Tag: Humanitarian aid

Rising death and displacement, including among UN staff — Global Issues

OCHA cited Israeli media, which reported that as of Monday evening, more than 1,000 Israelis, including foreign nationals, were killed and at least 2,806 people were injured, according to the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at least 830 Palestinians have been killed and 4,250 injured.

Over a tenth of the population in Gaza, more than 260,000 people, have been displaced since the start of the current conflict on 7 October and the numbers are rising fast.

More than 175,000 people are sheltering in schools operated by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, which has some 13,000 staff in the enclave.

Nine UNRWA staff killed

UNRWA on Wednesday reported that the death toll among its employees had risen to nine. The agency has repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting civilians, including in conflict.

UNRWA is a lifeline for most of the roughly two million Palestine refugees in Gaza, providing essential services such as education and healthcare. The conflict has forced the closure of its 14 food distribution centres as well as a reduction in operations.

Speaking on Tuesday, UNRWA Director of Communications told UN News that many staff are still working.

“We have people who are responding to the needs of the people in the shelters. They’re giving them mattresses, a place to sleep, clean water, some food, in cooperation with the UN World Food Programme (WFP),” she said.

A ‘devastating’ situation

WFP and other UN agencies have been calling for humanitarian corridors and safe and unobstructed passage for their staff.

In the immediate aftermath of the conflict, WFP began distributing fresh bread, canned food and ready-to-eat food to roughly 100,000 people in UNRWA shelters. The goal is to reach over 800,000 people which will require $17.3 million for immediate response and nearly $45 million over the next six months.

“The situation is devastating,” Samer Abdeljaber, Palestine Country Director, said on Wednesday.

“We are on the ground doing everything we can to be sure the people in need – the ones who fled their homes, the ones living in shelters – are getting the food and help they need to survive.”

WFP will be rolling out assistance through electronic vouchers so people can buy food from shops that are still open.

“We are doing everything we can but very soon the food supplies and basic needs in Gaza are going to run out,” he said.

“We need the humanitarian corridor to be able to support the people who are affected and their numbers are rising every day. We need safe and unimpeded access.”

Political engagement continues

Meanwhile, senior UN officials, including the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, continue engagement with parties to the conflict and key stakeholders.

Mr. Wennesland held “productive meetings” on Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and other senior officials, according to a post on his official account on X, formerly Twitter.

He said the priority is to avoid further loss of civilian lives and provide access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

More to follow on this story

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UN urges parties to spare civilian lives — Global Issues

The High Commissioner said that he was “deeply shocked and appalled by allegations of summary executions of civilians, and, in some instances, horrifying mass killings by members of Palestinian armed groups”.

“It is horrific and deeply distressing to see images of those captured by Palestinian armed groups being ill-treated, as well as reports of killings and the desecration of their bodies. Civilians must never be used as bargaining chips,” he insisted.

Avoid ‘collective punishment’

Four days since Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched an attack including thousands of indiscriminate rockets that have reached central Israel, Mr. Türk also warned against indiscriminate or disproportionate action against Gaza and expressed concern over the “full siege” of the territory ordered by the Israeli authorities on Monday, shutting off electricity, water, food and fuel supplies.

He stressed that collective punishment of an entire population was prohibited under international humanitarian law.

Displacement continues ‘en masse’

UN humanitarians briefing the press in Geneva on Tuesday underscored the dire conditions faced by civilians in Gaza, where nearly 140,000 newly displaced people have been sheltering in schools run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.

UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai told journalists that displacement continued “en masse” and that while the agency had significant experience turning its schools into shelters, the scale of the crisis was overwhelming.

UNRWA a ‘lifeline’

Complicating the response was the fact that airstrikes have damaged 18 UNRWA facilities in the Gaza Strip, including a school for the visually impaired and the agency’s headquarters in Gaza City, Ms. Alrifai said.

