Knesset UNRWA vote – UN reaction IOM – OCHA – UNICEF – WHO – OHCHR
/
4:49
/
MP4
/
354.5 MB
Transcripts
Teleprompter
Download

Edited News | IOM , OCHA , UNICEF , WHO , OHCHR

Knesset UNRWA vote – UN reaction IOM – OCHA – UNICEF – WHO – OHCHR

‘If UNRWA can’t operate, humanitarian system in Gaza will collapse’ – UN

The UN humanitarian and human rights community reacted forcefully on Tuesday to the vote by the Israeli Knesset banning the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), warning of the devastating impact on millions of Palestinians who depend on it.

They joined their voices to UN chief António Guterres’s who said after the vote on Monday that if implemented, the two new Israeli laws impacting the agency “would likely prevent UNRWA from continuing its essential work” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as mandated by the UN General Assembly. He insisted that “there is no alternative to UNRWA”.

UN migration agency (IOM) Director-General Amy Pope told journalists in Geneva that UNRWA has provided “the backbone of infrastructure within places like Gaza”, including education and health care for people who have been living there for decades. “That's not something that IOM does,” she stressed, explaining that instead, with adequate support, the UN migration agency can help the displaced, “those who need shelter, those who need hygiene kits, those who do not have sufficient access to protection”.

“There's no way for IOM to step in to do what UNRWA has done,” she concluded. “UNRWA is absolutely essential.”

Humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke insisted that the UN is trying to “not have an implementation” of the Knesset decision. He highlighted the outpouring of protest not only from the UN, but also from “prominent government officials… and heads of State”, against a decision which is “wrong” for the millions of Palestinians who require UNRWA’s help.

“If implemented, this would add to the acts of collective punishment that we have seen imposed on Gaza,” he added.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder warned that if UNRWA was unable to operate, “[we] would likely see the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza”.

He stressed that UNICEF distributes aid within the Gaza Strip with the support of UNRWA and would become unable to reach people in desperate need throughout the enclave with lifesaving supplies if the Israeli Knesset votes became law after 90 days.

“I'm talking vaccines. I'm talking winter clothes. I'm talking hygiene kits, health kits, water and sanitation” as well as nutrition supplies, he said, in a situation where “we're knocking on the door of famine”.

“A decision such as this suddenly means that a new way has been found to kill children,” he insisted.

Mr. Elder said that with the Strip’s population “physically… on death's door and psychologically in uncharted territory,” taking away health care workers and nutritionists would be lethal for Gaza’s youngsters.

Wider healthcare provision across Gaza is also at risk from the Knesset vote, with some 3,000 out of 13,000 UNRWA staff in Gaza medical workers, said World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jašarević. This service “couldn't be matched by any agency, including WHO”, he added. Last year, UNRWA provided more than six million medical consultations in health centres run by the agency, with consultations “for more than half of [the] Gaza population,” the WHO spokesperson said, in addition to disease surveillance, malnutrition screening and child immunization services. Notably, UNRWA provided one third of the health workers involved in the polio vaccination campaign which has been rolled out in Gaza since September, Mr. Jašarević said.

A second round of the campaign in the north of the Strip is on hold due to the lack of humanitarian pauses as relentless Israeli bombardments continue. In the current context it is “difficult to imagine” that it could go forward,the WHO spokesperson said. He highlighted that out of 25 requests for humanitarian missions this month, “only seven managed to take place - others were either denied or were impeded”.

Jeremy Laurence of the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said that High Commissioner Volker Türk had pointed to the “potential dire impact” on the rights of all those who depend on UNRWA.

Mr. Laurence reiterated OHCHR’s previous concerns “about Israel’s compliance with international law” with regard to its intense bombardment of Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, according to the local authorities. Mr. Laurence also highlighted that Israel remained bound by its obligations “under a range of human rights treaties”, including the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights, which enshrines rights to adequate food, housing, education, health, social security, water and sanitation, and work.

