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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 May 2025

51:48

MP4

3 GB

27-05-2025

Press Conferences | WHO , OCHA , UNRWA

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 May 2025

ENG FRA

UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING

27 May 2025

Situation in the occupied Palestinian territory

Juliette Touma, for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), speaking from Amman, informed that the previous day a group of Israeli citizens, led by a Member of Knesset and accompanied by media representatives, had entered the UNRWA compound in the occupied East Jerusalem, claiming that they were “liberating” it and setting grounds for a new Israeli settlement. Ms. Touma reminded that the previous year, UNRWA had been forced to leave the compound, and UNRWA’s international staff had not had their visas renewed. This forced entry ran contrary to Israel’s international obligations, she stressed.

Ms. Touma then shared the latest statement by the UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, relating to the letter he had written to the Israeli Foreign Minister. Over the past 20 months, the letter said, the Government of Israel had continuously made unsubstantiated claims against UNRWA, putting its staff and operations at serious risk. Mr. Lazzarini reminded that over the previous decade, UNRWA had cooperated with the Government of Israel, and regularly shared information. Thus far, UNRWA had not received any evidence to substantiate Israel’s very serious allegations against UNRWA. The UN depended on Member States for security, and Member States, not the United Nations, were responsible for criminal investigations and prosecutions of armed militant activity. Mr. Lazzarini stressed in his letter that the Government of Israel had never shared substantial, credible evidence for its allegations with the United Nations. Had such evidence been provided, UNRWA could have acted in accordance with its regulations and due process. The absence of such evidence more than one year later raised a possibility that the accusations were unfounded. In his letter, the Commissioner-General had asked that the Israeli disinformation campaign against UNRWA be stopped, and that humanitarian aid be allowed to enter Gaza.

Extracts from Mr. Lazzarini’s letter can be found here.

Responding to questions from the media, Ms. Touma said that the Government of Israel had continued to put out unsubstantiated claims against UNRWA, including in recent weeks, without any evidence. Over more than 20 months, such claims had been harming the agency’s reputation and putting the lives of its staff at risk. Ms. Touma had no information about the reported aid distribution by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and reminded that Gaza needed 500 to 600 trucks of aid every single day. Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), added that OCHA did not participate in the ongoing modality and reiterated that it was a distraction from what really had to be done in Gaza. Ms. Touma explained that the UN system in the Gaza Strip did much more than just distribute aid; for example, numerous staff were working on establishing and running shelters or operating UNRWA medical clinics and mobile health points. Over 3,000 trucks of food and medicine were lining up on the crossing into Gaza, and in Jordan and Egypt, and stressed that some of the items were expiring soon. Mr. Laerke said that OCHA also continued its operations in Gaza, but it had now been almost 12 weeks of full blockade. The Israeli side had to be asked why some aid was being let in while so much was being blocked. The amount of aid entering Gaza was vastly insufficient, emphasized Mr. Laerke. Ms. Touma said that UNRWA had no international presence in Gaza, as Israel was no longer giving visas to UNRWA’s international staff. On the other hand, a large number of local employees continued to work for UNRWA in Gaza, she reminded. There had to be a stable influx of aid with 500 to 600 trucks per day, as had been the case during the ceasefire. UNRWA did not have information on the alleged distributions by the GHF, but in any case much more ought to be done. On another question, Ms. Touma explained that there had been no UNRWA staff in the compound at the moment when it had been forcefully entered by the group of 15 t 20 Israelis.

Announcements

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that the World Health Assembly was closing today, which would be followed by a press conference with Dr. Tedros and a number of WHO experts. The hybrid conference would be open to media around the world, but the priority would be given to the journalists in the Press Room.

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that this was the last briefing for Margaret Harris, who would be retiring this week. She thanked her for the tremendous work done over many years. Ms. Harris emphasized the importance of journalists’ work to help spread information about the critical issues from around the world. The President of the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the UN in Geneva expressed appreciation for Ms. Harris’s professionalism and wished her all the best.

David Hirsch, for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), informed about the report on greening digital companies, expected the following week, and also about the AI for Good and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), to be held at Palexpo from 7 to 11 July. Finally, Mr. Hirsch announced that the Giga Connectivity Forum would also be held in Geneva from 8 to 10 July.

