The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Bi weekly press briefing -19 January 2024
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1:19:24
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MP4
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4.9 GB
PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE
19 January 2024
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Meteorological Organization.
Situation in Gaza
Ajith Sunghay, representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, speaking from Gaza, said that another staggering milestone was being reached in Gaza, with almost 25,000 people reported to have been killed, majority of them women and children. In Raffah since 15 January, Mr. Sunghay had witnessed people arriving from various places in their thousands, in desperate situations, setting up makeshift shelters with any material they could get their hands on. It was a massive humanitarian crisis, and a large scaling-up of humanitarian aid was necessary now. The communications blackout was continuing since 12 January, contributing to fear and confusion. Bombings of Middle Gaza and Khan Younis was audible in Raffah. Mr. Sunghay had managed to meet a number of released Palestinian detainees. Those kept in captivity by the Israeli Security Forces described being blindfolded for long periods, beaten, and possibly subjected to what could amount to torture. Some of the released men were found wearing diapers only and no adequate clothes. The families of detainees, believed to be in thousands, had not been provided with any information on their fate. Mr. Sunghay said that Israel had to ensure that all those detained were treated in line with the international standards. Those held in detention had to be either charged or released, unless Israel could demonstrate pressing, imperative security needs to keep each individual detainee. Accountability into alleged torture and mistreatment was necessary. A humanitarian ceasefire was urgently needed, and all hostages had to be released without delay, stressed Mr. Sunghay.
Tess Ingram, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), speaking from Amman, said that almost 20,000 babies had been born in Gaza in over 105 days of the conflict, which meant one baby was born into horror every ten minutes. Having spent one week in Gaza, Ms. Ingram provided examples of new mothers, some of whom had lost their babies, others with serious injuries or illnesses. She spoke of a nurse who had performed numerous cesarean sections on dead women in recent weeks. The already precarious situation of mother and newborn mortality had been further exacerbated by the hostilities; more miscarriages were reported than usual, due to bombing and unhealthy air and smoke related to it. The Emirati Hospital in Raffah was now catering to most pregnant women in Gaza and was overwhelmed; new mothers had to be released hours after undergoing a C-section. Some 135,000 children under the age of two were in severe risk of malnutrition. In the north of Gaza, the situation was even worse, stressed Ms. Ingram. In the time Ms. Ingram had made her statement, another baby had likely been born in Gaza in terrible circumstances. Mothers and newborns in Gaza Strip needed a humanitarian ceasefire now.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), mentioned the previous day’s statement by Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, who had just completed his fourth visit to Gaza since the start of the war.
Responding to a question, Ms. Ingram, for UNICEF, said that it was difficult to establish the exact infant mortality rate at the moment, due to the difficult conditions and limited access. What was certain was that babies were dying of hunger, illness, cold, and bombardment, and had no access to adequate aid. On another question, Mr. Sunghay, for the OHCHR, said that it was impossible to ascertain an exact number of Palestinians currently in detention, but this number was certainly in the thousands. Most released detainees claimed that they had also been taken to detention centres in Israel, but, as they had been mostly blindfolded, it was difficult to know where exactly those locations were. Mr. Sunghay informed that there were at least 4,700 Palestinians from the West Bank who were detained, the highest ever-registered number. The conditions of detention were horrific, whether those were detainees from the West Bank or Gaza, he said. The detainees were categorized differently based on their profile; some had undergone interrogations and others had not. Ravina Shamdasani, also for the OHCHR, confirmed that the engagement of her Office with the Israeli authorities continued. She said that the OHCHR had repeatedly raised with the Israeli authorities the issue of ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees, including before 7 October 2023. She reiterated that the UN was calling for a durable solution to this long-lasting conflict. Answering questions on the Israeli’s declaration against the two-state solution, the UN was fully supportive of it. The Secretary-General’s backing of the two-state solution was unchanged, added Ms. Vellucci, for UNIS.
Ms. Ingram, for UNICEF, in a response to another question, informed that UNICEF was delivering medical supplies, including obstetric supplies and anesthetics, nutrition supplies for pregnant women and ready-to-use infant formula. UNICEF was working with implementing partners on the ground to deliver aid directly to local communities. Ms. Shamdasani informed that the Human Rights High Commissioner had not had direct engagement with the Israeli Prime Minister; his access to Israel and the OPT was requested. She said that the High Commissioner was closely following the proceedings on genocide claims at the International Court of Justice and was looking forward to the outcome of the process.
Answering a question from the media, Tarik Jašarević, for the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that the previous day Dr. Tedros had spoken of Hepatitis A among children in Gaza, which, while a mild disease, demonstrated how bad the living conditions were, including a lack of clean water and sanitation. Since mid-October 2023, 223,600 cases of upper respiratory infections had been reported in displaced people shelters, 158,300 cases of diarrhoea, including 84,000 among children under the age of five, 68,700 cases of lice and scabies, 6,600 cases of chickenpox, and 44,550 cases of skin rashes, among others. The number of diarrhoea cases among children under five years of age cases recorded during the last three months of 2023 were 26 times higher than reports from the same period in 2022. Health system and surveillance had to be supported and rehabilitated, stressed Mr. Jašarević. A ceasefire was as needed as ever.
