yet the numbers of children killed and injured keep rising.
The same time, Israeli children being held hostage in Gaza must be safely and immediately reunited with families and loved ones.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached lethal lows and yet all reports went to further attacks.
Compassion and international law must prevail.
UNICEF's calling for the immediate ceasefire as 1.1 million children.
Nearly half of these are children.
1.1 million people rather, of which nearly half children are being warned to move out of the way about what is expected to be a ground ******* on one of the most densely populated places on the planet.
But with absolutely nowhere for civilians to go.
Children and families in Gaza practically run out of food or water or the electricity of medicines, and of course, save access to hospitals.
Following days and days of air strikes and cuts to all supply routes, Gaza's sole power plant ran out of fuel on Wednesday afternoons, shutting down electricity, water and wastewater treatment.
Now most residents can no longer get drinking water from service providers or indeed household water through pipelines, at least 6 water wells, 3 pumping station and one entire reservoir and the Desalina tion plants serving more than a million people.
Collectively, these have been damaged airstrikes.
Humanitarians must of course be able to safely access children and their families with life saving services and supplies wherever they may be.
In this war, the ones who suffer the most are children.
And that it is tragically true as we speak today.
OK, we'll, we'll take questions now and you can, if you have it specifically for any of the briefers, just direct your questions to them.
We'll start off with Andalou in the centre here.
My question will be directed to UNICEF, to be honest.
You say a large number of children among the victims in Gaza.
Can you give us a number on that firstly and secondly half security of the children can be provided?
As the children right now in Gaza facing a relocation in this salt in Gaza within the next 24 hours.
And what is your call on Israel on this matter and can we consider this killing as a as a intended killing?
So if I'm sorry, it's difficult to unmute.
The most recent number from the Ministry of Health in Palestine or in Gaza rather, was 447 children.
It's almost certain that number is now outdated.
That number is only a few hours old.
But as you'll heard from my colleague Tarek, given the severity of strikes and just the number of even surgeries ongoing now, so 447, there are reports that that now has already risen.
To your second question, how can people get safe?
It's that that is simply not possible in an area as densely populated as this, where there have been not hundreds but thousands of air strikes and where there seems, as colleagues have mentioned, that the rhetoric is ongoing and there seems no respite in the attacks.
There is nowhere safe for children to be in Gaza.
Nothing has changed since the first calls were made by the Secretary General and UN agencies on Saturday and Sunday for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors.
The only way to keep children safe is for a ceasefire, full functioning of hospitals and to allow children and families out and to allow medical supplies and humanitarians to do their jobs.
And of course, I'll take this opportunity to repeat what we have been saying specifically since Saturday, that is the SG sentiments reiterating a call for the protection of all civilian population.
We have a question now from Gabriella of El Proceso.
I have many questions here.
Some questions short questions for Tariq, how many people would be at risk of dying with this evacuation in the hospitals?
If you have an estimate of people if, if they evacuate and how many UN personnel it's, it's do do you have to move?
How many personal is there is there in the in the region?
And another question what is happening with the Egyptian border?
And then I have another questions, if may I well?
OK, why don't you just post them all now and we'll try to, we'll try to address all of them all in one fell swoop.
And then if Robina, for Robina, if you have been trying to contact in any way with Hamas for the release of the hostages also Hamas is calling Muslims around the world to make it today, Friday, a day of anger and apply Islamic Jihad globally.
So what are your comments on this call on that side?
Maybe if I can just start just to mention what has already been said about number of staff.
We have roughly over 12,000 staff in Gaza Strip and this is mostly staff from the UN Relief Works Agency.
And in terms of corridors, and as has been said as well, you know, their discussions are very much ongoing at different levels.
The Secretary General continues his diplomacy, his phone diplomacy as as are his envoys for engaging with different actors about safe delivery of much needed humanitarian supplies.
Maybe we'll start with Tarek on that question.
It's, it's very difficult to to, to, to have a number.
But as I mentioned, just in those two hospitals that are functioning there, there are 760 beds.
So, but the number is much higher if you have a, if you have a, you have people who are not in a hospital and who, who receive their medications, who need their medication, who need the medical care, who cannot easily move.
So that the numbers would be much, much higher than that.
If I understood correctly.
I mean, again, I take this opportunity to to echo what has been said repeatedly, that is we reiterate the call to release hostages and this is all efforts are being made for this and I don't know if we're going to add something.
Just on, on the calls for, for violence, the violence needs to stop.
We all, we all, all of humanity, the international community, each of us need to stand in solidarity with all civilian victims of violence, those who have died, the women, the children, the men.
The **** Commissioner has very clearly deplored the use of hate speech and any speech that leads to incitement to hatred and violence against individuals or communities on the basis of their race, their religion, their ethnicity, their national background.
It is more important than ever before that this call is heeded, that political leaders around the world insist against such hate speech and take measures to stem such hate speech.
I will take maybe Ben in the front row.
2 questions, one from Jens and one from for Havina.
Technical question, you mentioned the flash appeal for 1.3 million people.
If I understand correctly, the Gaza Strip is populated by more than 2 million people.
Are you not in a position to help all the people or do you consider that the the the most urgent need is for the 1.3 million people?
And the next question for Ravina, Gabriela asked it, but I would repeat maybe the question do you, is the UN calling technically on Egypt to open its borders?