Ms. Vellucci said that the Committee on the Rights of the Child would conclude on 27 May its 99^th session and issue its concluding observations on the six countries reviewed : Norway, Indonesia, Iraq, Romania, Qatar, and Brazil.

The Human Rights Council would hold an Expert Workshop on the role of the family and family-oriented approaches, policies and programmes in the promotion and protection of human rights and in sustainable development, in Room XX on 28 and 29 May.

The Conference on Disarmament was holding this morning a brief plenary meeting, the first one under the presidency of Kenya.

Finally, Ms. Vellucci informed about two commemorations the following week: on 3 June, the World Bicycle Day would be marked at 9:30 am from Pregny Gate to the Broken Chair; and, also on 3 June, at 4:30 pm, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers would be commemorated in the Ariana Park.

***

Teleprompter

[Other language spoken]

The press briefing of today, Tuesday 27th of May.

As you had seen, we had no active briefer until a little time ago, but then people and colleagues here to answer your questions.

However, in the meantime, Julia Tuma from UNDRA told us that she's going to join us at 11:00 with a statement from Commissioner General Ladzarini of UNDRA and she will take questions.

But we have colleagues here in the meantime, including from my yellow ITU Ocha, UNHCR, and Margaret, who's on my left.

So I'll, I'll start with her.

She has an announcement for you.

Good morning, everybody.

Yes, we are planning a press conference here in the soda press as soon as, ideally as soon as the World Health Assembly closes today.

There are still some issues being debated.

So it's the World Health Assembly is taking longer, but the plan is to have it at 1600 this afternoon here in the Salda Press.

It will also be online.

So it will be a hybrid presser and we will have people beyond the Pele press corps joining.

But of course, everybody in the room gets first question and gets, you know, number one advantage.

And as you know, we've had big subjects.

We've got the pandemic agreement, we've got the financing, a 20% increase in membership fees of it has been agreed.

And we've got a lot of different other issues, lung health, skin diseases, traditional medicine and health financing.

And all the people who are expert in those areas will be coming as well.

So as usual, we'll have our very large cast of characters and you can basically ask any question you like.

So yes, I see Chris has a question for Margaret.

Is the DG coming?

Oh yes, absolutely.

He's the headline I had seen.

Another hand this side.

[Other language spoken]

I wanted to ask actually about the Indonesian hospital in Gaza.

We're hearing there's a breaking news situation, Indonesian hospital in Gaza that apparently is under attack.

I'm sorry, it's just coming in.

I don't know any details and I wanted to see if you had any.

[Other language spoken]

I don't have anything specific.

I can ask my colleagues, but in Indonesian certainly has not been able to function very effectively because of the continuing attacks.

Yes, maybe we'll have more this afternoon and or maybe you can ask the question also to to Juliet.

Maybe she has something, something new if, if when she joins.

So I have a question for Margaret because as you may all know, this is her last briefing.

And my question to her is, are you happy that you're going to retire Margaret and leave this world of news?

And I'm going to be really sad to leave this room and these people.

I find it so stimulating.

And also what you will do, how you bring what really matters to the world every time, whether it be during COVID, whether it be during the Ukraine conflict, whether it's Gaza, we see every time the impact of your work.

And that to me is the most exciting thing because our job is to to provide the information, the right information, but we can't do it unless it's it's really you who could complete that action.

And I find that tremendously exciting.

So, yeah, I'll be very sad not to be here, but there are other things I won't miss.

So I think I, I can just say thank you so much to Margaret for all the tremendous work that she has done, really to bring the voice of WHO to the journalist to the press corps in Geneva and of course, beyond.

[Other language spoken]

I know your colleagues will will be here to continue your work.

But I think your legacy is very, very important.

I've been on this podium many, many times with you.

Sometimes questions came, you know, surprisingly, sometimes we had to to find an agreement here in the public.

Sometimes we had everything ready.

Sometimes it just came out from your mouth so well, so rightly that I can only thank you very much for your fantastic professionalism, your teamwork skills and your kindness.

So I think that's I see that.

I think I can also want to say something.

[Other language spoken]

We already spoke this morning.

So I wanted to tell you that you will be horribly missed by all the Geneva press corps and not only the profession as you are, Doctor Margaret Harris, but also as an exceptional human being.