Speaking from Amman, she underscored that all UN buildings are protected under international law, and that the 1.7 million Palestine refugees in Gaza, the majority of whom are living under the poverty line, “use UNRWA as a lifeline” for food, education and health.

She said that the agency was about to issue a flash humanitarian appeal to seek support for the crisis response.

Ms. Alrifai also refuted allegations that Hamas fighters may be using UNRWA facilities for their operations, stressing that dedicated teams conduct inspections of facilities to “make sure that they are immune to use by any warring party or armed groups”.

“We take this extremely seriously,” she insisted.

Calls for a humanitarian corridor

Echoing the humanitarian concerns, the UN health agency WHO said that as of Monday, 13 health attacks have been confirmed in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the current offensive.

WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told reporters that a humanitarian corridor is needed to reach people with critical supplies and that the agency is “working on this” with its partners.

He said that since before the latest crisis WHO has been providing supplies, training health workers and supporting emergency response plans, but that supplies pre-positioned in seven major hospitals in the Gaza Strip have now been used up.

Massive mental health needs

Mr. Jasarevic also underscored the soaring mental health needs triggered by the crisis, including the psychological trauma of the hostages taken by Palestinian armed groups. He stressed that the most important thing for those held captive and “going through these horrific moments” was to be released, and that they needed physical and mental care.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder said that the agency had experts in psychosocial support in Gaza and in the West Bank ready to provide assistance to those who needed it.

‘Listen to the children of Gaza and Israel’

“When you listen to the testimonies coming out of Gaza, from children in Israel, it is consistent stories of fear, of suffering, of pain,” Mr. Elder said.

“We have to listen to those children of Gaza and of Israel who are very clearly and usually through tears saying, ‘Enough. Leave us alone.’”

According to UNICEF, before the current escalation, over one million children were already in need of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, accounting for approximately half the child population.

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UN on the ground amid Israel-Palestine crisis — Global Issues

As the conflict intensified amid escalating violence, a complete blockade of food, water, and vital services was put in place by Israel as reports emerged of Israeli ground operations in Gaza, which is home to more than two million people.

While UN offices in Gaza sustained “significant damage” from nearby airstrikes on Monday night, agencies were striving to help the affected population there and elsewhere, including the West Bank, home to 871,000 registered refugees.

The UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, UNWRA, currently has 13,000 national and international staff, most of them refugees themselves, in Gaza and nearly 4,000 in the West Bank.

In addition, hundreds of employees continued working for other UN agencies.

Along the restive Israel-Lebanon border, the UN peacekeeping mission there, UNIFIL, is operating with 9,400 ground troops, 900 civilian staff, and 850 naval personnel on its Maritime Task Force.

Here is a snapshot of how the UN is helping on the ground:

© UNRWA

A building housing the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City sustains significant damage following nearby airstrikes.

1. Protection

Heavy airstrikes since Saturday had displaced nearly 190,000 people in Gaza, so the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is sheltering 137,500 men, women, and children in 83 of its 288 schools, according to the agency’s latest situation report. As of Tuesday, 18 UNRWA facilities sustained collateral and direct damage from airstrikes, with injuries and deaths reported.

© UNRWA/Mohammed Hinnawi

Families gather at UNRWA’s New Gaza Boys’ School, seeking shelter from heavy airstrikes.

2. De-escalation

Top UN officials, including the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), were engaging with parties to the conflict and key stakeholders, including the United States, Qatar, and the European Union, to de-escalate the conflict.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, continued to monitor the unfolding “volatile” security situation along the Israel-Lebanon border, issuing guidance for civilians and updates via social media.

“We have fully engaged our liaison and coordination mechanisms at all levels, to help avoid misunderstandings between Lebanon and Israel that could lead to an escalation of the conflict,” UNIFIL said. “This is our main focus at the moment, and we are working 24/7 to accomplish it.”