If we consider that this little chance now that the the Israeli military will not make any movement in the next 2480, maybe in the next two days, Do you, if the military operation is very likely, do you call on Egypt to open the Rafael border?
Just to reiterate the, the appeal is for nearly $300 million and it addresses the urgent needs of more than 1.2 million people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, the vast majority in in Gaza.
Of course, this is this is a response to an escalation that has put civilians in a situation in which they should never be right.
And the most urgent priority is now to de escalate.
It is correct, as you, as you mentioned, that there are more people than those targeted by this appeal.
This is a strictly highly prioritised targeted humanitarian appeal for those who are most in need of aid.
That is kind of how we always do these these appeals.
It also takes into account that there are other actors in this space that are also able to provide assistance, but this is what we consider the most urgent needs at this moment.
Now on just to add to what Yen said, you asked specifically about communication with Egypt.
I mean that is happening within the UN system.
That's that's not, it's not the **** Commissioner for Human Rights who takes the the lead on that mandate.
The **** Commissioner does stress though, that all states have a responsibility to do what they can to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law by parties to the conflict.
In fact, you know, Common Article one of the Geneva Conventions specifically calls on states, especially those with influence over a party to the conflict, to do everything reasonably in their power to ensure respect for the conventions by parties to a conflict.
So there is a legal obligation there as well.
And and just to add, of course Jeremy, as I've referred to, you know, we have the UN special coordinator Tor Ventolin who is in the region and he is in negotiations with various individuals.
These diplomatic efforts are among other things calling for a much needed humanitarian deliveries and of course overall just for a cessation of hostilities and to protect civilians.
So I heard that the UN is asking for Israel to reconsider the 24 hours ultimate term, but still time is running out.
So is the UN gearing up for trying to evacuate as much as many people as possible or are you just in standby and waiting for an answer from the Israeli side?
Are you, are you starting the evacuation?
I mean, we have no capacity or mandate to do an, an, an evacuation and it's certainly not on us to evacuate anyone.
We have, it is an order that we have received through our DA's and officers from the Israeli military that they are asking everyone north of Waadi, Gaza, which is approximately the halfway point down the Gaza Strip, as you know, to evacuate or to relocate rather to, to, to the South in the middle of a, of a war zone with people who are already on at the end of the rope.
I, I have rarely seen anything like, like this.
How, how's that going to happen?
There is only one solution and that is to rescind this order, rethink it, allow access for humanitarian agencies to do what they do, which is save the lives of, of, of civilians.
And then and yes, thank you.
Could you give us some detail about what's going on at Rafa, particularly the crossing is, is I understand the other day was maybe damaged and that there's maybe not and how what is going on?
Is there aid that could possibly be going in at all?
I've heard there apparently been some reports that Israel may take action against any convoys that try to go into Gaza from, from, from Rafa.
And, and just a second question, you mentioned Rolando mentioned the 22,000, the evacuation order was not just for civilians.
It was also for UN staff.
What are you and staff doing?
Are you going to abide by that order or are you going to continue to demand that it be rescinded and not obey it until, until that?
What's the verb, what's the noun to that it is rescinded.
First on, on the first one on Rafa, which is the crossing as as you know to Egypt in the South of of of the strip remains unoperational at at this point.
That's one thing regarding the, the, the, the UN staff, I will not speak to that because the vast, vast majority of of UN staff is UNWA staff.
So I think it's best thanks.
You know, we, we, we heard from tomorrow earlier this week from UNRWA, from Amman as you know and and she addressed these types of situation, the safety of the 12,000 roughly staff throughout the Gaza Strip that is predominantly UNRWA as as we've made very clear, the situation is, is precarious.
Our, our priority is the safety of, of all individuals in this situation.
And it's, as we said in the statement earlier, the task is, is it's impossible.
This moves such 1.1 million people in this short amount of time.
It's a very, very, very, very ambitious target.
We're doing everything we can to protect our colleagues and those unfortunate victims in this situation.
I think we go to and yes, and then to Musa and then maybe to Muhammad, OK.
And then we'll get, we have questions also online I should mention.
So first we'll start with, then yes.
My my initial question was, was the one that Jamie asked about to know what, what I know you, you are not moving the the people of Gaza, but what about the people of the UN if you are having some schedules?
So you say it's Unruh, it's an Unruh issue, but Unruh is still Aun agency.
So I wanted to know if there are some directives of coming from the Secretary General of the UN about that for the security of the UN employees.
And yes, we're waiting for some some guidance.
Again, we're doing everything we can.
It's where does one go in a situation like this?
The schools have been attacked.
They've been taking shelter in various locations.
We're trying to do our best to protect them.
And under these very, very difficult circumstances, of course, we're in touch with our colleagues on the ground, specifically Anwar.
All I can tell you is once we have a bit more clarity in this short amount of time, of course, we'll share that with you.
I think let's turn to Moussa in the back and then and then we'll have to take a question online.
And then back to you, Gabby Moussa.
In, in terms of of food availability, we agencies are of course they had stocks in place which are being depleted as I speak.
I cannot say for how long this will this will last.
It's a very, very difficult assessment to make, but we know for a fact that nothing is going in.
So it will run out sooner probably rather than later, which will be catastrophic we hope of course.
And we work towards having access to all civilians in need by whichever mean possible in this situation.
