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	UN Secretary-General welcomes ceasefire and hostage release deal in conflict torn Gaza by UN News, UNICEF, Inter-Agency Standing Committee   22 Oct. 2025   The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled Israel must allow aid groups unimpeded access to Gaza.   The United Nations's highest court has ruled Israel must allow aid groups unimpeded access to Gaza and that its attempts to stop a UN agency delivering aid to Palestinians are illegal. The non-binding advisory opinion was requested by the UN General Assembly.   It found unanimously that Israel must ensure Palestinians were adequately supplied with the essentials of daily life, and that Gazans had been lacking those things during the war.   It also found Israel could not unilaterally decide to shut down the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the lead agency delivering aid in Gaza, or impede any other UN agencies.   The International Court of Justice (ICJ) found there was no evidence UNRWA's neutrality had been compromised and that the group needed to maintain operations because it provided so many critical services in Gaza.   The court also found Israel had an obligation to ensure the rapid and unimpeded delivery of adequate amounts of aid, and that its attempt to replace the UN aid system with a private contractor, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, was not a "realistic alternative" to the comprehensive and longstanding UN network.   The court noted "Israel's conduct in the Occupied Palestinian Territory raises serious concerns in light of its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law".   The commissioner-general of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, said the decision should spur Israel to allow the agency to operate fully again.   "There must be accountability for the deaths of UNRWA staff members, for the severe mistreatment of humanitarian staff in detention and for the destruction, damage and misuse of UNRWA facilities," he said in a statement.   "⁠UNRWA is the key humanitarian actor with a 'unique and sustained connection' to the occupied Palestinian territories, whose operations must be facilitated rather than obstructed — particularly given the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza."   Nimer Sultany, a reader in public law at SOAS University of London, said the decision also highlighted that Israel's obligations were ongoing and unchanged by the current ceasefire.   "So in the context in which we have a Trump plan and many Western states are eager to so-called 'move on' after two years of mass slaughter, two years of the killing of thousands of Palestinian children, innocent men and women as well, this ICJ advisory opinion is a reminder of the kind of damage and the kind of havoc that Israel has inflicted on the international legal order and the fact it has consistently attacked the United Nations," he said.   Dr Sultany said the decision was especially relevant in relation to Israel's recent threats to restrict aid entering Gaza as a way to pressure Hamas to hand over more hostage bodies.   "The fact that Israel is weaponising food and medicine and humanitarian aid in order to inflict damage on a civilian population, the fact that Israel is using collective punishment against more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a method of war, is a complete disregard of the laws of war, a complete disregard of the basic norms of international law and the interest code of justice" he said.   "Israel, as a member, as a member state that is subject to the basic norms of international humanitarian law and international human rights law and as an occupier with responsibility over millions of Palestinians, cannot behave in this way — that is to completely disregard the basic rights of civilian populations."   The ICJ has previously ordered Israel to "take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip", and ensure it is taking all steps possible to prevent the commission of genocide in Gaza.   http://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/196/196-20251022-adv-01-00-en.pdf http://www.icj-cij.org/case/196   9 Oct. 2025   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal in conflict torn Gaza, calling it a “desperately needed breakthrough” that must mark “the beginning of the end of this devastating war.”   “We have waited far too long for this moment,” he said. “All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The bloodshed must stop once and for all.”   The United Nations is tasked under the ceasefire plan along with the Red Crescent, with overseeing the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid. Mr. Guterres said UN agencies and its partners were ready to “move now,” with teams and supplies in place to scale up desperately needed food, water, medical and shelter assistance for people inside Gaza.   He stressed the need for “full, safe and sustained access for humanitarian workers” and sufficient funding for recovery efforts. “Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured", he said. "The suffering must end.”   He said the United Nations would support the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as well as working towards advancing recovery and reconstruction efforts in the devastated Gaza Strip.   Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said: "Saving lives – given the level of needs, the level of starvation, the level of misery and despair – will require a massive collective effort, and that’s what we’re mobilized for".   "For the tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis who have lost their lives in the last two years, on October 7th and since, including the hundreds of our humanitarian colleagues who have died trying to save lives; for those who yearn for food, medicine, shelter, security, to be reunited with their families and loved ones; we must act."   World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency stood ready to support Gaza’s shattered health system. “The best medicine is peace,” he said, urging respect for the ceasefire agreement “so the suffering of all civilians finally ends.”   The World Food Programme (WFP) said it was on the ground ready to scale up operations, but underlined there is no time to waste.   Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN’s Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) noted that enough food is ready to be trucked into Gaza to feed the entire population for three months. Adding; “There are also over 660,000 children eagerly waiting to go back to school.. with UNRWA teachers ready to help them rebuild their lives.”   UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged all States to ensure that the ceasefire is implemented in good faith. “All action going forward must be guided by the immediate goals of ending the killing, starvation and destruction,” he said. Mr. Turk called for a “comprehensive process of transitional justice” to ensure accountability for gross human rights violations.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166066 http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-outlines-60-day-plan-deliver-vital-aid-after-gaza-ceasefire http://www.ochaopt.org/publications http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/turk-says-ceasefire-plan-must-lead-permanent-end-hostilities-full http://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-commissioner-general-gaza-agreement-finally-secure-ceasefire-gaza http://www.unrwa.org/two-years-too-long http://news.un.org/en/tags/gaza   Two Years of Devastation: A Ceasefire brings Hope, but Urgent Aid and Recovery are needed in Gaza. (Mercy Corps, agencies)   "The announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza brings a desperately needed moment of respite after two years of relentless bombardment and humanitarian collapse. While the fighting may stop, the suffering continues. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins; families remain displaced, people are hungry, and basic services are non-existent.   Gaza is in ruins, and the humanitarian toll is staggering: more than 67,000 people killed and over 169,000 injured or permanently disabled; nearly the entire population displaced; 90% of homes damaged or destroyed; and famine confirmed and spreading. The devastation runs deeper than the numbers: it is visible in the haunted faces of children, the silence of collapsed neighborhoods, and the heartbreak of families torn apart forever.   Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Mercy Corps Chief Executive Officer:   "We welcome any step that opens the door to increased humanitarian access in Gaza and the release of all deceased and alive hostages, in captivity for two years. The ceasefire is a vital first step, but there is still a mountain to climb. Without a sustained flow of aid and the immediate restoration and reconstruction of essential services, people will continue to struggle to survive amid ongoing famine and malnutrition, and the humanitarian crisis will only deepen.   “The ceasefire is a critical step but now we must urgently surge in immediate, consistent, and safe delivery of life-saving aid: clean water, medicine, nutritious food, and a full re-opening of commercial supplies and cash assistance to rebuild a sense of normalcy. This is a chance for people who have been forced into the most depraved of conditions and circumstances to stabilize, grieve, and reconnect with their communities.   Alongside the delivery of aid, restoring essential services and rebuilding hospitals, schools, and shelters is vital. It is a first step toward helping families rebuild their lives when so many have no home left to return to.   All humanitarian actors need to be allowed to deliver vital aid. Humanitarian organizations urgently need unfettered access, guarantees of safety for aid workers, predictable and sustained entry points for supplies, and functioning communication and transport networks to reach people in need.   “We call on all parties to ensure this ceasefire holds and to prevent any return to the violence that has caused unimaginable loss and suffering for two years. All parties must immediately create conditions for a surge in aid delivery and repairs to critical infrastructure. This is the first step toward ending this catastrophe, we must keep moving forward.”   