Anti-terrorism bill in Sri Lanka
Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that the OHCHR was seriously concerned by the revised Anti-Terrorism Bill currently being considered in the Sri Lankan Parliament to replace the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act. Repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be a turning point for meaningful reform of Sri Lanka’s approach to its internal security, but this proposed law instead risked perpetuating patterns of violations from the past.
The proposed law was substantially identical to previous drafts that were withdrawn after widespread criticism. It defined acts of “terrorism” overly broadly, restricted the scope of judicial guarantees, especially with respect to challenging the lawfulness of detention orders, and curtailed the ability of the Human Rights Commission to visit places of detention, among other problematic provisions. OHCHR urged the authorities to meaningfully engage with civil society and other stakeholders to substantively revise the Bill and bring it fully into line with Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations.
Answering a question from the press corps, Ms. Shamdasani said that the OHCHR had raised very detailed concerns with the authorities, and it was hoped that the OHCHR’s calls would be heeded.
Flood response in the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville)
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), informed that in the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), the United Nations was responding to a flood disaster, unprecedented in scale for six decades, and with hundreds of thousands of people in need of humanitarian assistance. Extreme rainfall since October 2023 had led the banks around the Ubangi River - a tributary to the Congo river - to burst. A flood emergency had been officially declared by the Government on 29 December. Some three weeks later, nine out of the country's 12 departments remained under water and a total of 1.8 million people were affected.
Mr. Laerke specified that more than 350,000 people urgently needed humanitarian assistance, but access was a challenge because of the floods and many villages could only be reached by boat or canoe. UN agencies had developed a response plan with the Government with a total budget of some USD 26 million. Priority sectors included shelter, food security, nutrition, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. To support the initial response, an allocation of USD 3.6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund had been made to address the most pressing needs of 270,000 people. However, to implement the response, more international funding would be needed, concluded Mr. Laerke.
In response to questions from the media, Mr. Laerke said that the UN was still assessing the situation, a slow process because the infrastructure was not working well. The official death toll as of now stood as 23, while over 6,000 people were displaced. This was a long-term disaster, as in mid-to-long term food security would be compromised, and children would need to go back to school. He called for more international support. Logistics was a major challenge.
Clare Nullis, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), informed that Jean Bienvenu Dinga of the Congo Hydrological Service said this was the most exceptional event since the catastrophic floods in 1961, when there had been a measured discharge of 80,000 cubic meters per second. On 9 January 2024, the discharge had reached 75,000 cubic meters per second. The Congo was trying to improve their early warning system, which was one of the priorities of the WMO’s new Secretary-General, concluded Ms. Nullis.
Announcements
Tarik Jašarević, for the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that the 154th meeting of the Executive Board of the WHO would be held from 22 to 27 January. He reminded that this body of 34 elected Member States implemented decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly and facilitated its work. All documents were available on the WHO website, and the proceedings would be webcast. WHO Director-General would deliver his report on the opening day at 10 am. Appointments of regional directors for Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia and Western Pacific would be considered by the Board on 23 January. While journalists could not enter the meeting room, they could observe the proceedings from a nearby overflow room. On 22 January at 1 pm there would be an informal briefing by the Board on the negotiation process on the future pandemic preparedness treaty.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service, informed that the Committee on the Rights of the Child was continuing this morning its review of the report of Senegal, which would be concluded this afternoon.
On 22 January, the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review would commence. The States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during this 45th session would be, in order of scheduled review: Saudi Arabia, Senegal, China, Nigeria, Mauritius, Mexico, Jordan, Malaysia, the Central African Republic, Monaco, Belize, Chad, the Congo, and Malta.
The Conference on Disarmament would hold the first public plenary of its 2024 session on 23 January, at 10am, under the Presidency of India.
Teleprompter
Good morning.
Welcome to the press briefing of the UN Information Service here in Geneva.
Today is Friday, 19th of January.
We are going to have
a
couple of briefings on the situation in Gaza and I will start with Ravina Shamdasani
for
who has brought us
Ajit,
the
representative in the occupied Palestinian territory. Welcome sir.
You are in from Gaza.
I give the floor to Ravina.
Thank you, Alexandra. Good morning, everyone. As Alexandra mentioned
today, we have with us
Ajit
Sane,
who is the head of our UN Human
Rights office for the occupied Palestinian territory.
He has been leading the work lately from Amman.
Um, given access restrictions.
Um, Ajit is currently in Rafah in Gaza.
He'll be sharing some observations with you, Um,
on what he's witnessed and how it corroborates
with a lot of what we have been monitoring all along.
Um, Ajit will also be able to take some questions.
Um, if there are problems with the connections, I'm here to back up for him.
Ajit, please. Over to you.
Ajit, We can't hear you.
Maybe if you can.
Oh, no, it's fine. Perfect. Go ahead.
Good. Good morning, colleagues.
Um thank you for having me,
um, from Gaza.
We're reaching yet another staggering milestone in Gaza.
Nearly 25,000 people reported killed,
according to the Gaza Ministry of Health,
70% of them women and Children.
Another 61,500 at least,
have been injured.
Several thousands more are under the rubble.
Many presume that
I've been in Gaza since Monday
so far only in Rafah
I will share with you what I have witnessed and observed.
People continue to arrive in Rafa
from various places
in their thousands
in desperate situations,
setting up makeshift shelters with any material they can get their hands on.
I've seen men and Children digging for bricks to be able to hold in place tents
made with plastic bags in place.
This is a massive human rights crisis
and a major human made humanitarian disaster.