Thank you and, and, and good luck.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Huge rather applauses.

[Other language spoken]

And I'm sure that people online is also are also very much saying goodbye, but goodbye, not farewell.

We will be happy to see you this afternoon for the last press conference end of WHA and say goodbye again.

And thank you very much for everything.

[Other language spoken]

I have another couple of announcements while we are waiting for Juliet and the first one is from the Human Rights Council, who asked me to inform you that today the Council will hold an expert workshop on the role of the family and family oriented approaches, policies and programmes in the promotion and protection of human rights and in sustainable development.

This will happen on 28th and 29th of May in room 20 at the Paladinacio.

So you're invited to this expert workshop.

I also have sorry to inform you that the Committee on the Rights of the Child will conclude next Friday's 99th session and issue it's concluding observation on Norway, Indonesia, Iraq, Romania, Qatar and Brazil, which are the 6th country that reviewed this session.

The the Conference on Disarmament is holding this morning a brief plenary meeting.

This is the first meeting under the presidency of Mrs Fancy Chap Kamoy 2 of the Republic of Kenya.

So have you got I've, I've told you we have all these colleagues in the room or online.

I allow ITU or UNHCR and of course W2 here to answer your questions.

While we're waiting for Julia to join, is there any question for any of our colleagues, any of those I've mentioned?

Of course.

[Other language spoken]

Emma, I'd, I'd love any update on the aid situation in Gaza, if maybe Yens might be able to say something.

If you have anything for us.

I, I, I don't know if Yens has something.

Maybe he'll come on the podium when Juliet joins.

Is that OK with you or Yens so that you can do something together?

Any other question on the ILO conference starting next week?

Any other questions about you?

[Other language spoken]

OK, so is that a hand, Katrina, or it's a hand on the other side?

[Other language spoken]

So if there are no others, let's wait for Juliet to connect.

Maybe while we are waiting, I wanted to tell you this on Friday, but I can already maybe just give you a save the date.

There are two commemoration next week of international days that we are going to come in to to celebrate here at the Palace.

The first one is on Tuesday the 3rd of June.

The the day is World Bicycle Day.

I know that many of you are bicycling and we are bicycling too.

So I just wanted to tell you that if you want to join with your bike at 9:30 at Prenegate, we will have a group of ambassadors, staff and if you want also join journalists that will travel from the Prenegate to the broken chair with bikes.

We will try to take pictures while the group is coming down here.

And there will be also a position at the Plaza Nessio at the Broken Chair, where we will take pictures and, and, and do some talking about the bicycle, the importance that bicycling has for health and for the environment and in general for good humour because that's something that makes you feel well.

And the other and the other commemoration I wanted to mention is on the same day, Tuesday, 3rd of June, but this time at 4:00 PM, we will commemorate the International Day of the UN Peacekeepers with the usual ceremony outside in the Ariana Park, where we will welcome quite a few former peacekeepers.

The International Association of Peacekeepers is going to take them.

We will also have the participation of the international sorry of the Swiss Armoured Forces and Ambassador Grassi of Italy and also the Ambassador of Ghana will be able to deliver some remarks together with the Director General and the President of the International Association of Peacekeepers.

So these two commemoration on the 3rd of June, I remind you on Friday.

Let me see if Juliet has now joined.

[Other language spoken]

So if you don't mind to wait a little bit more.

[Other language spoken]

Katrine, you've got something maybe.

[Other language spoken]

As as we have time.

Do you have any news about the DG, Madame Valo Vaya organising a press conference with the Geneva press score?

Yeah, I'm sorry, because as, as you know, as they can committee me, who knows.

We had scheduled this for the, I think it was last week.

Unfortunately, the DG had very conflicting schedule and she's also leaving for a little time.

So we will definitely try to schedule it as soon as she comes back.

Any idea if it's still going to be during the month of June?

Yeah, we'll try to do it during the months of June.

[Other language spoken]

Alessandra, I take the opportunity maybe as we have the spokesperson of ITU in this room, it would be maybe interesting to know about what's on the news, in the news about WhatsApp, Instagram and all these apps.

[Other language spoken]

Are you speaking about the artificial intelligence Meta and the artificial intelligence used on different apps?