http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/gaza-ceasefire-urgent-aid-recovery-humanitarian http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/october/gaza-ceasefire-must-mark-end-to-two-years-of-death-and-starvation http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-ceasefire-gaza-strip http://www.savethechildren.net/news/pause-hostilities-crucial-relief-children-gaza-now-it-must-become-definitive-and-lasting http://plan-international.org/news/2025/10/09/gaza-ceasefire-will-save-lives-but-aid-and-lasting-peace-must-urgently-follow/ http://www.msf.org/ceasefire-gaza-humanitarian-aid-must-flow-immediately http://www.icrc.org/en/article/israel-and-occupied-territories-civilian-suffering-gaza-devastating-scale-after-two-years http://www.un.org/unispal/document/unog-press-briefing-14oct25/ http://theconversation.com/with-83-of-its-buildings-destroyed-gaza-needs-more-than-money-to-rebuild-267431 http://unosat.org/products/4205   7 Oct. 2025   Two years of hellish war have devastated Gaza’s children, by Catherine Russell - UNICEF Executive Director:   "For more than 700 days, children in Gaza have been killed, maimed, and displaced in a devastating war that is an affront to our shared humanity. Israeli strikes on Gaza City and other parts of the Gaza Strip continue. The world cannot, and must not, allow this to go on.   “In the last two years, a staggering 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed across the Gaza Strip, including at least 1,000 babies. We don’t know how many more have died due to preventable illnesses or are buried under the rubble.   “Famine persists in Gaza City and is spreading to the south, where children are already living in dire conditions. The crisis of malnutrition, especially among infants, remains shocking. Months without adequate food have caused lasting harm to children’s growth and development.   “The need for a ceasefire could not be more urgent. Since Saturday morning, at least 14 children have reportedly been killed, as intense bombing and shelling by Israel continue to hit Gaza City and other areas.   “UNICEF welcomes all efforts to end the war and chart a path towards peace in Gaza and the region. Any plan must lead to a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief - through all available crossings and routes - at the scale desperately needed by all Gazans, especially children.   “International humanitarian law is clear: we call on Israel to ensure the full protection of the lives of all civilians. Denying humanitarian assistance to civilians is unequivocally prohibited. The principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution must guide all military actions and civilians who cannot, do not, or choose not to evacuate combat areas remain civilians and must always be protected.   “Every child killed is an irreplaceable loss. For the sake of all children in Gaza, this war must end now.”   World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said over 10,000 children in Gaza have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the past two months, warning the true toll is likely much higher, as many families in overcrowded shelters cannot reach clinics or hospitals. “Famine is now spreading south as people flee renewed fighting,” he said.   Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator:   "Two years on since Hamas and other armed groups carried out those abhorrent attacks targeting civilians in Israel, as I’ve seen and heard from meeting the survivors and the families of those taken, the pain is indescribable. Today, I renew my call for the unconditional, immediate release of all the hostages – and until then, they must be treated humanely.   Civilians everywhere have to be protected. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Hundreds of thousands endure starvation and displacement. So we once again renew the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, for all civilians to be protected, and for humanitarian aid to flow freely at the scale that is desperately needed".   Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN aid agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, said that Gazans have lived through “two long years of destruction, displacement, bombardment, fear, death and hunger”.   He called for the release of all hostages and Palestinian detainees, an immediate ceasefire and for the unfettered delivery of humanitarian supplies at scale, including through UNRWA. He also urged accountability for atrocities committed on and after 7 October 2023.   More than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed in the terror attacks by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023 and more than 250 others were taken hostage. More than 66,000 Palestinians have subsequently been killed in the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/two-years-hellish-war-have-devastated-gazas-children http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/gaza-unrwas-lancet-study-reveals-alarming-surge-child-malnutrition-underscores-ipc-famine-confirmation-enar http://www.icrc.org/en/article/two-years-7-october-hostages-must-come-home http://www.icrc.org/en/article/gaza-two-years-statement-sarah-avrillaud   23 Aug. 2025   Gaza Strip: Famine confirmed in Gaza Governorate, projected to expand (IPC)   As of 15 August 2025, Famine (IPC Phase 5)—with reasonable evidence—is confirmed in Gaza Governorate. After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death. Another 1.07 million people (54 percent) are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), and 396,000 people (20 percent) are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).   