Gaza needs urgent scaling up of humanitarian aid,
including a protection response.
It is a pressure cooker environment here in Rafa
in the midst of utter chaos,
given the terrible humanitarian situation,
shortages and pervasive fear and act.
The communications blackout has continued for the sixth consecutive day,
adding to the confusion and fear
and preventing Gazans from accessing services
and information on areas to evacuate.
Heavy bombardment of Middle Gaza and Khanun
is clearly visible and audible from from Rafah,
especially at night.
I hear bombing
sometimes several times an hour.
Night time is clearly the most terrifying time for the people, even in Russia.
And I also think of over 100 civilians held hostage in Gaza unseen,
who most certainly hear the same sounds
and feel the same fear.
During my time here,
I managed to meet a number of released detainees.
These are men who were detained by the Israeli security forces in unknown locations
for between 30 to 55 days.
They describe being beaten,
humiliated,
subjected to
ill treatment
and to what may amount to torture.
They reported being blindfolded for long periods,
some of them for several consecutive dates.
One man said he had access to a shower only once during his 55 days in detention.
There are reports of men who were subsequently released,
but only in diapers without any adequate clothing in this cold weather.
What they told me
was consistent with reports. Our office has been gathering
of the detention of Palestinians on a broad scale,
including many civilians
held in secrecy,
often subject to ill treatment
with no access to their families, lawyers or effective judicial protection.
The families of detainees
believed to number in thousands have not been provided with
information on the fate or location of their loved ones.
Israel must take urgent steps to ensure that all those
arrested or detained are treated in line with international human rights
and international humanitarian law norms and standards,
notably with full respect for their due process rights.
Unless Israel can demonstrate imperative security grounds
for each person remaining in detention,
they must be
charged or released.
Israeli authorities must ensure that families
have access to information about their loved ones.
All instances of ill treatment or torture of people
arrested or detained must be fully and transparently investigated
and if found to have taken place, action must be,
uh, action must be taken to ensure accountability
and to prevent recurrence.
Victims and their families have the right to truth. Justice and reparations
have to end with the resounding plea from Gaza.
Above all, for an immediate ceasefire
for human rights and humanitarian reasons
and for all hostages to be released,
these horrors must not become normalised
Thank you.
Thank you very much for this briefing, Mr
Sane.
I will now give the floor to our colleagues. From
we are with us, James
and Tess Ingram,
who is the
communications specialist from Amman for an update on the Children born into war
in Gaza.
I don't know, James, if you want to start or we go directly to
No thanks so much else.
Yeah. So Tess Ingram is a communications specialist out of New York.
She spent the last month from early December into early
Jan in Amman working on Gaza and then spent,
uh, a week just coming out just now.
This last week, Uh, in Gaza. So over to Tess. Thanks.
Thanks, James.
In the 105 days of this escalation in the Gaza Strip,
nearly 20,000 babies have been born into war.
That's a baby born into this horrendous mall war. About every 10 minutes.
This time last week, I was spending time with mothers at the Emirati
Hospital in Rafa
in the Gaza Strip.
The day there was a welcome reminder of the strength of life amid the chaos of war.
But it was also
the most heartbreaking of the seven days that I spent in Gaza.
Let me give you four quick examples that speak to thousands of women's experiences.
Iman
ran terrified through the streets,
while eight months pregnant through Gaza City while it was under attack.
Now, 46 days after a Caesarean, she's hospitalised with a severe infection,
and she is too weak to hold her new baby. Early
March,
her house in the middle area was hit.
Her husband was buried under the rubble for several days,
and then her baby stopped moving inside her,
she says. She's sure now about a month later
that the baby is dead, but she is still waiting for medical care.
She tells me that it's best a baby isn't born into this nightmare.
Amal buried under rubble during an attack while she was six months pregnant.
The baby didn't move for a week.
Fortunately, Baby Sam was born healthy the day before we met. But Amal
is injured and sick and was preparing to take Sam
home to a makeshift shelter on the streets of Rafa.
And lastly, nurse Webster
has performed emergency
Caesareans on six dead women in the last eight weeks.
She tells me there are also more miscarriages now because
of the unhealth healthy air and smoke due to the bombing
and this has happened more times than I can count.
The situation of pregnant women and newborns in the Gaza Strip
is beyond belief and it demands intensified and immediate actions.
The already precarious situation of infant and maternal
mortality has worsened as the healthcare system collapses.
Mothers face unimaginable challenges in accessing adequate medical care,
nutrition
and protection before, during and after birth.
The Emirati Hospital in Rafa
is now catering to the vast majority of pregnant women in the Gaza Strip.
Struggling with overcrowded conditions and limited resources,
staff are forced to discharge mothers within three hours of a Caesarean.
These conditions put mothers at risk from miscarriages, stillbirths,
preterm labour, maternal mortality and emotional trauma.
The trauma of war also directly impacts newborns,
resulting in higher rates of undernutrition,
developmental issues and other health complications.
And pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and their
babies are living in inhumane conditions,
makeshift shelters, poor nutrition and unsafe water.
This is putting about 100 and 35,000 Children
under the age of two at severe risk of malnutrition.
And let's not forget this is in the southern half of Gaza.
Despite relentless efforts, UNICEF
has been unable to access the north, where the situation is incredulously worse.
Seeing newborn babies suffer while some mothers bleed to
death should keep us all awake at night.