3. Emergency services

Israel’s announced blockade of food, water, fuel, and electricity in Gaza on Monday came as UN agencies warned of food scarcity and a looming crisis. Mobile toilets and showers are being deployed to UNRWA shelters, as needed. Palestinians in Gaza now only have electricity for three to four hours per day, hindering the ability of health facilities to function and treat those injured, according to the UN humanitarian coordination agency, OCHA.

4. Food

The World Food Programme (WFP) and UNRWA were coordinating the distribution of bread to displaced people in the shelters in Gaza. “Nearly half a million people, or 112,000 families, have not been able to get their food rations this week since UNRWA food distribution centres are closed,” UNRWA said.

As of Tuesday, WFPstarted distributing fresh bread, canned food, and ready-to-eat foods to around 100,000 people at UNRWA shelters, with plans to reach more than 800,000 affected people in Gaza and the West Bank.

5. Health

Emergency healthcare services were being offered through the toll-free hotline continued across Gaza. The UN’s country-based pooled funds (CBPF) and its partners released life-saving trauma and emergency drugs and medical supplies to enable the health system in Gaza to respond to rising needs. A total of 125 health staff are working in rotating shifts at UNRWA health centres, with 15 out of 22 clinics providing primary healthcare services from 9 am to 12 pm to patients with urgent referred appointments received through a free-toll hotline.

Relief and social services helplines were operational as of Tuesday, and psychosocial support and psychological first aid were being provided remotely. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had psychosocial support experts ready to provide assistance to those who needed it in Gaza and in the West Bank. “The community is appealing to UNRWA to open the closed health centres due to the high demand for services,” the agency said.

© UNRWA/Mohammed Hinnawi

An UNRWA school sheltering more than 225 displaced people, including many families, in the Gaza Strip was directly hit, sustaining severe damages, but no casualties were reported.

6. Humanitarian corridors

Access for humanitarian staff and supplies into Gaza was cut this week and the intensity of the hostilities was limiting the ability of staff to deliver aid, according to Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, Lynn Hastings, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO), other UN agencies, and partners continued to work towards establish a corridor to reach people with critical supplies in Gaza.



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Civilians bear ‘unbearable’ toll amid ‘unrelenting’ attacks — Global Issues

On Thursday, 5 October, an attack in the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of at least 52 people, including one child. This incident marked one of the deadliest attacks on civilians since Russia’s invasion in February last year.

Less than 24 hours later, the region faced another strike, as missiles hit buildings in Kharkiv’s city centre, reportedly killing two, including one child.

Civilian casualties

“The recent attacks in Kharkiv add to an already unbearable toll of civilian casualties resulting from Russia’s invasion – a war launched in violation of the UN Charter and international law,” Rosemary A. DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs, told ambassadors at the Security Council.

As of Sunday (8 October), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has verified 9,806 civilian deaths, including 560 children, and 17,962 injuries due to the war.

“The actual figures are very likely considerably higher and, tragically, will continue to rise if current patterns continue,” Ms. DiCarlo added.

Indiscriminate attacks

In recent weeks, civilians and civilian infrastructure, including grain storage facilities, across Ukraine have been under nearly constant attacks.

“Residents of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Lviv, Sumy, Donetsk, Odesa, Kyiv and other regions continued to face unrelenting and often indiscriminate attacks.”

These, combined with Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Initiative, not only endanger the livelihoods of Ukrainian farmers, but also risk exacerbating hunger worldwide, she said.

Grim human rights picture

Ms. DiCarlo informed the Security Council of the findings of a UN human rights office report that “paints a grim picture of serious human rights violations across the country, most of them attributed to the Russian armed forces.”

These violations include conflict-related sexual violence reportedly committed by Russian armed forces and penitentiary service members, as well as arbitrary and incommunicado detention of civilians in Russian-occupied territory.

The Office also documented cases of arbitrary detention by Ukrainian forces, primarily of law enforcement authorities.

UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Rosemary DiCarlo (on screen) briefs the Security Council meeting on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

Russia’s obligation

OHCHR expressed concern over recent legislation in Russia that could effectively grant amnesty to its service members for a wide range of crimes, potentially including serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws, Ms. DiCarlo noted.

She reiterated Russia’s obligation under international law to investigate and prosecute potential war crimes and gross human rights violations committed by its forces in Ukraine.

Attacks against aid workers

Joyce Msuya, Deputy UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, also briefed the 15-member Security Council, highlighting aid efforts to support people amidst “atrocious attacks”.

However, it is not only civilians who are paying the price, she said, noting a dramatic rise in attacks against humanitarians, with 11 aid workers reportedly killed in 2023, up from four the previous year.

“I have deep appreciation of their bravery, endurance and commitment to the response in extremely challenging circumstances. However, there is much more to do,” she said.

The senior UN relief official urged the international community to help advocate access to all those in need across Ukraine, including four million people living in areas under the military control of Russia.

“More than anything, the people of Ukraine need concerted action to make this devastating war – with its unceasing death, destruction and suffering – come to an end,” she said.

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Displacement in Gaza and Israel, Afghan earthquake response — Global Issues

Over 120,000 people have been internally displaced in Gaza due to concerns over their protection and the destruction of homes, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking in New York.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, is sheltering roughly 137,000 people in 83 of its schools across the Gaza Strip.

Six health care workers have been killed and four others injured, with seven health care facilities and nine ambulances damaged.

Mass displacement due to protection concerns and damage to civilian property has also been observed in Israel.

In Gaza, humanitarians report that damage to water, sanitation and hygiene facilitates has undermined services to more than 400,000 people. The Gaza Power Plant – now the only source of electricity – could run out of fuel within days.

Mr. Dujarric said the World Food Programme (WFP) began delivering fresh bread and canned food for up to 100,000 people sheltering in UNRWA schools.

WFP plans on starting to roll out assistance to up to 800,000 people, depending on funding. The agency requires $16.8 million to reach 805,000 people in the next month.

Meanwhile, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, reported detecting explosions near Al-Boustan in the southwest on Monday afternoon.

“While they are working to gather more information, the Head of the Mission and Force Commander, Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, is in contact with the parties, urging them to exercise maximum restraint and utilize the Mission’s liaison and coordination mechanisms to prevent further risks of escalation and loss of life,” he said.

Afghanistan: Earthquake response continues

The UN and partners continue to ramp up response to the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Herat province in western Afghanistan on Saturday, killing some 1,300 people.

The epicentre of the quake was in Zindajan district, where reports indicate that 100 per cent of homes have been destroyed, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Monday.

It is estimated that more than 12,000 people have been affected across five districts of Herat province. Several hundred households have also been displaced to the provincial capital, also called Herat.

Numbers are expected to rise in the coming days, as search and rescue efforts and assessments continue.

The UN has deployed assessment teams to the area and is providing emergency shelter supplies and other items, including blankets, warm clothes, food, hygiene kits and water buckets. Partners have also deployed health teams and are providing trauma and emergency surgery kits.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Daniel Endres, has also approved a $5 million allocation from a fund for Afghanistan to support immediate relief efforts.

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Aid efforts rapidly expand as post-quake death toll rises — Global Issues

“The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs and provide emergency assistance,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.

UN agencies, partners, and the de facto authorities continued to mount emergency operations. Initial assessments indicated that the 6.3 magnitude quake that struck 40 kilometres west of Herat on Saturday caused deaths across eight villages, according to the UN humanitarian office (OCHA).

By Sunday evening, the agency released a new update showing 1,023 people were reported killed and another 1,663 injured across 11 villages of Zindajan district of Herat province, where 100 per cent of homes are estimated to have been completely destroyed.

A further 516 people (203 men and 213 women) were reported to be missing from the district, OCHA said.