Between mid-August and the end of September 2025, conditions are expected to further worsen with Famine projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. Nearly a third of the population (641,000 people) are expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), while those in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) will likely rise to 1.14 million (58 percent). Acute malnutrition is projected to continue worsening rapidly.   Through June 2026, at least 132,000 children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition—double the IPC estimates from May 2025. This includes over 41,000 severe cases of children at heightened risk of death. Nearly 55,500 malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women will also require urgent nutrition response.   Despite limited data, conditions in North Gaza Governorate are estimated to be as severe—or worse—than in Gaza Governorate.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-134/en/   Remarks on Gaza at the UN press briefing by Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. (Geneva, 22 August 2025):   "Please read the IPC report, cover to cover. Read it in sorrow and in anger. Not as words and numbers but as names and lives. Be in no doubt that this is irrefutable testimony. It is a famine. The Gaza Famine.   It is a famine that we could have prevented, if we had been allowed. Yet food stacks up at borders because of systematic obstruction by Israel. It is a famine within a few hundred metres of food, in a fertile land.   It is a famine that hits the most vulnerable first. Each with a name, each with a story. That strips people of dignity before it strips them of life. That forces a parent to choose which child to feed. That forces people to risk their lives to seek food.   It is a famine that we repeatedly warned of. But that the international media has not been allowed in to cover. To bear witness.   It is a famine in 2025. A 21st century famine watched over by drones and the most advanced military technology in history. It is a famine openly promoted by some Israeli leaders as a weapon of war.   It is a famine on all of our watch. Everyone owns this. The Gaza Famine is the world’s famine. It is a famine that asks ‘but what did you do?’ A famine that will and must haunt us all.   It is a predictable and a preventable famine. A famine caused by cruelty, justified by revenge, enabled by indifference and sustained by complicity.   It is a famine that must spur the world to more urgent action. That must shame the world to do better. It is a famine that therefore also asks ‘… and what now will you do?’   My ask, my plea, my demand to Prime Minister Netanyahu and anyone who can reach him: Enough. Ceasefire. Open the crossings, north and south, all of them. Let us get food and other supplies in, unimpeded and at the massive scale required. End the retribution. It is too late for far too many. But not for everyone in Gaza. Enough. For humanity’s sake, let us in".   http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-says-gaza-famine-must-spur-world-urgent-action http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/famine-confirmed-first-time-gaza http://www.wfp.org/news/famine-confirmed-first-time-gaza http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165702 http://www.savethechildren.net/news/children-starved-plain-sight-famine-confirmed-gaza-save-children http://www.care.org/media-and-press/famine-confirmed-in-gaza-as-assault-on-gaza-city-looms/ http://www.rescue.org/press-release/all-famine-thresholds-now-surpassed-gaza-city-irc-urges-government-israel-enable-aid http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/un-human-rights-occupied-palestinian-territory-israeli-plan-take-full-control-gaza-city-will-lead-further-killings-and-displacement http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/september/emptying-gaza-city-drives-civilians-into-starvation-and-forcible-transfer http://www.msf.org/doctors-cannot-stop-genocide-world-leaders-can http://www.ochaopt.org/content/when-gaza-burned-children-starved-hospitals-collapsed-did-you-act http://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-321-gaza-strip   8 Aug. 2025   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed grave concern Palestinians in Gaza continue to endure a humanitarian catastrophe.   The UN chief reiterated his urgent appeal for a permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access across Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.   “The Secretary-General once again strongly urges the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under international law,” the statement continued.   Meanwhile, civilians continue to be killed and wounded in Gaza, where even basic tasks such as finding food and water have become impossible, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in an update.   "The devastating convergence of a hunger crisis, a collapsing healthcare system, widespread destruction of critical infrastructure and nearly two years of war is having a catastrophic toll on people, particularly on the most vulnerable".   "Aid entering into Gaza remains far below the minimum required to meet people’s immense needs. The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to try to do everything possible to bring assistance inside Gaza. However, missions continue to face significant delays and other impediments that prevent the UN from delivering aid at scale".   