In the time that it's taken me to present this to you, another baby was likely born.
But into what?
Like Amal, they'll be returning to a makeshift shelter,
nervous that the water is gonna make their baby
sick or worried about what the baby will eat.
Becoming a mother should be a time of celebration,
but in Gaza, it's another child delivered into hell.
Humanity cannot allow this warped version of normal to persist any longer.
Mothers and newborns need a humanitarian ceasefire.
Thank you.
Thank you very much,
Tess.
And
both of you for this horrific
briefing, horrific
situation
in Gaza. And I would like to add before giving the floor to the journalists,
just drawing your attention to the statement that was issued yesterday by Philippe
Lazzarini, the commissioner general of UNRWA,
as he ended his latest visit to Gaza. It's also full of quite chilling information,
so let's open the floor to questions Now.
I look at the room first.
If there are any questions here, I don't see any. So let's go to the platform.
OK? I'll start with
Uri.
A
Rhianna
vs
Uri. Go ahead and tell us to whom you're asking. Your question. Please.
Y,
you have to, um I mute
now you're on.
Go ahead. I had a problem with Internet. Um
and, uh, Happy New Year to everyone that I didn't saw before.
Uh, I have one question for UNICEF
and one question for OHHCR. I don't know if I can ask the both questions at the
same. Please go ahead.
Ok, uh so my first question for UNICEF is to know what is the rate of death,
the mortality rate among the 20,000 newborns in Gaza since 7 October?
And my second question for O
HR is how many Palestinians in total have been arrested in Gaza since October.
If you have any data on that,
Thank you.
Thank you, Yi, I'll start with Tess.
Thank you, Yuri. It's a really good question.
I actually asked the the director of maternal medicine at,
uh, NASA hospital whether they had any information on this.
And unfortunately, because of the current conditions.
They're not sure what the infant mortality rate is at the moment,
but it is safe to say that that Children are dying now because of
the humanitarian crisis on the around as well as from the bombs and bullets.
he told me that he's aware of a couple of newborn
babies that have died a few days after being born,
Uh,
because their mothers were undernourished and the babies were born
sick and and weak and weren't able to make it.
Um, I also heard stories unrelated to babies, but about a two year old who died, um,
at a an informal displacement site in
Kunis,
uh, from the cold because he was sleeping on the streets,
uh, without anything warm.
And I also brought in medicine for a 10 year old boy, Mahmood,
who had a pre-existing condition.
And unfortunately, by the time I was able to to meet with him and his family,
he had died.
So we're now seeing a very situa
serious situation where Children are dying
because of the conditions on the ground and the lack of access to aid, uh,
on in the Gaza Strip,
thank you very much and I'll go to Ajit.
Thank you. Thanks, Siri, for that question, Um,
it is, uh, a question that we have tried to find answers to even before arriving here.
getting to the bottom of, uh, numbers have has been extremely difficult on a
range of issues,
including this.
What we have heard is it runs into thousands,
but I'm completely unable to give you exact numbers or even a rough estimate.
The commonality from different sources that I've
heard is that it comes to thousands.
But there are variations in the numbers that they're providing
simply because these detentions are happening from different parts of Gaza,
from middle area, from northern parts,
probably in
Kunis as well. So with that being the case where people are not able to move
NGO S are not functioning to the the in the manner they used to do.
It's been extremely difficult to come up to, uh, some kind of, uh
uh, figure at this stage. Maybe we will have better sense, Um, as we move forward.
Sorry about that. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh, a,
um Antonio Broto,
the Spanish news agency.
Uh, thank you. Good morning. Uh, my question is for
ajib. It's about this, uh, temporary detention centre that was destroyed by Israel
in Gaza City in a university.
Uh, do you think this centre was used, uh,
for for the main abuses that were committed against,
uh, Palestinian detainees.
And also, do you think that it it has been destroyed?
Uh, especially for for avoid any investigation on these abuses. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh,
thank you, Antonio.
Um, that's again a very difficult question to answer about the specific, uh,
place as a detention centre. Because,
um, our information also comes from those who are released.
All of them.
All of them
were blindfolded before they were moved from
where they were detained to the place of detention.
What
most of them say
is
that they were also, at
some point taken into detention centres in Israel.
But nobody can exactly say where they were detained.
So, unfortunately, I cannot answer your question on a specific place inside Gaza.
And if the purpose or the reason for why it was
uh, destroyed was to destroy
village, I don't have that information. Unfortunately. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Catherine Fen
Kong. Franz Van
Kat.
Fran.
Thank you. Good morning, Alexandra. Good morning to you all.
And thank you for this briefing.
Just first of all, could you please Mrs
Hai
and the lady send us their notes? It would be very helpful
in order to cover properly the stories I'd like also to have some
information if possible. Of who
regarding the infections.
Because, as you don't have precise figures about the infections of mothers,
new mothers, maybe who
has some elements.
And also I'd like to come back to,
uh,
the detainees. Um,
Recently, according to Euromed,
um, the conditions of the tensions were horrific.
So, um, could you give us more details about the numbers of people that are detained?
And people often speak about Gaza. But, um
uh, also what about the other territories?
Ok,
thank you.
I see Rinna
nod
when you say when you speak about the notes, I don't see James nodding,
but I'm pretty sure
they will send Tessa's notes very quickly.
So let me see. No,
In theory, we have
Tariq
on the line.
Let me
go to him.