“Without UNRWA, the delivery of food, healthcare, education, among other things, to most of Gaza’s population, would grind to a halt,” he said.

“Civilians have already paid the heaviest price of this conflict over the past year. Truly, this decision will only make matters worse for them, far worse.”

-ends-

STORY: Knesset UNRWA vote – UN reaction IOM – OCHA – UNICEF – WHO - OHCHR

TRT: 4:49”

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 29 OCTOBER 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Exterior wide shot: Palais des Nations, Flag Alley.

2. Wide lateral shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference from rear; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Amy Pope, Director-General, UN International Organization for Migration (IOM): “UNRWA now has provided basically the backbone of infrastructure within places like Gaza. They provide education, they provide health care, they provide some of the most basic needs, for people who have been living there for decades. That's not something that IOM does.”

4. Wide lateral shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference from rear; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Amy Pope, Director-General, UN International Organization for Migration (IOM): “What IOM does well and what IOM is doing and can do more of, with the support of the various stakeholders, is to provide humanitarian support. So, support to those who are displaced, support to those who need shelter, support to those who need hygiene kits, support to those who do not have sufficient access to protection. That's where IOM can play a role. So, there's no way for IOM to step in to do what UNRWA has done. UNRWA is absolutely essential.”

6. Wide lateral shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference from rear; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, Spokesperson, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “We are trying to not have an implementation of this because it's not been - the decision has been made. We have seen, an outpouring of protests and not only from the UN, but I dare say, from very prominent government officials and heads of State, actually, around the world, you know, calling this out as, as this is wrong. For a number of, of reasons, I would say, first and foremost for the millions of Palestinians.”

8. Wide lateral shot: Speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, Spokesperson, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “If implemented, this would add to the acts of collective punishment that we have seen imposed on Gaza.”

10. Wide shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

11. SOUNDBITE (English) – James Elder, Spokesperson, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): “If UNRWA's unable to operate, [we] would likely see the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza. UNICEF would become effectively unable to distribute lifesaving supplies here. I'm talking vaccines. I'm talking winter clothes. I'm talking hygiene kits, health kits, water and sanitation, RUTF [ready-to-use therapeutic food] on malnutrition - and we know, again, we're knocking on the door of famine - and all range of nutrition supplies. So, a decision such as this suddenly means that a new way has been found to kill children.”

12. Wide lateral shot: Journalists in the Press room; speaker on screens.

13. SOUNDBITE (English) – James Elder, Spokesperson, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): “You take away the health care workers, you take away the nutritional support, you take away the people who will provide the lifesaving supplies for a population that is physically absolutely on death's door and psychologically, of course, in uncharted territory. You take away these health care workers, you take away the nutritionists. Then we will see many more children die.”

14. Wide lateral shot: Journalists in the Press room; speaker on screens.

15. SOUNDBITE (English) – Tarik Jašarević, Spokesperson, UN World Health Organization (WHO): “They basically provided more than six million medical consultations last year in health centres that are run by UNRWA. And they have been providing these consultations for more than half of [the] Gaza population. They are also doing immunization of children. They are doing screening for disease surveillance, screening for malnutrition. They have been active in the polio campaign.”

16. Wide lateral shot: Journalists in the Press room; speaker on screens.

17. SOUNDBITE (English) – Tarik Jašarević, Spokesperson, UN World Health Organization (WHO): “Out of 25 requests for missions this month, only seven of them managed to take place. Others were either denied or were impeded. So, in this setting, while we don't have agreement on humanitarian pauses that would cover areas where children are, it is difficult to imagine to have this second round of polio vaccination.”

18. Wide shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

19. SOUNDBITE (English) – Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR): “Our office has repeatedly raised concerns about Israel's compliance with international law, but can also point to its obligations under a range of human rights treaties, including the cornerstone International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which Israel is party to. To this extent, without UNRWA, the delivery of food, shelter, health care, education amongst other things, to most of Gaza's population, would grind to a halt.”