OCHA reiterates it is imperative that aid is allowed to enter through all crossings and via all available corridors into Gaza so that the UN and its partners can deliver it at scale in a safe and dignified manner through their community-based mechanisms, reaching the most vulnerable.   OCHA continues to stress the urgency of a permanent ceasefire, to provide adequate assistance and aid to the desperate population in Gaza and to call for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages".   Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said: "On all evidence to date, this further escalation will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes. The war in Gaza must end now. And Israelis and Palestinians must be allowed to live side by side in peace.   Instead of intensifying this war, the Israeli Government should put all its efforts into saving the lives of Gaza’s civilians by allowing the full, unfettered flow of humanitarian aid. The hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released by Palestinian armed groups. Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel must also be immediately and unconditionally released".   In Israel, tens of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets demanding an immediate end to the war in Gaza, and negotiations to secure the immediate release of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165612 http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-urges-security-council-summon-courage-end-inhumanity-gaza http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-occupied-palestinian-territory-ukraine-democratic-republic-congo-mozambique http://theelders.org/news/elders-call-decisive-measures-states-halt-unfolding-genocide-and-famine-gaza http://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/foreign-and-security-policy/the-death-of-eu-values-in-gaza-8470 http://civiliansinconflict.org/press-releases/civic-and-more-than-80-organizations-call-on-us-congress-to-uphold-us-law-and-suspend-security-assistance-to-israel/ http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-133/en/ http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/july/as-mass-starvation-spreads-across-gaza-our-colleagues-and-those-we-serve-are-wasting-away http://www.warchild.net/news/in-gaza-starvation-doesnt-just-kill/ http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-warns-security-council-erosion-rules-war-gaza-demands-urgent-response http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-humanitarian-situation-children http://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/east-mediterranean-mena/israelpalestine/open-gates-save-starving-gaza http://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/east-mediterranean-mena/israelpalestine/walking-corpses   June 2025   UN General Assembly adopts Gaza ceasefire resolution. (UN News)   Meeting in emergency session, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and lasting ceasefire in Gaza.   The move followed the Security Council’s failure to pass a similar resolution last week due to a lone veto by permanent member the United States.   The resolution was backed by 149 Member States, with 12 voting against and 19 abstaining. Among those opposing the resolution were the United States and Israel, who were joined among others by Argentina, Hungary and Paraguay.   End starvation as weapon of war   Brought forward by over 20 countries, it strongly condemns the use of starvation as a weapon of war, demands a full lifting of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid, and insists on the protection of civilians under international law.   Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant political and moral weight.   On 4 June, the Security Council failed to adopt its draft resolution after a veto by the United States, a permanent member.   Meanwhile, famine conditions continue to threaten lives across Gaza, and reports persist of civilians being killed or injured while trying to access food at distribution points operated independently of the UN but supported by Israel and the US.   UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang said that “the horrors in Gaza must end” after 20 months of war. He criticised the Security Council’s ongoing paralysis and inability to fulfil its core responsibility to uphold peace and security.   He called the situation on the ground “unacceptable”, highlighting the deprivation of food, water and medicine for civilians, the continued captivity of hostages, and the need for urgent international action.   Key elements of the resolution:   Ceasefire: Calls for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire by all parties.   Hostages: Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups.   Implementation: Urges the full and immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 2735 (2024), including the ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchanges, return of displaced persons, and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.   International law: Reaffirms that all parties must uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, with particular attention to civilian protection and accountability for violations.   Starvation as a weapon: Strongly condemns the use of starvation and the denial of aid as tactics of war.   