Tariq, is that possible that you take on this question
on the mortality
rate?
Uh, hello. Hello. Thank you. Very much. Uh,
Alexandra and, uh
uh, thanks. Uh, thanks
for the questions that you have seen yesterday.
Uh, Doctor
Tedros has tweeted about the confirmation of, uh, hepatitis A,
uh, in Gaza,
there were 24 out of 25 samples that tested
positive with the kids that WH OS supplied.
Now, hepatitis A
is a mild disease, but it highlights really the, uh uh uh uh The
the Really this this this deadly cocktail of, uh, of, uh, bad living conditions.
Uh, hunger,
Uh, lack of clean water and sanitation.
Uh, for the for the possible spread of disease. I'll just give you some figures. Um,
that we have from the from From Gaza on on on on on different, uh, different diseases.
So since mid
October, there were 223,600 cases of upper respiratory infections,
uh, that were that were reported in displaced, uh uh
uh, the shelters for displaced people.
Now, 158,300 cases of diarrhoea,
including 84,000 among Children under the age of 5.
68,700 cases of lice and scabies, 6600 cases of chickenpox uh,
44,550 cases of skin rashes.
And and as I said, there was also Hepati
hepatitis A. That has been
that has been also,
uh, uh, reported, uh, among among Children.
So, uh uh uh uh. So that is really just shows that that, uh uh,
people are being pushed into a
smaller places.
They are in a overcrowded shelters with lack of, uh,
access to clean water with lack of access to toilets.
Uh, and, uh, and with the with the temperatures being down,
obviously there is a There is a spread of, uh uh uh uh.
A more intense spread of respiratory diseases.
There is a spread of waterborne diseases, such as area as the skin diseases, uh, lice
and scabies.
Hepatitis A.
That I just mentioned is also transmitted through the, uh, through the,
uh uh uh uh uh faeces and And an unclean water.
Uh, when? When there is a, uh uh When there is a virus being, uh
uh, present in the in. So So really, what again? Just to go back to what my colleague
were saying, uh, what we need is to preserve the health system and Uh, and
make sure that, uh, uh, health services are available, including this, uh, work
of of surveillance for infectious diseases.
But really, what we are looking at is a large population, a
large chunk of population in Gaza.
So you have people who are injured in bombardment who need
immediate trauma action. And this, uh uh uh, the services are not available.
I'll just tell you something. We had a We had a team yesterday visiting a NASA
medical complex. And I'm just going to to to to, uh, read, uh what, uh, What?
Some of the findings were,
for example, that the sort of possible is still functioning, but only partially.
Uh, and And the emergency department has only two doctors compared to 24
doctors, uh, before the war. So, uh, IC U capacity reduced from 45 beds to only 14.
Uh uh, beds.
Only five or 20 nurses,
uh uh are available.
Uh, so, so, so so, really the the the the capacity is getting is is is low,
especially in the north of Gaza.
And needs are becoming bigger.
People are getting injured, as I said,
but also pregnant women that our colleague from minister
just talked about people with chronic diseases cancer,
diabetes, hypertension,
people who need dialysis for renal failure.
People with all sorts of other conditions who need those services
cannot access because the the the health system cannot function properly.
And on top of all of that, you have these
infectious diseases that are being spread.
And therefore we need access to be able to bring what we can to
help a really heroic work of health workers who are still doing their job
in Gaza. But above all, we need we need a ceasefire.
Indeed, as the Secretary General has reiterated
still yesterday
just wanted to tell you I've just sent you the latest update from UN.
R just arrived. So you have it in your mailbox. And
Tarik, if it's possible to put in the notes or in the chat,
the figures that you've just given or if you have a website where they can find them.
Um, let's go to the next question from
Niam and Bruce. Uh, the New York Times.
Nick.
Yeah. Good morning. Thanks. A question for ad,
or perhaps for Robina. Um
ready, uh, for
adjutant's question of whether you could give us more information
about conditions in which these detainees are being held.
I mean, are they being held in large numbers?
Do the people that you've spoken to Are they
held in small cells or just a few people? Were they part of a large crowd?
Were they, uh, fed ever?
Were they subject to systematic
interrogation?
And what happened that led to their release?
And for Ravina, the question is, um,
what has been your level of engagement or OHCH R's level of
engagement with Israeli authorities on specifically on the issue of detainees?
And what are the responses that you've received? Thank you.
Did you want to start?
Thank you.
Um, maybe I will also answer the question, uh,
from the earlier, uh, reporter who asked about the detention numbers.
That's
right. That's
right. We
had absolutely
Please,
We we released a report, uh, in december,
uh, where we basically said there are at least about 4700
Palestinians from West Bank, including east Jerusalem,
who are detained as the highest we have seen many in many, many years.
That number continues to grow.
Um, so that's part of the answer. Coming to the question that was asked
by N,
and it overlaps with the previous question as well.
The detention conditions are horrific overall, uh, whether it is, uh,
detainees from West Bank or, uh, detainees from Gaza.
Um, but also, what is important to understand is
everyone I have spoken to say that they have been moved from place to place,
So it is not just in one place at some point, it is probably inside Gaza
as the first step because they estimate the amount of time it takes
from a place that they have been first quote unquote arrested or detained
to where they have been brought.
They are blindfold folded for for many hours or sometimes many days,
so they do not know exact location, but they guess it is within within
Gaza.