[Other language spoken]

I I don't have, I don't have anything specific on the question that you're asking.

[Other language spoken]

I would have to direct questions relative to corporate policies and to to user ship to to the various elements on that ITU.

Ultimately for ITU, obviously the mission is for to to ensure universal and meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation and to create the enabling factors so that not only are people connected, but they can use technology.

But as far as relates to corporate policies, as far as relates to to government policies, we will leave those questions for you to answer those authorities.

If I could, I would take a couple of moments just to maybe update if I could on some, some activities that are coming up that might be of interest and maybe relate in that in the month of June, we'll have coming up next week, we hope a report that we hope to be able to issue under embargo and that would be the Greening Digital Companies report, which is an annual survey of the tech industry and relative to how it is performing on sustainability.

In the latter part of the month, we'll have we'll be moving into actually early July, we'll have the AI for Good and Wishes activities that'll be at PAL Expo this year.

So for those that are planning, Please ensure that the planning includes coming to PAL Expo to join from the 7th to 11th of July at, at PAL Expo.

And we'll make that credentialing processes as seamless, as simple for you as we can.

The link is available online.

If you have any effort, if any, any challenge accessing that or getting your credential, let us know.

But typically we can get that done for you fairly quickly.

And other than that, beyond that, I'll say as far as the IT is Giga programme, which is a partnership with UNICEF, which is aimed at connecting all the schools in the world online by 20-30, that in the early part of July as well, the Giga connectivity forum will be happening here in Geneva.

Thank you very much, Katrine.

Yes, follow up David about the connecting the schools with whom are you working?

OK, you mentioned UNICEF, but we know that so many schools don't have access to electricity and and clean water.

So how do you intend to connect them?

And, and also I take this opportunity to, to kindly request again what I can you ask previously meaning special technical briefings that could be organised by ITU and Akanu on very technical matters.

So we can take time and not use the UN weekly briefings to do so.

Not to say that, not to say that we're not proud for me to be doing a little house music today.

You know, the little Phil while Julie comes in.

We will in in the context of Giga will we will.

We're looking to put together a briefing.

I wouldn't necessarily call it a technical briefing, but certainly something to to talk a little bit about that programme, talk about its presence around the world in Geneva and Barcelona and talk about how I too and UNICEF are working together to use technology, to use the expertise of those organisations to try to connect those schools.

But I would, I would, I would prefer to pull that together and have our technical experts to talk about because there are a lot, there are a lot of elements that are involved there relative to mapping, relative to understanding where these schools are, relative to understanding where the gaps are and, and making sure those connections can happen.

I would say though, relative to that, though, making those connections happen is, is ultimately becomes the, the responsibility of, of, of the communities of the states there.

But ITU and UNICEF stand ready to to support those communities in those states in their efforts to connect schools.

Thank you very much, David.

[Other language spoken]

Hi, you can cut me off if the connection comes through.

David, this conference coming up and I I for good.

Will there be sessions on different policies concerning privacy and databases?

The views vary from country to country.

The views are different in the USDU, Brazil.

And secondly, also the protection of individuals, private social media.

Can that be shared without prior informed consent?

What has ITU got any overview or preparing any policy sessions in that high level segment of AI for good because some prominent figures like Sir Elton John are challenging what's happening at the government level, at least in the UK.

OK, again, I was noting, noting that our guest is, I think now here, I would say that the complete schedule is online.

There's a schedule of of activities from the 8th through the 11th for AI for good again at PAL Expo and we will get a briefing together for you for you on that.

So I appreciate the question, but I probably turned it back over.

Thank you very much.

And I see that Juliet is now connected.

David, thank you for very much.

Keep updating the journalist on the on this scrubby the summer event together with a couple of them that we will tell you about later on.

So I'd like to thank very much Juliet to join us from Amman.

You have all seen that on Friday the Secretary General has given a press encounter on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, detailing the five stage plan of the United Nations to and the long-suffering the situation for the people of Gaza.

Juliet, you come to us with another statement this morning from Commissioner General Zarini and we are here to listen to you.

[Other language spoken]

Thanks Cassandra also for taking me at a short notice.

And hi, everyone.

In fact, a couple of updates from my side, also things that happened overnight.