Humanitarian access: Demands the full, safe and unimpeded delivery of aid – including food, medicine, water, shelter and fuel – throughout Gaza.   Detention practices: Calls for the humane treatment and release of those arbitrarily detained, and the return of remains.   ICJ advisory opinion: Recalls the request for an urgent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on Israel’s obligations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.   End of blockade: Demands Israel immediately lift the blockade on Gaza and open all border crossings for aid deliveries.   Accountability: Urges Member States to take necessary steps to ensure Israel complies with its international legal obligations.   UN and humanitarian personnel: Calls for full respect for the work and immunity of UN staff and humanitarian workers.   Protection of aid workers: Urges both humanitarian and UN bodies to ensure the safety of their personnel.   Medical neutrality: Underscores the duty to protect medical workers, health facilities, and transport routes.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-133/en/ http://www.savethechildren.net/news/mass-starvation-spreads-across-gaza-more-100-ngos-make-urgent-plea-allow-life-saving-aid http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/as-mass-starvation-spreads-across-gaza-our-colleagues-and-those-we-serve-are-wasting-away http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-regional-director-middle-east-and-north-africa-edouard-beigbeder-3 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/un-agencies-warn-key-food-and-nutrition-indicators-exceed-famine-thresholds-gaza http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/israel-and-occupied-territories-icrc-president-calls-urgent-collective-action-states-end-suffering   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164346 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-5000-children-diagnosed-malnutrition-gaza-strip-may http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/gazas-taps-running-dry-fuel-crisis-deepens-daily-struggle-families http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-124/en/ http://www.wfp.org/news/risk-famine-across-all-gaza-new-report-says http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-calls-security-council-act-decisively-prevent-genocide-gaza http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/children-gaza-need-lifesaving-support http://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2025-people-in-gaza-starving--sick-and-dying-as-aid-blockade-continues http://www.unocha.org/news/briefing-note-un-coordinated-plan-resume-humanitarian-aid-deliveries-gaza http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/joint-donor-statement-humanitarian-aid-gaza   http://theelders.org/news/elders-call-collective-action-governments-end-palestinian-suffering-gaza http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/19/joint-statement-on-the-eu-israel-association-agreement-review http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/news/2025/05/un-women-estimates-over-28000-women-and-girls-killed-in-gaza-since-october-2023 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/turk-deplores-gaza-escalation-pleads-global-action-stop-more-killings http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/bond-responds-uk-france-canada-statement-and-joint-donor-statement-gaza http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/oxfam-reaction-announcement-israel-will-allow-limited-amount-aid-gaza http://cafod.org.uk/news/media/press-releases/gaza-food-supplies http://actionagainsthunger.ca/story/avert-humanitarian-catastrophe-gaza/   2 May 2025   UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the situation for children in the Gaza Strip after two months of aid blockade:   “For two months, children in the Gaza Strip have faced relentless bombardments while being deprived of essential goods, services and lifesaving care. With each passing day of the aid blockade, they face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death – nothing can justify this.   “Families are struggling to survive. They are trapped, unable to flee in search of safety. The land they used to farm has been destroyed. The sea they used for fishing has been restricted. Bakeries are closing, water production is declining, and market shelves are almost bare. Humanitarian aid has provided the only lifeline for children, and now it is close to running out.   “In the past month, over 75 per cent of households have reported deteriorating access to water – they don’t have enough water to drink, are unable to wash their hands when needed, and often forced to choose between showering, cleaning, and cooking.   “Vaccines are quickly running out and diseases are spreading – especially acute watery diarrhoea, which now accounts for 1 in every 4 cases of disease recorded in Gaza. Most of these cases are among children under five, for whom it is life-threatening.   “Malnutrition is also on the rise. More than 9,000 children have been admitted for treatment of acute malnutrition since the beginning of the year. Hundreds more children in desperate need of treatment are not able to access it due to the insecurity and displacement.   “International humanitarian law requires authorities to ensure that the population under their control is treated humanely. This not only includes ensuring that civilians have the food, medicine, and essential supplies they need, but also ensuring sufficient hygiene and public health standards. All parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance. And they must allow and facilitate all relevant UN entities to carry out those activities for the benefit of the local population.   “UNICEF remains in the Gaza Strip, doing what we can to support and protect children. But the aid blockade and more than 18 months of war are pushing Gaza’s children to the brink. We reiterate our call for the aid blockade to be lifted, for the entry of commercial goods into Gaza, for the release of the hostages, and for the protection of all children.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-situation-children-gaza-strip http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-124/en/ http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/humanitarian-situation-update-286-gaza-strip http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/gaza-un-anti-racism-committee-decries-halt-food-aid-urges-immediate http://www.ohchr.org/en/media-centre/news-situation-occupied-palestinian-territory-israel-and-lebanon Visit the related web page
	Trump Administration announces withdrawal from dozens of international organizations by UN News, OHCHR, agencies   Jan. 2026   Trump Administration announces withdrawal from dozens of international organizations. (UN News, agencies)   United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed regret over the decision by the United States to withdraw from a number of UN entities, while underscoring that the system will continue to deliver on all its mandates.   “As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States”.   The presidential memorandum directs US executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to withdraw from dozens of international organizations, conventions and treaties claimed by the Trump Administration to be "contrary" to US interests.   According to the US memorandum, the decision affects 31 UN agencies and entities. These include:   The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which supports maternal and child health, and combatting sexual and gender-based violence; The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which fosters global cooperation against climate change.   (The International Union for Conservation of Nature, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are included on the US list);   The UN Democracy Fund, which funds and mentors civil society projects for democracy; other offices of the UN Secretariat such as those dealing with children in armed conflict and ending sexual violence as a weapon of war.   The list also includes four of the five UN regional commissions (Asia-Pacific, Western Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean), which are key platforms for multilateral cooperation.   For UN entities, “withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law,” the US memorandum states.   Despite the announcement, the UN Secretary-General stressed that the work of the Organization would continue.   “All United Nations entities will go on with the implementation of their mandates as given by Member States,” the statement said.   “The United Nations has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us. We will continue to carry out our mandates with determination.”   Under the UN Charter, assessed contributions to the Organization’s regular and peacekeeping budgets are approved by the General Assembly and are considered binding obligations for all Member States.   For 2026, the General Assembly approved $3.45 billion regular budget – a sharp reduction from previous years – including a 15 per cent reduction in financial resources and a nearly 19 per cent cut in staffing.   Responding specifically to the US decision to withdraw from UNFCCC, its Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said the move marked a step back from global climate cooperation.   “The United States was instrumental in creating the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, because they are both entirely in its national interests,” Mr. Stiell said.   “While all other nations are stepping forward together, this latest step back from global leadership, climate cooperation and science can only harm the US economy, jobs and living standards, as wildfires, floods, mega-storms and droughts get rapidly worse. It is a colossal own goal which will leave the US less secure and less prosperous.”   Mr. Stiell noted that UNFCCC would keep working, adding, “the doors remain open for the US to re-enter in the future, as it has in the past with the Paris Agreement.”   The withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, is the latest move by Trump and his allies to distance the US from international climate efforts. The UNFCCC, a 1992 agreement among 198 countries, underpins the landmark Paris climate accord. Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, withdrew from that agreement soon after returning to the White House.   Mainstream scientists say climate change is driving increasingly deadly and costly extreme weather, including floods, droughts, wildfires, intense rainfall and dangerous heat.   Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson, who chairs the Global Carbon Project, said the US withdrawal could hinder global efforts to curb greenhouse gases by giving other countries an excuse to delay their own commitments. Experts also warned meaningful progress would be more difficult without cooperation from the US, one of the world’s largest emitters and economies.   The Trump administration had already suspended support for bodies such as the World Health Organization, the GAVI Global Child Vaccination program, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN cultural agency UNESCO.   It follows drastic funding cuts to the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UNAIDS, OCHA and global humanitarian assistance agencies. Funding for humanitarian non government organisations has also been dramatically cut. The USAID budget was cut by some $60 billion dollars in 2025 with devastating impacts worldwide.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166722 http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166736 http://www.unfccc.int/news/step-back-from-climate-cooperation-will-hurt-us-economy-statement-from-un-climate-chief-on-us http://insideclimatenews.org/news/08012026/trump-international-climate-treaties-withdrawal/ http://www.ucs.org/about/news/trump-sinks-new-low-announcing-us-withdrawal-66-international-organizations-including http://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2025-in-review http://www.dw.com/en/the-impact-of-us-withdrawal-from-global-climate-pacts/a-75434090 http://www.ipsnews.net/2026/01/u-s-withdrawal-from-organizations-triggers-global-alarm/ http://passblue.com/2026/01/08/the-us-has-yet-to-notify-the-un-about-washingtons-withdrawal-from-entities/ http://www.ciel.org/news/trump-executive-order-withdraws-un-climate-pacts   Social protection is our most effective tool for eradicating poverty - Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter.   The rolling back of protections for people living in poverty has created fertile ground for far-right movements across the world, warned the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, in a new report presented to the United Nations General Assembly today.   “Welfare reform in the name of austerity and efficiency has alienated millions of people living in poverty and played into the hands of a far right looking to exploit discontent,” De Schutter said.   “Government restructuring of welfare systems has led to increasingly harsh conditions linked to receiving benefits and the ramping up of digital surveillance. Programmes once designed to provide basic security to all in times of need now shame and punish the very people they are meant to support.”   The report details how, rather than reducing poverty or cutting public expenditure, modern welfare systems stigmatise claimants, forcing them into unsuitable jobs under the threat of sanctions, subjecting them to algorithms that falsely flag fraud, and even penalising families by removing children when poverty is misclassified as ‘neglect’.   “These punitive welfare systems increase economic insecurity, erode trust in public institutions and leave millions feeling humiliated and abandoned by mainstream politics,” the expert said, citing a study that found that a one-point increase in income inequality corresponded almost exactly to a one-point increase in support for populist parties.   “It is in this void that far-right populists thrive, presenting themselves as champions of those left behind by the ‘elite’,” he said. “But their agenda is not to empower people in poverty – it is to further dismantle protections for their own gain. Once in power, they work to maintain the privileges of the very economic elite they denounce in their speeches, slashing food assistance, healthcare and other life-saving services, and further deepening poverty and exclusion.”   The report highlights deep cuts to social spending in countries ranging from Argentina to the United States, depriving millions of basic healthcare or income support, even as tax cuts shift wealth from the poorest households to the richest.   “These are the politics of exclusion: a deliberate decision to cut off lifelines to the poor while rewarding the richest echelons of society, often in the name of protecting public budgets from ‘outsiders’ or the so-called ‘undeserving poor’,” De Schutter said.   The Special Rapporteur called on governments to shift away from narrowly targeted benefit schemes and towards investing in universal, rights-based social protection to counter the rise of the far right. He urged governments to reframe the welfare state not as a cost to be reduced, but as part of a strategy that has been proven to deliver security and wellbeing for all.   “Social protection is our most effective tool for eradicating poverty. It is not charity, nor is it a favour granted under strict conditions; it is a human right that should be provided to all willingly and with respect,” the expert said.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/a80138-far-right-populism-and-future-social-protection-report-special http://www.srpoverty.org/2025/10/01/far-right-populism-and-the-future-of-social-protection/ http://docs.un.org/en/A/80/138 http://thewire.in/communalism/global-rise-of-right-wing-populism-olivier-de-schutter-un-special-rapporteur Visit the related web page
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