To support the ongoing response, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator approved a $5 million emergency reserve allocation from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, which OCHA will launch and fully process within 24 hours with eligible partners able to utilize their grants effective 9 October.

Humanitarian partners will also develop an emergency appeal, the agency said.

More UN teams deployed

On the ground, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) deployed more teams to join ongoing humanitarian efforts. The agency dispatched 10,000 hygiene kits, 5,000 family kits, 1,500 sets of winter clothes, blankets, 1,000 tarpaulins, and basic household items, which will complement support provided by other UN agencies and partners.

“Together with our partners, we will make every effort to bring quick relief to those affected,” said Fran Equiza, the UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan.

The injured were being treated in nearby health facilities, with emergency drugs provided by UNICEF and partners, according to the agency, which also provided emergency tents for overburdened health clinics.

Working with the de-facto authorities, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Food Programme (WFP), and partners sent emergency assessment teams as part of an initial response. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the World Health Organization (WHO) continued to provide assistance.

© UNICEF/Sharifa Khan

Relief aid is dispatched to earthquake-affected western Afghanistan.

International community must ‘come together’

UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, extended his sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a swift recovery to those injured, the UN Spokesperson said.

“As winter approaches, the UN Secretary-General calls on the international community to come together and support people impacted by the earthquake, many of whom were already in need before this crisis,” he said.

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UN launches urgent appeal to help refugees fleeing Karabakh — Global Issues

“We call upon the international community to urgently support refugees and their hosts,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “International support is crucial to sustain this welcome and to enable us to respond to immediate needs and to also build upon the resilience of this population.”

Following the escalation of hostilities at the end of September, more than 100,000 refugees arrived in Armenia in less than a week.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, with UN entities and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners, is appealing for emergency funds to provide urgent humanitarian aid and protection to refugees and those hosting them in Armenia, in support of the Government-led response.

‘Remarkable’ local welcome

“Local host communities have generously opened their doors and displayed tremendous solidarity with refugees,” Mr. Grandi said. “The local response, led by national authorities, volunteers and civil society, has also been equally remarkable.”

The Armenia emergency refugee response plan brings together 60 partners, including 43 national NGOs, and covers relief efforts for a six-month period, until the end of March 2024.

The joint plan aims to support some 231,000 people including 136,000 refugees and 95,000 members of local host communities. The plan also takes into account the upcoming, harsh winter months.

Meeting critical needs

Among new arrivals, are some 30,000 children and many vulnerable people, including pregnant women, those with disabilities, and others with chronic health conditions. More than half of the refugees are older people and children.

Many fled with just the few possessions they were able to grab and arrived distressed, exhausted, and apprehensive about the future. They now require critical support, according to UN agencies.

Having to absorb more than 100,000 refugees in a matter of days, there is immense pressure on the host community in Armenia and on existing national services. Refugee arrivals represent over 3.4 per cent of the country’s population and are in addition to a pre-existing refugee, asylum seeker, and stateless population of some 35,000 people.

WHO

Refugees from the Karabakh region have fled to Goris, Armenia, where authorities are assisting them.

Emergency protection

The response plan will support and complement the Government response, with an emphasis on emergency protection and assistance, while at the same time focusing on inclusion, resilience, and solutions from the start, reaching both refugees and the host communities, according to UNHCR.

The plan covers multiple sectors, notably protection, with a focus on gender-based violence, child protection, education, food security, nutrition, health, resilience, shelter, and non-food items. A longer-term focus will aim to ensure inclusion and the strengthening of national public services.

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Earthquake kills at least 100 in Herat, Afghanistan — Global Issues

Initial assessments indicate that the 6.3 magnitude quake caused deaths across eight villages, with a further 500 people injured, according to the latest update from UN humanitarian office (OCHA), which reported that it destroyed 465 houses and damaged another 135. Mahal Wadakah was the worst affected village.

Rescuers search collapsed buildings

Partners and local authorities anticipated the number of casualties to increase as search and rescue efforts continued amid reports that some people may be trapped under collapsed buildings.