So I will start with the events in the East Jerusalem at the Indra compound, the compound that normally hosted on the headquarters of the agency and the field operations for the occupied West Bank, including E Jerusalem for Indra.

The incident was yesterday midday a group of Israelis led by a member of parliament, Israeli Knesset, accompanied by Israeli media.

They entered without authorisation into the Indra compound in the area of Sheikh Sarah that is in occupied E Jerusalem.

The group said that they were quote unquote, liberating the former Indra headquarters.

They brought with them flags and erected banners seeking to claim the compound for the establishment of a new Israeli settlement on the the compound following months of aggravated harassment directed towards the that site which is in the home.

Like I said to the headquarters of the agency, the field offices of our operations in the occupied West Bank.

The entry into force of two anti Andrea Knesset base that I've spoken to you here several times in in January last this year, Andrea was forced as you may know to vacate that that compound and withdraw under under protest all of its national international staff and they didn't get any visas, any extensions to their visas from the Israeli authorities.

This is an unauthorised entry.

It represents another violations of Israel's obligation as AUN member state to protect UN premises and facilitate humanitarian work and this is an illegal provocation.

Now, I asked to join this briefing because the Commissioner General of Indra released a statement on something related but but different.

This statement follows a letter that the Commissioner General wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Israel.

He said that recently and there are some extracts from this letter that he wished I convey to you.

His statement says over the past 20 months, the government of Israel has continued to make unsubstantiated claims against Indra and its neutrality.

These claims have put the lives of Indra staff at serious risk and harmed the reputation of the agency.

In the letter I have recently written to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, I repeated concrete steps that Indra has taken for over a decade in cooperation with the Government of Israel, in line with transparency and neutrality.

In that regard, the Agency has requested on several occasions for cooperation from the Government of Israel by providing information and evidence to substantiate the numerous accusations made against Indra.

To date, Andrea has not received any response, nor has the Government of Israel shared any sufficient evidence to back up these very serious claims against the Agency and its personnel.

the United Nations depends on Member States for security and information concerning its premises and personnel.

Member States, not the United Nations, are responsible for criminal investigations and persecutions of armed militant activity.

It is therefore expected that Member States will pursue their investigations in compliance with due process and report to the United Nations on the outcomes of these processes where they may impact upon United Nations operations of staff.

In this case, the Commission General continues, the Government of Israel has neither shared adequate evidence with the United Nations to allow substantiation through administrative processes nor pursued it's own criminal proceedings, which would also require the presentation of credible evidence and due process.

Had the Government of Israeli taken either of these steps and cooperated with Indra, the agency could have acted in accordance with its regulations and due process.

The minimum requirements are sufficient evidence and due process.

The absence of this more than one year later raises the possibility that the accusations were unfounded.

In the letter, the Commissioner General of Indra urges once again the State of Israel to renew the decades long cooperation with Indra in line with the United Nations Charter and other international frameworks.

He has requested that they put to an end they meaning the government of Israel, the unfounded disinformation campaign against the agency.

It's also stated in the letter that Undram, together with other UN agencies, is ready to continue the critical work it does in humanitarian relief, education and primary healthcare to Palestine refugees.

Gaza is a case in point where Indra has the supplies and the structure to deliver at scale.

That was the statement that we just issued from the Commission General of Indra based on the letter that he sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Israel.

The copy of the letter can be shared with the media upon request.

Back to you, Alessandra.

[Other language spoken]

I'm ready.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

Thanks for the statement.

Juliet gives me the opportunity to remind the several appeals in the sense that has been done by the Secretary General, who called Umbra several times the backbone of the humanitarian response in the occupied Palestinian territory.

So I'll open now the floor to questions in the room.

I'll start with the room.

AFP Christophe question for Juliet, if she's still online.

She she, yeah, she's taking questions.

That's why I'm OK.

Thank you for the question to her.

I didn't see you on the screen, that's why.

[Other language spoken]

I was just wondering why this statement by Mr Lazzarini comes now, if you have any, if you can give us some enlightenment on that.

And the second question is the this Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was supposed to have started distribution of aid yesterday.

I was just wondering if you saw how much that was, if it's true or if you have any comment on that.

I know that you don't want to collaborate with them, but I was just wondering if you give give us some, some witness of how much they distributed or if any.