So these places are makeshift places,
and then they are taken again
in large
in in large trucks
again,
mostly, uh,
unclothed,
uh, for hours.
And they believe at that point in time, they're probably gone inside Israel.
But they're unable to take, uh, say exactly where
the conditions there, too are, are horrific.
Um, initially, they are groups,
so someone could actually say like there were roughly about
100 and 20 or so and some other cases.
It was another 200 or so,
but then they're also then moved into smaller,
uh, barracks or smaller rooms.
Um, there are interrogations, but I think from from from what I also heard is that
depending on the profile of persons as they
as they
speak to them,
and as the days pass,
they categorise and differentiate the way they are treated.
So there are some people who have gone through interrogation.
others may not be
the case.
the reasons for release I asked very specific question
on that,
Um, and there is consistent response, which is
we do not know.
We were not told. We were not even told that we're going to be released.
We were simply,
uh, blindfolded,
brought to Param
Sham
and dropped. And that's exactly when we realised that we were being released.
Love you. Now.
Thanks, Nick, On your question on engagement? Yes.
The office and the High Commissioner himself
have raised our alarm on a whole host of issues since October 7th directly
with the Israeli authorities as well as publicly.
And every time we put out a report, For example,
the West Bank flash report that Ajit just referred to on detentions.
These reports are shared with the Israeli authorities as well.
We have at least two reports coming up to be presented to the Human Rights Council.
Again.
These will also be shared with the Israeli authorities before they are made public.
So the engagement exists. We, of course, have also repeatedly asked for access.
And unfortunately, we have yet to receive a response on many of these.
Thank you very much. Colleagues. Emma. Far Reuters.
Um, good morning.
Uh, I also wanted to ask, please, about, uh,
the humiliating treatment of detainees and specifically what you said about,
um the
the diapers. Actually, um, is that something that is happening
systematically? Are they forcing detainees to to wear diapers and why?
And And secondly, I'd like to ask OHC HR about, um,
allegations that Israel is exhuming graves to look for hostages. Um,
is that true? Um on what scale?
And is this a human rights violation?
Thank you.
Ok, thank you very much.
Ajit. You wanna take this one?
Thank you. Yes, Um, on the,
uh, the question on diapers. Uh, S
There were two groups. Uh, some some people
who were released had prison
uniforms still on everything that they had
in the past when they were initially detained were completely taken away,
including clothes.
Uh, belongings, um, currency, et cetera, et cetera. That was not
so They came out in
prison uniforms
or
they came out in diapers.
So we're not exactly sure why
They were
put in diapers and sent out, but they were clearly visibly shocked.
Um and, uh, even, uh, shaken When when I met them. And then I spoke to them. So
that's where it stands.
Um, on the grave issue.
Um, we have seen reports. Unfortunately, I do not have,
um, any more information than what we've seen in media at this point in time,
but we'll have to look into it.
Thank you very much. Liza Schley,
Voice of America.
Uh, yes. Hello. Good morning to all. Uh yeah.
The first question I have is actually, I think to,
uh to you Ravina and then I have one for tests.
Ok, uh, I'd like to, um
uh
I'm not sure whether you really answered this I.
I imagine that you have directly confronted,
or at least spoken to the Israeli authorities
about these allegations of torture and so forth.
Uh uh, could you confirm that? And have you received any response regarding that?
Um, also, I may have missed it, but is there any estimate on the number of people that
have been detained? Uh, in, uh, Gaza.
And also,
would you comment on, uh, uh, Prime Minister Netanyahu's rejection
of the two state solution,
And and then,
uh, I'll just quickly ask my question to, uh,
to Jess, Ok,
and that
Yeah, OK, that that concerns. I was wondering
how much
how much aid is actually getting through to, uh
uh to the the mothers, the the women, the Children, the babies and so forth in Gaza.
And, um would you, uh I have heard media reports saying that,
uh, humanitarian aid, which actually goes, manages to get into Gaza
is first co opted by Hamas.
And then afterwards it goes to, uh, the civilians.
Uh,
would you comment on whether there is truth to that and what measures
are being taken in order to ensure the fact that the aid,
uh, little as it is, gets to the people that need it?
Thank you.
Rina. You want to start?
Yes. Thanks, Lisa, for your questions.
If you don't mind, I'll break them down a little bit.
Have we raised concerns with the Israeli authorities about ill treatment which
may even amount to torture of detainees in the occupied Palestinian territory?
Yes, repeatedly prior to October 7th, and since then
these are unfortunately not new issues.
We have had issues with ill treatment of
Palestinian detainees by Israeli authorities over many years
on the specific and on the report that
Ajit had referred to the West Bank report on detentions,
where in which we also documented ill treatment,
humiliated treatment of detainees.
That was also shared with the Israeli authorities
on the allegations on the reports that
Ajit is sharing today from what he's
learned from people he has spoken to over the past couple of days.
I don't believe these specific ones have been put to the authorities,
yet I can get back to you on that one
on the comments that you cited by the Prime minister.
Listen, we are calling for an immediate ceasefire.
We are calling for the space to be created for a solution, a lasting,
durable solution to this long standing, protracted conflict.
An untenable situation.
This means a ceasefire.
This means a political solution and as you know,
the UN is fully subscribed to fully behind the two state solution.
I think Alexandra will have more to add from the secretary general on that,
Yes, the spokesperson, spokesman of the secretary general, said yesterday
in answering a question. Exactly on what you said, Liz, about the
the declaration of Prime Minister Netanyahu,
the spokesman said the secretary general's backing
of the two state solution is unchanged.
