Highlights of the noon briefing by Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General (excerpt on Occupied Palestinian Territory) 2 July 2024

2 July 2024

(Excerpt)

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SECURITY COUNCIL

Sigrid Kaag, the Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, told the Security Council this morning that we have also seen an increase in the volume of commercial cargo entering Gaza, albeit irregularly.

She said that the UN is in discussions to ensure that commercial supplies align with the population’s immediate needs.

Since the start of the Israeli military operation in Rafah and the subsequent closure of the Rafah Border Crossing in early May, Ms. Kaag said, the volume of aid entering and distributed across Gaza has dropped significantly. Military activity and the lack of safe routes inside Gaza continue to impact humanitarian operations. A near-total breakdown of civil order has further led to an environment of lawlessness and criminality. This worrying trend significantly hampers the UN’s ability to deliver on its mandate, she warned.

Ms. Kaag told the Council that Resolution 2720 has achieved significant progress, yet there is no substitute for political will, full respect for international humanitarian law, especially the protection of civilians, and a safe and enabling environment to secure effective distribution.

OPT

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned over the impact of Israel’s latest evacuation order on tens of thousands of civilians, many of whom have been repeatedly displaced over the last nine months.

Yesterday’s order for Palestinians to evacuate 117 square kilometres in Khan Younis and Rafah governorates applies to about a third of the Gaza Strip – making it the largest such order since October, when residents were ordered to evacuate northern Gaza.

OCHA underscores that an evacuation of such a massive scale will only heighten the suffering of civilians and drive humanitarian needs even higher. People are left with the impossible choice of having to relocate – some most likely for the second or third time, to areas that have barely any spaces or services, or staying in areas where they know heavy fighting will take place.

Initial estimates by the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, indicate that nearly 250,000 people may have resided in the areas subject to evacuation at the time of the order.

The new evacuation order affects over 90 schools, many of which host displaced people, four medical points, and the European Gaza Hospital area.

The World Health Organization said that, yesterday, 70 patients had reportedly self-evacuated along with medical staff, with more patients having evacuated this morning. WHO’s representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory – Rik Peeperkorn – said earlier today that only three patients remained at the European Gaza hospital and three in the ICRC field hospital. He said that WHO was supporting the transfer of valuable medical equipment and supplies out of the hospital, which was one of the few remaining key referral hospitals in the south of Gaza.
This morning, the Israeli authorities clarified that the order does not apply to patients or staff at the hospital.

A reminder that all parties must always respect international humanitarian law. This means that civilians must be protected, and their essential needs – including food, shelter, water and health – must be met, wherever they are in Gaza.

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