And the same question on the Gaza Foundation goes to Yen's, of course.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Thanks for the question.

The colleague from AFP on the timing of the letter, Luca, is saying it's been the case that the government of Israel has continued to put out these unsubstantiated claims against the agency, including over the past couple of weeks.

You will see that in in the letter, there was a news release with additional claims without any evidence, without any substantiating to these claims.

It was a report that we understand there's about 70 pages that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made available on, on certain websites in shared with with media outlets, but also with member states, including Andrea donors.

And so in this was the last sort of attempt.

And like I said, it's been over 20 months of these claims that are coming our way, harming the the agency's reputation, of course, but more importantly, putting the lives of our staff, especially those working in the Occupied Palestinian territory at a risk.

On to your second question, I do not have any information on in these, in these reports.

We've seen those reports.

We've also seen some photos that we of course cannot confirm.

What I do know, however, is that the needs are 500 to 600 trucks at the minimum that should go into Gaza loaded with supplies, not only food, but also medicine, medical supplies, vaccines for children, fuel, water and other basics for people's survival.

And we're very, very, very far from reaching that target.

[Other language spoken]

Ian, do you want to add anything?

It would be a bit of a repetition, as, as we have explained many times, we do not participate in this modality for for the reasons that we have given.

It is a distraction from what is actually needed, which is a reopening of all the crossings into Gaza, a secure environment within Gaza and faster facilitation of permissions and final approvals of all the emergency supplies that we have just outside the border.

It needs to get in.

[Other language spoken]

Isabel Sacco, Juliet is our ethic correspondent.

Maybe this is Yeah, this is maybe for gents, because following what you just said is that does it mean that for the moment, UN activity, humanitarian activities in Gaza are completely, completely stopped because this we understand that this organ is founded private US founded private organisation is distributing aid.

Apparently we have seen some pictures.

We don't know that that's is true or not.

But for for UN from UN side, it's completely stop.

I think Juliet will remind us we have thousands of workers in in in Gaza who continue to work.

But maybe Juliet, you want to say something about it And, and Yens, let me let me start saying before, before Yens, the yuan in, in in the Gaza Strip does not just distribute supplies, right?

For example, the organisation where I work, India, we have over 6000 people working for the agency.

They do several things.

For example, they manage shelters where we have 10s of thousands of people who have sought refuge in India.

Shelters, United Nations premises that are supposed to be protected by law.

Except they haven't.

We also run United Nations clinics as another example where doctors, United Nations doctors working for India provide medical care for just the sake of the argument.

Our medical teams provide at least 17,000 consultations every single day in clinics.

We also have mobile health points that are spread around the the Gaza Strip.

So we also have psychosocial activities.

UNICEF has has the same.

So it's a, it's a wide array if you wish, of services that the UN gives.

Now supplies is really important because to give much of these services, especially in places like the Undrek clinics, we simply need medical supplies and medicines.

And those have not come in for Indra in particular, no supplies have come in even during this, a small window that we've seen with some supplies that went in for other UN agencies.

But we have over 3000 trucks, in fact, not only of food, but also of medicines that are lining up in places like Jordan, like Egypt that are waiting for the green light to go in and they're carrying medicines and that is expiring soon.

Hence, I think she's been quite explanatory.

But maybe you want to add something.

Yeah, no, just just to stress that of, of course we have not stopped operating.

[Other language spoken]

But as you know very well, we're running on almost 12 weeks, I believe of, of of blockade with a, an opening where there is allowed a vastly insufficient amount of aid into the Gaza Strip and we need much more.

So that's what I will say on that.

Emma Farge, Reuters yes, just to follow up, obviously, you're not involved with this modality.

But what I would like to know is, are these trucks for the GHF coming in at the expense of your trucks?

I imagine only a few can get through the Karem Shalom crossing right now.

It's very restricted.

And then they could probably only process or are only processing a certain number.

So does that mean that yours are stuck at the border while these ones are green lighted through?

That's what I'd like to know.

And more generally for anyone who who wants to come in on this, there are allegations that the GHF is using facial recognition technology.

Could you react to that allegation?

You presumably don't know if it's true or not, but would the UN in any circumstances use this and and why or why not?

Thank you very much.