As he said repeatedly, he believes that out of the tragedy
that is unfolding in Gaza,
we should use this as an opportunity to get
things back on track so that the aspirations,
the hopes
and the legitimate concerns of the Israeli people and Palestinian people
are met with ultimately two states living side by side.
Sorry, Alexandra, I just wanted to check if
Ajit would like to supplement what I said on detentions and uh, you know,
the concerns being raised with the authorities and then we will go to
a
yeah, just perhaps, uh, one additional point to what Ravina said, which is, uh,
we had actually come out with a press statement on
detentions in Gaza. So this
what we received now
confirms what we had put out or there's a lot more here. So
to say that this is not the first time that
we put out on Gaza detention post October 7th.
Thank you.
Thank you. I go to T
to answer the last question from Lisa.
Thanks. Thanks for the question, Lisa.
In terms of of what aid is is getting through to to the mothers and the babies. UNICEF
is is delivering,
um, medical supplies such as obstetric kits and midwifery kits that that help, um,
hospitals deal with with all of these births.
They they include P, PE and and medicines. And also importantly, anaesthetic.
Uh, we've heard some stories of of, you know, Caesareans, for example,
being performed without anaesthetic, which is
a
nightmare to even think about.
Um, we're also providing nutrition supplies for pregnant women.
Um, including nutrients, um, and supplements like folate and iron
and, um,
ready to use infant formula.
Many of the mothers are having difficulty breastfeeding,
uh, because of their nutrition situation and the trauma.
And so some of we're providing this ready to
use infant formula that doesn't have to be,
uh, mixed with water and can be given straight to a baby.
Um, in terms of of a diversion and looting,
the way that we work at UNICEF at
the moment is because of the telecommunications challenges.
We're actually working directly with our implementing partners on the ground
at our warehouse crossing point to to coordinate the distribution of suppliers.
So a partner will come straight to us and we will
supplies onto their truck directly,
and then they will go straight to the communities in need.
Uh, so that's a very kind of direct, straightforward transfer.
And then, in terms of that, that transport movement,
um, we take, you know, measures with our partners to safeguard a deli
delivery, um, to make sure that it goes to the Children that need it and we can,
and any interference with aid,
because it obviously robs families of the assistance that they need
to survive. But certainly the situation in Gaza is incredibly desperate.
And and we, you know, we see, um, some supplies being lost to families, uh,
that are taking food and and water just doing their very best, uh, to survive.
Thank you. very much. I see quite a few, uh, follow ups, Uh, to those questions.
Uh, so I start with Katrine with Catherine
Kong.
You have a follow up. Katherine,
thank you so much. Uh, in fact, it's a question to you and to Ravina
um, Antonio Guterres.
Uh, the SG of UN, uh,
did mention during an interview in Davos that
the prime Minister of Israel Netanyahu did decline
his calls. Uh, so I'd like to know if it's
also the case of Mr Volker
Turk.
As all the heads of agencies, NSG are trying desperately to have a contact,
I suppose, to convince
the Israeli authorities for ceasefire. So are the efforts of Mister Turk also
declined.
If I may,
I would not characterise the declaration of the Secretary General as you did.
He said indeed
that
he would speak to Prime Minister Netanyahu,
and he couldn't until now. But he said also that he
has been speaking with all others authorities
of Israel,
but also with all those
representatives of those states who have an influence on the
on the conflict.
And he has not stopped doing that since the beginning of this crisis.
So I would not characterise it in the same way.
But I let rabina answer on High Commissioner Turk
Contact.
Absolutely fully endorse what Alexandra said.
Also from the High Commissioner's side,
The High Commissioner has not had
direct engagement with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
But he has been raising the issue of Gaza with everyone He
meets with every member state that has influenced civil society actors.
You'll recall that the High Commissioner for Human Rights conducted a mission in
early November to Cairo and to Amman and to Rafah in Egypt as well.
He had requested access to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
Unfortunately, we did not receive a response.
We have again requested access.
When can I see Katrine? Is her hand still up? Kathrine?
Yes, Alessandra. Um, maybe I did express. Uh, not very clearly. Yeah, I know that.
Uh,
uh, SG is, uh,
um making a lot of efforts, uh,
with all the the the the heads of states and the authorities that could
help in solving the the the problem.
But I was particularly speaking about Prime Minister Netanyahu.
That is apparently the
declining direct contact with the SG. And it is the same for Mister Turk. I know that
both heads are making the best efforts in order to find solutions.
But did Mister Volker
try
to have a direct contact with Prime Minister Netanyahu?
And was his efforts or his calls declined only with Mister Netanyahu. The rest.
We know that they are making a lot of efforts.
Thanks, KR.
Normally, we prefer not to speak about bilateral contacts in detail,
but your question is very specific.
I will check and get back to you if as appropriate Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Lisa, you also had a follow up.
Yeah, a very quick one to
Ajit. Uh, I had asked, uh, if you have an estimate on the number of, um,
Palestinians who are being detained by Israel, both in Gaza. And
I think you came up with a number, actually, in the West Bank. But do you have one?
Uh, for those in Gaza. Thank you.
Um, thank you. Uh, Lisa? Sorry. I think, uh, yeah, I did.
I did respond to this question init initially.