After striking 40 kilometres west of Herat, in western Afghanistan, around 11am local time, several aftershocks have since occurred, with the initial quake felt in neighbouring Badghis and Farah provinces, according to OCHA.

In total, 4,200 people, or about 600 families, are assessed to have been affected to date, including 1,400 internally displaced persons, the UN agency said.

Humanitarian response

Coordinating with the de-facto authorities, including the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Food Programme (WFP), and other aid agencies deployed five emergency assessment teams as part of an initial response.

Humanitarian partners have initiated relief efforts, deploying medical and trauma support to regional hospitals alongside emergency shelter, food, supplies, and assistance to people in affected areas.

Humanitarian response

To date, 200 people are receiving emergency trauma care in Herat Provincial Hospital, where the World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed three trauma kits sufficient to treat 150 surgeries.

At the same time, IOM and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, will provide emergency shelter support to 700 families, including 640 tents, blankets, and other needed items.

WFP will dispatch high-energy biscuits for 710 affected households across several villages in Zindajan district, and the UN agency for reproductive health (UNFPA) will provide 1,300 dignity kits for women and girls.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is expected to deploy an emergency response team to Zindajan on Sunday.

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UN aid official — Global Issues

“The past six months have caused untold suffering in Sudan” and forced more than 5.4 million people from their homes, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, the UN official noted that approximately 30,000 a day have fled fighting, “some fleeing with nothing but the clothes on their backs”.

Ms. Nkweta-Salami continued: “I’ve met mothers in Sudan who’ve told me they don’t know where to find the next meal for their children. I’ve met families sleeping in makeshift shelters, struggling to find food and water and unable to access healthcare; their children out of school and the family breadwinners out of work.”

Conflict ‘could consume entire country’

Half of Sudan’s population – 24.7 million people – now require humanitarian assistance and protection, the UN official continued, before warning that conflict, displacement and disease outbreaks now “threaten to consume the entire country”.

Last month, the UN and partners delivered 3,000 tonnes of lifesaving aid supplies using 66 trucks across six states. “But we need to be able to deliver much more, safely, repeatedly and fast,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami insisted. “We need to reach 18 million people and we will not give up on that target.”

Harvests under threat

Clashes involving heavy weaponry and airstrikes broke out on 15 April between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighting initially focused in and around the capital, Khartoum, along with the Darfur region, but Ms. Nkweta-Salami expressed concerns that the conflict could spread to Gezira state, Sudan’s breadbasket.

“This would have great consequences for food security,” she said, noting that the violence “has already crippled Sudan’s health sector, with 70 per cent of all hospitals no longer functional”.

Humanitarians are equally concerned about reports of increasing cases of sexual and gender-based violence, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and grave violations of human and children’s rights.

Cholera ‘near impossible to control’

In addition to the destruction of war which is believed likely to have claimed thousands of lives including 19 aid workers to date, Sudan’s people have also faced further shocks in recent weeks as heavy rains and floods have affected more than 70,000 people across seven states, prompting concerns of a spike in waterborne diseases.

A cholera outbreak has been declared in the eastern state of Gedaref and humanitarians are already investigating whether it has spread to Khartoum and South Kordofan.

“With fighting escalating, it may be near impossible to control,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami said, as she called on the warring parties to recommit to previous pledges to “de-escalate fighting, minimize civilian harm and refrain from any disproportionate attacks”.

Humanitarians ‘pushing the limits’

Delivering aid in a warzone is extremely complicated, dangerous and time-consuming, often involving negotiations with various armed groups for access to remote communities, the UN official explained.

Despite these challenges, she insisted that relief teams were stepping up efforts to reach Sudan’s most vulnerable communities.

“We have a very committed humanitarian team on the ground, we are trying to push the limits of our ability to reach some of these hard-to-reach areas. And I think if we get a strong not only commitment, but a commitment that is translated today into positive action by all the parties to this conflict, then hopefully we will have no longer deaths amongst humanitarian workers.”