I'll do the reverse order.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you for using the word modality.

Well, whether it's one is at expense of the other, you will have to ask those who disallow or allow A to come in.

So you have to ask the Israelis.

I, I can't say the decision is not ours.

It's in the hands of the Israelis who have created this blockade and this absolutely disastrous situation.

From A-Z, right?

Facial recognition, I, I don't think that is something that we would use in this particular instance.

I mean, there are other emergencies where such things such as iris recognition and those kind of things have have been used to make sure that people don't go for the same aid twice or you know, things like that.

Not not, I have no experience with that from the Middle East, but from Africa, for example.

[Other language spoken]

Of course, we use very advanced technology for the purpose of facilitating aid in a equitable and and and fair manner to people who need it.

I give the floor to Juliet, but before doing so, I like to apologise because I have another briefing to give and Rolando is taking over.

I leave you in his capable and and thank you so much Juliet on my side.

But we will continue the briefing with Rolando.

[Other language spoken]

Thanks, Alessandra.

And greetings also from the under CG for for having us today and at short notice.

I don't have anything else to add at this stage.

[Other language spoken]

Good afternoon, colleagues.

[Other language spoken]

So we have questions for let's exhaust those in the room.

John Zaracosis in the back row.

[Other language spoken]

Jens, if you could bring us up to speed on the number of trucks that have been authorised by the Israelis, UN trucks and other humanitarian agencies to go in.

And if we have the breakdown, Juliet just mentioned medical supplies are not going in.

If Juliet could elaborate, what are some of these medical supplies that are at risk of expiring waiting in the queue?

Is it vaccines or is it food or chronic diseases?

[Other language spoken]

Yes, thank, thank you very much.

When it comes to Indra, I can confirm that no supplies whatsoever have gone in since the siege began.

Is really imposed.

Siege began on the 2nd of March.

But now we have clinics, we have pharmacies that the agency runs in there.

We normally would distribute medicines against a chronic diseases, for example for hypertension, for diabetes, but also basic medicines, things like paracetamol and then childhood diseases.

And these are the supplies, these are the medicines that we're running out of and we have supplies, we have those those exact medicines waiting outside for them to get into Gaza as soon as we get the green light before they expire.

Thank you very much for the questions in the room.

[Other language spoken]

No Yens, they can give me the breakdown.

The UN transit have gone in, dude and the number.

[Other language spoken]

So as you know, there are there are two numbers to to operate and, and we're we're talking about trucks and and truckloads and whatnot.

So 1 is what we can drive to the Karam Shalom on the Israeli side of that crossing.

The other part of that is what we are able to pick up at Karam Abu Salam, which is the name on the Gazan side of that same crossing.

And those are not necessarily the same things, as you know, they need to move through a a process there to there.

There's a difference between the two because we are not always able to collect what is being dropped off on the other side because of the insecure routes that are being assigned to us by the Israeli authority authorities to use.

The bottom line again is that we are talking about vastly insufficient amount of aid that eventually enters Gaza at the moment.

That's why we need opening of more crossings.

We need all types of aid, not aid that is cherry picked by the Israeli side that we're allowed to get in, but what we know from our assessments and our experience in Gaza is actually needed today.

That's the kind of stuff we need to get in in in vast quantities.

[Other language spoken]

Isabel, you had your hand up.

FA yes, Juliet, thank you very much for your clarifications to to my first question.

And with the 6000 people that work still working with for Umbra in Gaza, do you have any way to monitor what is happening inside?

Even if I understand that you don't, you're not able now to go with aid inside Gaza, but are you able to monitor if people are receiving something?

What is the situation there?

[Other language spoken]

We do not have international presence in in Gaza.

So since the Knesset law, the Israeli parliament law came into effect, the Israeli authorities stopped giving us visas to access the occupied Palestinian territory that also includes Gaza.

And we had colleagues who stayed in Gaza Despite that, international colleagues, but they also left a couple of weeks ago.

And since then the operation is managed by very capably by our local Piestinian staff on the ground with whom we are, we are in touch quite often all the time.

In the case of the management team of of Gaza now what they're saying is that supplies that are vastly running out, medical supplies for example, food flour in particular, that was the largest component of the food supplies flour has run out over a month ago.