The flash appeal that we have just issues issued speak about a total of 1.26 million people targeted for food security, primarily in Gaza, but also a proportion of that number in the West Bank.
It says clearly in the appeal that food supply chains in Gaza have been disrupted and families face acute food shortages.
And by now food unavailability is not just a crisis, it is a catastrophe.
So that is where we are with that again on in, in terms of of access, it is pretty much locked out.
We're pretty much locked out and we need to have that access as soon as as possible, by whatever means necessary.
There are many violations of international humanitarian law that are most likely happening on the ground at the moment in Israel and in Gaza.
International humanitarian law grant special protection for specifically protected persons and objects, including military medical personnel, medical units, medical transport, humanitarian relief personnel and objects, and cultural property, and the parties to the conflict must respect them in all circumstances.
Attacks against such people and objects are prohibited and may constitute a war crime.
The imposition of sieges that endanger the lives of the civilian population by depriving it of goods essential for their survival, including water, food, medical supplies and electricity, are also prohibited under international humanitarian law.
We are closely monitoring how this this complete siege, as the Israeli authorities have described it, is impacting the population on the ground and we will continue to monitor this.
Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival is defined as a war crime under international law, the taking of hostages and the summary execution of civilians by Hamas.
These are obviously prohibited under international humanitarian law, and these also amount to war crimes.
Israel don't set the operational militaire.
I mean, we are calling on all states with influence to do whatever it is they can to try to de escalate the situation and to insist upon respect for international humanitarian law.
It helps no one to to feed the tensions.
We have seen increasing statements from Member States insisting upon respect for international humanitarian law and we are calling for a global call and unequivocal call from every Member State in the international community, particularly those with influence, to insist upon full respect for international humanitarian law.
As I said, we are seeing statements from **** level officials, rhetoric from **** level officials, that a message is being sent to the IDF that respect for IHL, the international humanitarian law, has become optional rather than compulsory.
International humanitarian laws are the laws of war and they have to be respected no matter what, and the the actions by one party do not negate the obligation on the opposing party to respect international humanitarian law.
Let's turn to the platform.
We have a couple of questions.
So we'll have Yuri from our Radio University, then Catherine Fiancon.
Yes, thank you for taking my question.
This is maybe we can say that a follow up of what Moussa asked to Ravenna.
Ravenna, you just said clearly that what Hamas did is Iraq crime.
It was really clear, but it is hard for us to understand if you are considering that what Israel is doing is a Iraq crime because we are really talking about the UN personal that is killed.
We are talking about schools that are targeting, that are bombed, and they are used as shaped as shelters.
And so there is no Hamas there and they are bombed.
We're talking of hospitals, health facilities, everything.
But we don't have the same clearly message that what Hamas did is the war crime.
What Israel is doing is also a war crime.
Can you please be more precise on that?
If we understand that this is a variation of international law, but is this a war crime created?
We're not a Criminal Court.
What we can provide is information that we have managed to corroborate on the ground and we can provide the law and we can insist upon respect for the law.
What there needs to be is proper investigations.
There are many different factors in international humanitarian law that have to be considered in coming to these determinations of whether something constitutes a war crime.
There need to be proper investigations.
There need to be proper accountability.
Unfortunately, in this context, we tend not to see accountability.
Unfortunately, history teaches us that that there has been a dearth of independent investigations and accountability for such circumstances in the Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territory.
But we can go so far as to say that these may amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law.
There needs to be a court of law that will determine whether they actually amount to war crimes.
Thanks very much, Ravine.
OK, we'll take a question from Catherine now.
Catherine Fiancan Bokung.
Yes, thank you so much, Rolando.
In terms of access, we, we, we know.
That everything is closed, and particularly the the the door that brings to Egypt.
Are you, I know, Rolando, that you mentioned that the SG has ongoing discussions in order to open corridors.
I would like to know if at the other levels, meaning for instance the Head of WHO, Doctor Tedros.
Is he trying his side also to allowed medical supplies to enter in Gaza?
So that is a question for Tariq.
Tariq and Ravina, please be kind enough to send you, send us as soon as possible your notes in order to really mention the good wording in what you see, as it is very important not to make any interpretation of what you are saying.
And regarding the head of human rights, Mr Volcker Turk, you mentioned the fact that of course he's open to any discussion.
Did he reached out to, for instance, the Permanent Representative of Israel in Geneva, or is there any other?
To with the Israeli authorities to at least authorise supplies, humanitarian supplies to.
Enter Thank you so much for your answers, all of you.
I need not repeat what I've said already a few times in this briefing, but of course as I as I already mentioned and you already alluded to my comment about negotiations for humanitarian corridors.
So that that's really something that is an ongoing effort, very much needed effort.
Maybe Tarek then then intervena on The Who question.
We are ready to to bring medical supplies.
We are making preparations for once we are able to get in.
So we won't, we don't want to lose a second once we are permitted to, to get to, to, to, to bring so much needed medical supplies to doctors.
Can you just imagine how it is for health workers to, to, to receive dozens and hundreds of patients and, and seeing your, your, your reserves of of, of of, of, of, of medical material running out.
So for us it's, it's, it's really, it's really crucial that the moment there is access, we can we can get in.
The the notes were issued, I was just double checking they, they had been issued on contact with the authorities.
Yes, there has been contact with both the permanent mission here of Israel and of Palestine.