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‘Horrifying’ attack on Ukrainian village, autonomous weapons ban, Sudan crisis — Global Issues

“The images arriving from the locality, home to just above 300 people, are absolutely horrifying,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown said in a statement issued shortly after the attack.

Speaking on behalf of the UN and the humanitarian community, she expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

“Our thoughts are also with the people of Ukraine, who had to witness today, once again, another barbaric consequence of Russia’s invasion,” she added.

Ms. Brown recalled that intentionally directing an attack against civilians or civilian objects is a war crime, as is intentionally launching an attack knowing that it would be disproportionate.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced his strong condemnation of the attack, his Spokesperson said in a statement.

“Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law and they must stop immediately,” it said.

UN and Red Cross heads urge autonomous weapons ban

Machines which can kill without a human controlling them must be prohibited by international law, UN chief António Guterres said on Thursday.

In a joint appeal with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, the leaders urged countries to establish specific prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapon systems “to preserve human control over the use of force” and protect humanity.

“Our concerns have only been heightened by the increasing availability and accessibility of sophisticated new and emerging technologies, such as in robotics and Artificial Intelligence technologies, that could be integrated into autonomous weapons,” Mr. Guterres and Ms. Spoljaric said.

They insisted that allowing autonomous weapons to be controlled by machine learning algorithms – “fundamentally unpredictable software which writes itself”– was unacceptable, while all other autonomous weapons needed to be subjected to clear restrictions and placed under human supervision.

The UN and Red Cross chiefs stressed that years of multilateral discussions have laid the groundwork for countries to negotiate a new, legally binding treaty by 2026.

States ‘can and must do more’ to counter religious hatred: UN rights chief

Religious hate speech is “unfolding unchecked” on and offline, while gaps in national policy frameworks are letting it slip through the cracks, UN rights chief Volker Türk said on Thursday.

Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr. Türk said that countries “can and must do more” to counter this scourge:

“Training initiatives for law enforcement officers and the judiciary, faith-based actors, teachers and media professionals in combating religious hatred need to be part of a comprehensive approach which integrates faith literacy, better understanding and sensitivity and clear measures to address discrimination.”

The UN human rights chief expressed hope that the dialogue at the Council would be a first step towards a policy “blueprint” for countries to combat religious hatred in line with international human rights law. Mr. Türk also said that his Office would also seek to involve major social media companies and look at their implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Human rights impacts of religious hatred have come under close scrutiny at the Council since an urgent debate on the topic and a resolution adopted in July called on States to take action, following a Quran burning in Sweden in June.

Humanitarians appeal for ‘much more’ international solidarity for Sudan

In war-torn Sudan, half of the population or almost 25 million people require humanitarian aid and protection, but there are not nearly enough funds to help them.

The UN’s top humanitarian official in the country, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, told reporters in Geneva about the consequences of the organisation’s $2.6 billion appeal for Sudan remaining just one-third funded.

“We’re seeing high incidences of malnutrition. The health systems are struggling. We need additional resources for dialysis machines. We have a recent cholera outbreak,” she said.

“Additional resources will make sure that we are able to provide the medical equipment as well as the medicines, we’re able to expand our WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene] capacity on the ground and we’re able to provide the much-needed protection for the women, children and the most vulnerable of the population.”

In addition to “much more solidarity” from the international community, Ms. Nkweta-Salami said that humanitarians need better access and safety for their operations, as well as less interference from the parties to the conflict.

She stressed that on both main routes for bringing in aid, across the border from Chad and through Port Sudan, humanitarians have to negotiate “with all armed groups” and have faced blockages and looting.

The UN official deplored the fact that aid workers’ efforts have been hampered despite an agreement concluded in Jeddah in May where the parties committed to providing unimpeded humanitarian access.

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