So we we couldn't distribute any more because we simply run out on the medicine situation.

[Other language spoken]

This is why we say 506 hundred trucks a day, including to Indra, like we've done in the ceasefire.

Because if you remember, during the ceasefire, this is exactly what we were able to bring in the UN family, the humanitarian organisations, and the UN includes Indra.

[Other language spoken]

I didn't expect myself well, but what I would like to know if, if you are able to, to monitor or to, to witness that this private aid organisation is really redistributing aid in Gaza.

No, on that front, like I said into the first question from IFP, no, we don't have any information nor are we able to confirm this.

Say this, say information, we know what's needed, we know what's missing.

[Other language spoken]

We have one further question online, Yuri of Rio Novosti.

[Other language spoken]

It is a question regarding the situation that you described that happened yesterday in your compound in the Jerusalem E Just to be sure, how many members of the Knesset were there?

And in total how many people were there?

Did you have stuff at the same time inside the compound when it happened?

How long they still inside and they were with the police or they were with their own security guards.

[Other language spoken]

Only whether there were staff inside the compound.

No, there were no staff inside the the compound when this incident happened.

We have a security company that guards say the compound from the outside.

They were they were there.

But Despite that, the, you know, this Israeli group has managed to go into that compound, which is a violation of international law on the members of the Knesset.

I don't have the exact number.

We're still figuring out all the details.

I can't confirm, however, that at least one Knesset member was there.

You may have seen she's, she's given statements to the media.

I missed the other questions.

It was too fast for me.

[Other language spoken]

Would you mind repeating that?

Jerry, your the second part of your question?

Yeah, it's just to know if they were with the police or if they were with their own security guards.

And in total, how many people were there not only from the class set, but in total, in total we're talking about maximum a couple of a couple of dozen.

So let's say give or take between 15 to 20 people, give or take.

And then the police came afterwards, in fact.

Thanks for that clarification, Juliet.

We have a question now from Nick, New York Times.

[Other language spoken]

Following up on Isabel's and Emma's earlier questions about trucks going across Karam Shalom crossing Point.

[Other language spoken]

Could you just tell us have any trucks crossed in the last 24 hours, UN trucks?

It wasn't clear whether since the distribution of aid by GHF has started, UN trucks have stopped crossing.

So I just want to check whether or not UN trucks are still being authorised to cross from the Israeli side to the Gaza side.

And that is still going on.

[Other language spoken]

I don't have that number.

And one of the reasons is that we don't have a fixed presence at the crossing.

We are not allowed one by the Israelis.

Thank you, Jens, for the questions.

Colleagues online or in the room.

[Other language spoken]

So I think we could wrap up this briefing.

Juliet, thank you as always for joining us here sharing the statement which I trust you sent to us in in writing.

So thank you very much for the updates on both fronts and to you, as always, Jens, and to colleagues.

And let me just add my thanks to Margaret, my friend and and colleague.

You're not off the hook yet.

You've got to come back here for the press briefing.

Do we have a time for that press briefing?

Did we announce it already?

[Other language spoken]

OK, so we'll see you here at 4:00 this afternoon.

[Other language spoken]

Anyway, colleagues, thank you very much.

I think all the announcements have been exhausted.

Buddy, did you have a question or is that a for me?

Oh, OK, so I'm not off the hook, buddy.

[Other language spoken]

You're off the hook.

[Other language spoken]

No, simple question for the schedule this week.

Simple question for schedule this week.

To schedule to schedule.

Yeah, to schedule for if we have the schedule.

Didn't Alessandro mention that?

Boy, I was listening with one ear again about next week.

Next week we have assembly of ILO.

So was that the plan for ILO and access of journalists?

[Other language spoken]

I think you should point to our colleagues at ILO, Zaina, I don't know if Zaina's connected online, but indeed we have another big meeting.

[Other language spoken]

We're ending 1 today and starting another big one next week.

The International Labour Governing Council, a governing the ILO meeting.

[Other language spoken]

I don't have an update for you.

I don't have the details, but indeed, let me just check to see if she's online.

No, she's not.

[Other language spoken]

Or you can liaise directly with our ILO colleagues.

OK, I think that's it unless there are any further questions.

No, on that note, thank you very much and have a good afternoon.

See you here on Friday.