So there has been ongoing contact with the authorities.
And in fact, as I mentioned on Tuesday as well, a lot of these issues are not, these are long standing issues that we have been raising with the authorities for for many years now and we still have colleagues on the ground as well, including in Gaza.
Thanks to you both for the questions on the subject.
Yes, Mohammed, thank you for taking my question.
Recently we have seen the footage show showing Israel using white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon.
This report was also published by a human rights vote.
Will you start an investigation to determine this?
No, of course we've seen the reports and and I did check in with, with colleagues.
We, we have seen the reports.
But in order to confirm we will need more time and access to be able to investigate this thoroughly.
So at the moment we can't go beyond that.
I think, Gabby, if it's on the same subject, we'll take this one last question.
We do have other subjects to address during this press briefing, but go ahead, Gabby.
Yes, thank you very much.
Ravina, follow up on my colleagues question and I would like to hear your comments about the disregard for the Geneva Conventions, international humanitarian law, both parties, both parties are violating them.
So what is the role of the International Criminal Court now?
I mean, what else can be done for the parties to obey this conventions that you mentioned are compulsory?
I mean, I can't speak on behalf of the International Criminal Court of course, but our role as the UN Human Rights Office is to continue to document the facts on the ground.
There is also a lot of disinformation and misinformation that's circulating, including on social media.
You know, there've been video circulating of, of killings taking place, which then turned out to be from a previous time or even staged videos or from another.
So our role in such a chaotic situation is to try to document the facts as well as we can and analyse them against international human rights and international humanitarian law.
There are often steps taken beyond this where the ICC gets involved or other judicial bodies get involved and we will cooperate with them as we do.
But I I can't speak on behalf of the ICC itself.
Of course, Jamie, one last question, go ahead.
Just very quickly following up on Kathleen's question for Tarek and for Yents, are supplies, medical supplies and various equipment, medication for not are they being pre positioned near the Rafa border?
Are they are they moving into the vicinity of the area so that you say you want to get ready.
So I'm just wondering how far along are you and getting ready or close enough to the border that when any signal or opening comes that you can immediately mobilise supplies and medication and and water, food, fuel, etcetera.
What I can say for 4 W 2, we have a our logistic hub in Dubai and and and we are ready to move as soon as we get a signal that that those supplies can then move onward.
From my side, we've just issued this and that's you know kind of the first step for any large scale operation that we need the funding to actually procure this.
I think we'll, we'll end our briefings on the situation in the Middle East.
Of course, as you've heard, the situation is, is very worrying and we will do our best to update you on the situation throughout the day for the safety of, of, of our colleagues and of course, fillions in the Gaza Strip, other developments including humanitarian access.
I will now I'd like to ask, you know, we're switching to Afghanistan.
So Eugen from UNHCR, if you can come up here before we turn to Eugen.
I, although I wanted the Ravina wanted to mention there are a few notes, additional notes on other subjects that OHHR is putting out today.
So maybe you can speak to that, Ravina.
You should have received the press briefing notes.
You've received a note on the Israel and OPT, but also on Sri Lanka human rights concerns over 2 draught laws in Sri Lanka, A note on Kyrgyzstan where we have concerns about a proposed law on civil society organisations.
And also another note on the ICC on arrest warrants that have been issued against ICC officials.
As you have those in your inbox, if you have any questions, of course, please reach out.
Thank you very much, Ravina, and for being here with us.
OK Eugene, update on the launch of urgent funding appeal to support earthquake victims in Afghanistan.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is today launching an urgent funding appeal of 14.4 million to scale up its assistance for those affected by the tragic recent earthquakes in western Afghanistan.
100 of 1000 of people in the province of Herod to have been affected, requiring immediate assistance.
Earthquake tremors in quick succession have left more than 1000 dead and thousand of other injured.
Sadly, these estimate figure are likely to increase as the full scale of the disaster become apparent as people are mourning their loved ones so many are forced to sleep under the open skies after complete destruction of their mud houses in the affected zone.
Humanitarian assistance is needed to help them and avoid further tragedy as the immediate needs include emergency shelters, heaters, kitchen set, clean water, food and warm clothing ahead of cold winter Which comes soon.
Women and children are among those hardest hit.
Refugee housing units will be provided to overcrowded hospital to accommodate the survivors of earthquakes who are currently receiving casualty treatment and sleeping outdoors.
With over 35 years of a presence in Afghanistan, Unity says working closely with national and international partners to support those affected as part of an interagency humanitarian response.
UNHCR teams have been on the ground since day one and are scaling up the response, delivering tent, blankets and other relief item including solar lamps and hygiene kit to those who have been displaced and lost everything.
We're working to ensure that people with a special need are identified and received the required support, including those with a disability, older people and child and female headed household.
Unity CR plan to deliver psychosocial and cashes support are underway to help people including refugees and internally displaced person who are returning their homes affected by the earthquakes.
Orphaned, separated or unaccompanied children require special attention.
Unity CR will provide a legal assistant and counselling including through supporting the recovery and the processing of a civil documentation as known as Taskara so that household can access their rights, especially including recently arrived refugee and IDP returnees.
UNHCR calls upon the international community to urgently support the people affected by the earthquakes, stressing the importance to act now to provide much needed help ahead of upcoming harsh winter month.