20. Various shots of journalists in the Press room.


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download Knesset UNRWA vote – UN reaction IOM – OCHA – UNICEF – WHO – OHCHR (Edited Story)
Download

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on 1000 days since Russian Federation launched full-scale attack on Ukraine

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on 1000 days since Russian Federation launched full-scale attack on Ukraine ENG FRA

Today marks the grim milestone of 1,000 days since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale armed attack on Ukraine. Our Office has verified that at least 12,162 civilians have been killed since 24 February 2022, among them 659 children. At least another 26,919 civilians have been injured,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurance told the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on COP29

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on COP29 ENG FRA

With COP29 in Baku now in its second - and final - week, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has reiterated his call for urgent human rights-based climate action. 

Middle East update UNIFIL - UNICEF - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | UNIFIL , UNICEF , WHO

Middle East update UNIFIL - UNICEF - WHO ENG FRA

Lebanon: Increased violence along Blue Line and ‘horrific new normal’ for children

In southern Lebanon, peacekeepers have witnessed “shocking” destruction of villages along the Blue Line and ever-deeper Israeli ground incursions, while the situation of children across the country is becoming increasingly desperate, the UN said on Tuesday.

UNRWA Press conference: Update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) - 18 November 2024

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | UNRWA

UNRWA Press conference: Update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) - 18 November 2024 ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Monday that a large convoy of humanitarian aid was looted inside Gaza at the weekend, amid a near-total a breakdown in law and order and harassment of the agency’s staff by Israeli soldiers.

 

Ukraine 1000 days of war - OCHA 15 November 2024

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Ukraine 1000 days of war - OCHA 15 November 2024 ENG FRA

In the nearly 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, thousands of civilians have been killed, the country’s energy infrastructure is on the brink and drones terrify communities on the front line, the UN’s top aid official in the country said on Friday.

OHCHR: Safety of Journalists - 14 November 2024

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR: Safety of Journalists - 14 November 2024 ENG FRA

Mexican actor, producer and director Diego Luna took a break from the big screen on Thursday to highlight the dangers faced by journalists in his country and beyond, condemning murders of reporters everywhere as “a scandal”.

Northern Gaza update - UNRWA 12 November 2024

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Northern Gaza update - UNRWA 12 November 2024 ENG FRA

Gaza: ‘People are losing hope’ as aid access is refused to north, warns UNRWA

Besieged northern Gaza is a place of dead bodies lying in the streets and hospitals running out of blood packs – a situation that’s “nothing short of catastrophic”, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday.

Gaza update report – OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Gaza update report – OHCHR ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence & Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, on Gaza

Sudan crisis - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR

Sudan crisis - UNHCR ENG FRA

Sudan’s displaced have endured “unimaginable suffering” in their search for shelter from the country’s ongoing war, UN humanitarians warned on Friday.

Gaza health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza health update - WHO ENG FRA

‘Exceptional achievement’: Humanitarians reach over 105,000 with polio vaccine in north Gaza

Despite ongoing attacks and access challenges, humanitarians have managed to inoculate over 105,000 children in north Gaza with the second and final dose of the oral polio vaccine, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.  

Gaza humanitarian update - UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza humanitarian update - UNRWA ENG FRA

UN aid teams prepared to enter northern Gaza at the weekend to resume a mass polio vaccination campaign, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Friday.

Lebanon update OCHA - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Lebanon update OCHA - WHO ENG FRA

Lebanon: widescale displacement continues amid ongoing bombing

In south and east Lebanon civilians continue to face airstrikes, mass forced displacement and deprivation as the fight between Israel and Hezbollah militia goes on against the backdrop of war in Gaza.

In recent days, an estimated 50,000 people have left Baalbek heading mostly to areas in the north of the Bekaa Valley, said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).