Eugen, questions on Afghanistan, we have a question online from Paula Dupras Dobias from Geneva Solutions.
Actually, I had a question for, for everyone and perhaps I don't know, I, I, I hear your appeal regarding the, the funding for UNHCR, but maybe Yens could respond to this.
It's really about whether there's been any new funding that's come in since the the weekends regarding, you know, after the first quake, quake in Afghanistan, how you know how much funding may have come in.
You know, how much are you looking at globally in terms of new appeals, you know, including what you just announced now from UNHCR and with the resurgence of the the violence in Israel and Gaza?
Are you expecting a further squeeze in aid funding for Afghanistan and other emergencies?
Are have you seen any countries withdrawing from UN emergency funding as a result of this this conflict for for any potential political reasons?
I think I, I cannot talk on behalf of OCHA, but what I know is that OCHA is coordinating the development of an interagency flash appeal as well to seek funding to address the most immediate and urgent need of a people affected by earthquake as well.
I'm not sure when it's going to be a release, but maybe this weekend or today probably.
But what we can say as UNHCR that Afghanistan is the crisis that already underfunded, extremely underfunded crisis.
So what we're needing like a more like an additional $14.4 million will focus to support affected people, but we're calling the international community to also not forget the the internally displaced Afghan also as well as the Afghanistan refugee, Afghan refugee in neighbouring country as well.
And of course, I think your question is maybe best directed to Jens who's left the the briefing room here.
But of course, we've spoken at length about underfunded crises and and this is just one of many, including in the Middle East.
So through you colleagues in the media, we we appeal to you and through you the international community to to meet these very important goals to deliver much needed assistance.
OK, further questions on Afghanistan, we have John Zaracostas online.
My question is to the, can you hear me?
Yeah, My question is the the UNHCR spokesperson.
I was wondering if Mr Grandy plans to give a press briefing on the outcome of the Executive Committee meeting this week in the Palais, and in particular, I'm interested if there have been any contingency plans drawn up by UNHCR in the worst case situation where the current conflict between Israel and the OPT groups spills into many countries in the region.
Thank you very much John.
Yeah, indeed that Philippa Grande our **** Commissioner will have a closing the speech at the end of his the X com, this year's X com.
It will be a live stream as we are we ripe stream the his opening remark and then general debate.
And to follow your question on Israel and and Gaza situation, of course UNHCR urged all sides to show restrain by the rules of international humanitarian law, including respect for the principle of distinction of proportionality and in ensuring protection of a civilian and a civilian in infrastructure.
And we continue to call as in many other crisis that we call on all country to allow civilians seeking asylum to have access to their territory and insured respective for their principle of unknown reforming and all times.
We have a few more hands up online.
So Paula, once again, Paula, yeah, I just just going back to my question.
Is there anyone from from WFP or potentially if Tariq is around to, to speak about funding for, for Afghanistan?
And yeah, just just like to get a better picture regarding yeah, as I said, not only Afghanistan, but also, you know, the impact of the the latest crisis in the Middle East on on funding, you know, for for other, you know, major emergency hotspots.
Again, I think if Yens is not here, but yeah, Tarek is still in the room and he's going to come back on the podium.
But maybe do liaise with Yens.
WFP unfortunately is not connected online, but Tarek is coming to answer your specific question on WHO.
Thank you very much, Paul.
So just for for funding on Afghanistan WH OS immediate response to earthquake inherit was supported by the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, ECHO EU, Germany, USAIDADB and the World Bank through the her project HER project.
We are grateful to the donor support at this critical time and as a result of the assessments come in, we will have a full picture of the gaps and needs and would appeal for donor support to sustain the life saving response in Afghanistan.
Thank you very much Tarek for that.
I would like to come back to the the question of my colleague John regarding a press conference of Filippo Grandi, not a final speech, you know broadcasted life.
We're talking about the press conference.
Is there a press conference organised or planned?
Oh, as far as I am aware that there will be no press conference after the the the closing of X com.
So as I mentioned that there will be a closing remarks of Phil Pogrande will be live streamed.
Actually I, I did, I didn't get an answer to the second part of my question, whether you and H CR were doing contingency plans in a worst case scenario on the ongoing conflict between Israel and OPT armed groups, which is kind of standard work that they do in many crises as we've reported in the past, whether in Syria or Iraq or other conflicts.
And I've got a question for Tariq, if he has the latest on the number of attacks on health in the in West Bank, Gaza and also in Israel in the last week, the total health attacks.
Thank you John, your NHS are closely monitoring this highly fluid situation, especially cross-border movement.
We always stand ready to respond to the situation if needed as an as a part of why the UN and government response?
Me just come find my notes I already said them I think it was 75 attacks in the occupied policy and territory out of each 34 in Gaza and there are others in in the in the West Bank and you can you can have them really I sent the notes where where where these numbers include also the the injured and and and resulting deaths.
Now we have this global surveillance system for attacks on healthcare.
Everything is on the on the on the website and you can you can consult different conflict zones and different time frame and see what attacks happened.
Now from Israel, Israel is not part of this system.
But we have been receiving reports that Ashkelon hospital has been attacked, that one paramedic has been killed in this horrific attacks by Hamas, where on Saturday 7th, Hamas committed enormous atrocities that that we all condemn.
So John, I will resend you my notes where you will have all the all the numbers.
I don't see any more hands up on this issue or Afghanistan.
So I'd like to thank you very much for for joining us here.
We'll now switch to Omar Amak of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, who has a speaker connected online.
But maybe I'll first turn to you, Omar, and then I'll introduce the speaker.
Thank you and hello everybody.
Today is the 13th of October, which is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The purpose of this day is to remind countries that there's a lot they can do to prevent disaster risks from becoming disasters.
Now there are a lot of drivers of disaster risk and climate change being a well known example, but there are other drivers that gets less attention, including the role of inequality.
That is why the theme of this year's International Day is Fighting Inequality for a Resilient Future.
Groups that face inequality, discrimination, marginalisation, such as women, the poor and persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by disasters.
And even after a disaster, it takes a much longer to recover.
To better understand the challenges that persons with disabilities face, yesterday we published a report summarising the results of our global survey on personal stabilities and disasters.
To tell you more about the survey and its recommendations, I'm pleased to welcome from Brussels my colleague Stephanie, who is the UNDR focal point for issues related to disability.
Thank you very much and good morning and Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to address you today.
The approximately 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the global population, experienced significant disabilities, and when it comes to disasters, persons with disabilities often face disaster mortality rates that are two to four times higher than those without disabilities.
Disasters are increasing worldwide due to the climate change affecting more people than ever before, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted and continue to face suicidal exclusion and barriers to participation during disasters.
In Germany, during the severe flooding in 20/21/12, persons with disabilities drowned due to flash floods.
After the 2011 earthquake in tsunami in Japan, persons with disabilities had a fatality rate 4.3 times higher than the general population.
In Bangladesh, after Cyclone Amfan in 20/20/71, percent of persons with disabilities had difficulties accessing early warning systems and it continues this list.
There is an alarming lack of progress in protecting the lives of persons with disabilities in the face of growing disasters and without actions to reduce climate and disaster risks.
We are projected to experience 560 disasters a year by 20-30 and with those, and with these, those that are most at risk are even in greater danger.
Our report reveals that the reward is not meeting its commitments to persons with disabilities in disastrous production and that an urgent action is needed to involve the disability community in the decision making processes that can save their lives.
And basically, the world is not fulfilling the legal obligations set out in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities under Article 11 on the situations of risks and humanitarian emergencies.
Let me highlight a few key statistics from this report.
The report survey was under conducted between January and March of this year, and we have received over 6300 responses from persons with disabilities and their caretakers from 132 countries around the world.
In 2013, we undertook a similar survey, nearly the same questions and we had over 5700 respondents.
84% of the respondents did not have personal preparedness plans for disasters.
44 persons of disabilities were unaware of accessible disaster risk innovation.
86% of them were excluded from the community level Disaster Risk Reduction decision making.
Even so, a majority of them, nearly 60%, would have loved to participate in the discussions.
The good news is 8% reported that local disaster resilient plans where they live considered their needs as a person with disability.
However, the awareness of disaster restriction plans among persons with disabilities is limited, with only 11% aware of national plans and 40% aware that their local plans available on disaster risk production.
Seriously urgent action is needed to involve the disability community in the decision making processes that can save their lives.
The report calls on specific actions including making disastrous information accessible, accessible to the blind, accessible to the deaf, enhancing early warning systems, ensuring dedicated leadership Broads for the disability experts in person with disabilities in the decision making.
There was a time when men thought that they know best what's good for women and make this decision on behalf of us, and this has changed in most countries around the world.
So it's time that the person with disabilities can make decisions themselves and contribute directly to the solutions as they know what's best for them, the UN Secretary General Guterres said.
Once we're losing our societal war against nature and we talk about climate change and we know that the most at risk groups are most impacted.
So why we're not changing it and why nothing has happened?
Would you consider an older person a person with disability?
One day you might require stronger classes and without them you will not see you require working support, hearing aid.
Still you would not consider yourself a person with disability.
Imagine you will face a disaster based on our report will have no difficulties.
You will have difficulties to survive.
Your parents will have difficulties to survive.
Human Rights Watch published a report in 2022 investigating the British Columbia Canadian heat related to death, and the report found that 91% of the 610 victims had chronic diseases and 90% of the deceased were 60 aged 60 or older.
The world is failing in its commitment to leave no one behind, and despite strong commitments under the Sender Framework for Disaster Risk Production and Sustainable Development Goals in the Convention on the Rights of Personal with Disabilities, reality on the ground shows progress is very limited in all regions and on all fronts.
Today, on the International Day, we say no more.
No more inequalities, no more leaving people behind, no more climate injustice.
No one is safe from the ****** of disasters until everyone is safe.
Until we break the cycle.
Disability inclusion should not be an afterthought but should be planned in advance.
And disability resides in the society and not in the personal.
Persons with disabilities need to need your help to break the cycles.
Therefore, please help us to spread the news.
Thank you very much, Stephanie and I take this opportunity to honour the Secretary General's message on the day, International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
We shared his message with you earlier.
DSG notes how 2023 this year has shattered temperature records and seen a record drought, fire and floods around the world.
Poverty and inequality are exacerbating these disasters.
Fighting equality for a resilient future in this theme is the theme for this year's International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
And countries must work to break the cycle of poverty and disaster by honouring the Paris Agreement, striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
That message we shared with you earlier, questions for Stephanie or Omar from the UNDRR.
I don't see that's the case.
You're a very comprehensive briefing.
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you, Stephanie, for the sake of everyone.
I'd like to thank you, Omar, for joining us as well.
And if we have questions from colleagues asking if you can share those notes as well.
And now it's time for me to apologise to Eugene because I Amit this very, very busy schedule.
I forgot that you initiate has a second item which speaks to you Initiate reports reporting progress in refugee education as a tertiary enrolment rate the hitting 7%.
No problem Rolando, UNHCR, this time I bring it a little bit of good news to share with you.
Global enrollment of a refugee in higher education increase of 7% in 2023, continuing year on year gain in each of the past four years, according to the 30th anniversary Albert Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative a programme report released this week by UNHCR.
The current enrollment rate represent a significant increase from 1% that was reported in 2019.
Last year, the DAFFY programme, which is Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative Programme, granted a scholarship in 56 country to more than 9000 refugee student from 50 countries of origin, an increase of nearly 1000 students compared to the year before.
In twenty, 2243% of the scholars were women, the highest share ever in many countries of asylum.
Worldwide, refugee continue to struggle to access the higher education on an equal footing with the nationals owing to a lack of inclusive educational policy capacity, constrained prohibitive courses fee and other administrative or bureaucratic impediment in the country in which it operates.
The Duffy programme is sometimes the only available mechanism for refugees to access the tertiary education generously funded by German government.
Since its inception in 1992, the programme has supported more than 24,000 students and in is the cornerstone of Unhcr's Global Education strategy to achieve and exceed 15% enrollment of refugee in higher education by 20-30, known as the 15 by 30 target, with the current 7% enrollment rate representing a halfway mock.
In reaching this target, your NHS is calling for increased investment to expand the higher education opportunity for refugees.
Ahead of this year's Global Refugee Forum, the world's largest annual gathering on refugees to be held in Geneva in December, your NHS is urging State and the private sector to come forward with the commitment to increase funding for and access to higher education for refugees.
You will receive the You already received the the our briefing note with the link with the full report.
Questions for you, Jin on this report.
I don't see that's the case.
So thanks once again and for your patience.
We have still two more announcements and one more subject.
So we'll just turn immediately to Pascal SIM of the Human Rights Council Secretary, who's got an update on the Council session about to conclude.
Today, the United Nations Human Rights Council concludes its 54th regular session after five weeks of meetings and deliberation and at the end of its 54 session, the Council so far has adopted a total of 35 resolutions.
The Council is currently considering the last resolution draught, which is on cooperation with Cambodia.
Among the novelties during this 54 session, the new items that have been adopted, we have established and the Council has established a new independent international fact finding mission for Sudan with a mandate to investigate alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws.
It also established a working group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.
The Council also decided to formalise the participation of indigenous people, a representative of the seven indigenous social social control regions to its works.
And the Council also approved the establishment of a regional human UN human rights office in the Caribbean region and to provide technical assistance to under us under us that requested assistance to improve and reform its prison system.
And the Human Rights Council also approved the renewal of several mandates of individual and group of experts, namely, when it comes to country mandates, to Special Rapporteurs on Afghanistan, Burundi, Cambodia, the Russian Federation and the independent experts on the Central African Republic and on Somalia, as well as the renewal of the team of international experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We also had the renewal of seven semantic mandates, the independent experts on international order, the Special Rapporteurs on the promotion of trust, justice and reparations, the Special Rapporteur on toxic waste, the Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures and the renewal of mandates of the Working Groups on enforcing involuntary disappearances and a group of experts on people of African descent, as well as the renewal of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Private military and security companies.
And also to remind you that today is the last day of the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia.
And the Commission will issue its last report today in which it reminds that level of mass killings and human rights abusers in Ethiopia over the last several years of conflict is staggering.
In its final report, the Commission calls on the international community to step up efforts to protect civilians and all perpetrators of gross human rights abusers accountable for their crimes.
A copy of the final report of the Commission and the press release that comes with it will be shared with you very soon.
And finally, just to remind you that the Human Rights Council will hold its next regular session, the 55th one, from 26th of February 2024 to 6th of April 2024.
So this 55th session will last for a total of 6 weeks.
And these dates are still tentative as we're building, we're still building the programme of work.
I think you are very thorough in your update and very important developments indeed at the Council, so thanks very much for being here with us.
We have two colleagues from the Food and Agricultural Organisation, Flora Wuters, who is the Deputy Director of the FAO Office of Emergencies and Resilience.
And Gio Jose Rosero Moncajo is the director of the FAO Statistics Division, also joining us from Rome.
And they are speaking on the launch of the report of FAO on the impact of disasters on agriculture and food security for 2023.
Oh, thank you very much and good morning to everybody.
As we heard from our speaker before, the world is facing an unprecedented number of disasters and crises, and the shocks experienced due to undressed risks have led to 1,000,000 being pushed into homelessness and starvation.
The sustainability of Agri food systems is essential for providing livelihoods and ensuring global food security.
However, agriculture remains as one of the most exposed and vulnerable sectors in the context of disaster risk, given its profound dependence on natural resources and climate conditions.
This new flex report of FAO titled The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security offers a critical look at how agriculture and its sub sectors have been affected by disasters over the past three decades and showcases opportunities for proactively addressing risks in agriculture.
Earlier this year, world leaders gathered in New York for the mid term review of the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, where deep concern was expressed over the lack of progress made towards achieving its aims and reporting under its indicators.
In this sense, in the context of the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction, the timely release of of this FAO report provides an opportunity for decision makers to have an evidence based discussion on how to transform Agri food systems in a way that makes them more resilient to shops and crisis that can disrupt food supplies and livelihoods.
So what are the main conclusions of this edition of the of the report?
Over the last 30 years, an estimated $3.8 trillion worth of crops and livestock production has been lost due to disaster events, corresponding to an average loss of 100.
Twenty $23 billion per year or 5% of the annual global agricultural GDP.
In nutritional terms, this translate in loss of dietary energy estimated at 147 kilocalories per person per day, which is equivalent to the average requirement of around 400 million men or 500 million women women during one year.
Now all these figures will most likely be higher if systematic data loss losses in the fisheries, aquaculture and forestry subsectors where available.
The report also reveals there is proportionate burden of disaster impact with some of the highest relative losses being experienced in by lower and lower medium income countries where losses have been estimated to be up to 15% of the agricultural of the agricultural GDP and on a small island development states where losses are equivalent to nearly 7% of the agricultural GDP.
Now it is important to understand that underlying disaster risk drivers such as climate change help, emergencies caused by pandemics and our conflicts are amplifying losses and disaster risk.
There are, however, cost effective solutions and investments that can build resilience and support countries in mainstream in Disaster Risk Reduction into agricultural policies and practises.
This report demonstrates that investments in farm level Disaster Risk Reduction good practises can achieve better results than previously used practises.
In addition, anticipatory actions undertaken in several countries have demonstrated that for every dollar invested in anticipatory actions, rural families can gain up to $7.00 in benefits and avoided agricultural losses at the end.
This report outlines 3 key priorities for action.
First, to improve data and information on the impacts of disasters on on all sub sectors of agriculture.
Second, to develop a mainstream disasters risk reduction approaches into policy and programming.
And 3rd, to enhance investments in resilience as they provide benefits in reducing disaster risk in agriculture.
I encourage all of you to read the new FAO flagship report and let me close by emphasising that FAO is committed to making all efforts to deliver on our duty or building sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
Thank you for your attention and my colleague, Dor Boutherse from the Office of Emergency Resilience and FAO, and I will be happy to answer your questions.
Mr Mercado Floor, did you have something to add or is just available for questions?
It's Yeah, no, I'm available for questions.
Thank you so much for both of you for for staying with us here.
Do we have questions for FAO colleagues?
No, I don't see that's the case.
So I do thank you for your patience and and for your important briefing.
Indeed, sharing your notes would be a most appreciated.
And of course, if, if we have questions afterwards, we'll direct them to key.
We'll now switch to Catherine of Unctard and Merci Provolte parcels.
Catherine, I know it's been a long briefing and thank you for staying on line.
Catherine has an update on the World Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi on Monday starting next week.
Development, Development Catherine Questions for Catherine on the World Investment Forum.
I don't see that's the case.
OK, so we are nearly done.
Just a couple of announcements from me and, and consistent with the the announcement we just heard from our colleague in FAOI, just want to highlight that Monday is indeed World Food Day.
And this year's theme is Water is life, Water is food, Leave no one behind, which of course highlights the importance of water management.
And there is a press release that will be shared on the day from WFAO rather for World Food Day and is an exhibition that is taking place at the Barrel Serpon for those of you interested all week, next week from the 16th to the 20th.
In his message for the day, the Secretary General notes how World Food Day 2023 comes during a global food crisis, with the world moving backwards on ending hunger and malnutrition.
Some 780 people around the world are going hungry.
Almost 50 million children are at the risk of death from severe wasting.
Yet funding for this year's global humanitarian appeal stands at just 32%.
That's the S GS message which we shared with you.
A couple last announcements before we wrap up.
Just to mention that terms of human rights meetings, we have the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women today reviewing the report of Guatemala and the Human Rights Committee next this coming Monday the 16th will consider a report of Kuwait.
And this afternoon the Committee on the on Economic, Social Culture Rights will close it's 74 session at roughly 530.
And as you know, the committee will issue its concluding observations on 6 states parties reviewed.
That is, those are Chad, the State of Palestine, Brazil, France, Qatar and Armenia.
Press conferences, 1 to announce this.
Coming Monday, the 16th of October, there will be a press conference by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
It's an update on the humanitarian situation in Chad.
3 speakers, Violet Kakayoma, who's the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Chad, Madeleine Alingay, who's the Secretary of State, Economic Prosperity in International partnerships for Chad, and Laquaine Kurayo Medar, who is the State Minister, Minister of Production and Agricultural Transformation in Chad.
If you have any questions, Kat, you have a question for me.
Rolando, please could UNDR or send their notes?
Could UNDR or kindly send their notes?
And regarding the situation of Gaza and Israel, could you please keep us updated during the weekend?
I mean, if anything happens or if there's a last minute press conference decided or anything, please keep us posted about what's going on, declaration and everything from New York and Geneva, that would be really helpful.
As I mentioned earlier, we will keep you abreast of all the latest developments and we'll issue statements including over the weekend.
So and we already reminded our colleagues at U and DRR to send their notes.
So you should have those shortly.