Um, unfortunately, we don't have the exact number or even,
um, a round figure,
But what? I can come to some kind of a conclusion that it runs into thousands.
We've had three or four different sources. They all come into thousands.
But there is a gap. And the reason for that is
this is happening
in an active
conflict zone
where people are unable to move
where NGO, S and
our usual partners are unable to function in the normal manner.
people are being detained from different corners of
Gaza in not the middle and in the communist
and at different points in time.
So it's extremely difficult to get a full number at this point in time.
But hopefully we will reach, um uh, that that number, I mean,
the the the total at at some point.
But the challenges of figures is not just confined to detention. It goes beyond,
um and that is because of the nature of world that we have in the intensity.
So stop there. But what I can say.
So the commonality from different sources is
that the detention and runs into thousands.
Thank you.
Thank you. Catherine, your hand is still up. Is that a mistake or a
further follow up?
Oh, no. Oh, no, no. It's a mistake. I'm sorry.
Thank you very much. So I go to Nick, who also has a follow up.
Yeah, again, just to to Rina.
What does raised with authorities mean? Uh, I mean, is there any conversation?
Uh, Katherine is talking about, uh, contact with, uh,
the high commissioner with the prime Minister.
But,
uh, are you just issuing press releases and sending them reports,
or are you actually able to have discussions with anybody?
And if so, at what level? And what response do you get in those contexts? Thank you.
Thanks, Nick. Thanks for specifying.
Um, as I said,
we we don't like to get into the details
of our bilateral contacts because they are exactly that.
They're they're bilateral.
We have, you know, many different avenues that we try to use to influence
public, private,
and the private tends to It's it's important for
it to remain private for for obvious reasons,
but to to give a more direct answer to your question what we mean by engagement, um,
letters
to the permanent mission through the
permanent mission to various authorities conversations,
um, press releases from both Geneva and from our opt office.
Ajit,
if you have anything to supplement on that on engagement Please do.
Or if you don't that that we leave it at that.
No, I think, um uh, Ravina you covered everything.
I mean, we have also sent series of, uh, letters on specific issues, so, um,
I'll leave it there. Thanks.
Thank you. And the last question goes to Musa
Muo
Musa
As
for
our
correspondent for
Go ahead.
Uh uh
uh
uh uh
uh
Thanks, Muan.
The High Commissioner is, of course,
following very closely the the consideration before the CJ.
It is important for independent institutions to make a considered evaluation
of the arguments and then to come to a decision.
We're very much looking forward to
to seeing what will come out of this.
And of course, it's important to respect the independence of this court.
So at this point, I'll leave our reaction to that.
The conclusions, Thank you very much. I don't see the questions on this matter.
Thank you very, very much. Colleagues on the ground. Tess Ingram
of
communications specialist
Ajit Sunai,
our
representative in the
I'll keep Ravina with me because she has another
briefing for you on the situation in SR I Lanka
and good luck for the colleagues with their work. Thank you
on SR i Lanka.
We are concerned by the revised anti terrorism bill currently being considered in
the SR I Lankan Parliament to replace the Draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act should have been a turning point
for meaningful reform of SR I Lanka's approach to its internal security.
But this proposed law instead risks perpetuating
patterns of violations from the past.
The proposed law is substantially identical to previous
draughts that were withdrawn after widespread criticism.
It defines acts of terrorism
overly broadly, restricts the scope of judicial guarantees,
especially with respect to challenging the lawfulness of detention orders.
And it curtails the ability of the Human Rights Commission
to visit places of detention, among other problematic provisions.
If it is passed in its current form,
the bill would grant excessive powers to the executive to restrict
rights with limited or no safeguards against abuse of such powers.
It would weaken the legal grounds needed for
security forces to arrest individuals without warrants.
It would also still permit lengthy pre trial detention.
We urge the authorities to meaningfully engage with civil
society and other stakeholders to substantively revise the bill
and to bring it fully into line with
SR i Lanka's international human rights obligations.
Thank you very much. Any question to Ravina on, uh, Sri Lanka
in the room? Yes. Robin,
have you raised these points with the
SR i Lankan government and had any response from them
on these issues? Are there any signs that
there might be some movement within the country that things
may be lawmakers willing to go that way?
Thanks for the question, Robin. Yes, yes. Resounding Yes.
We have raised very detailed
concerns with the authorities In May last year,
we shared with the government our preliminary comments
on the bill really quite detailed comments.
And we pointed out elements that conflict with international human rights law.
And we did urge them to hold further
public consultations with all stakeholders With political parties,
opposition politicians, civil society writ large.
we hope
our calls will be heard.
Thank you very much.
Ravin I don't see other questions for you, so thank you very much for this, uh,
briefing And thanks for bringing us, uh,
Ajit
and I'll turn to my left now. Yes. Welcome.
You have an update on the flood response in the Congo.
Thank you very much, Alexandra. Good morning, everyone.
Indeed. Uh, shorten out
in Congo. That's the Congo, where Brazzaville is the capital.
The United Nations is responding to a flood disaster unprecedented in scale for six
decades and with hundreds of thousands of
people in need of humanitarian assistance,
extreme rainfall since October last year has led the banks around the Ubangi
River, which is a tributary to the Congo River to burst.
A flood emergency was officially declared by the government on 29 December,
some three weeks later.
Nine out of the country's 12 departments remain under water,
and a total of 1.8 million people are affected.
The floods have left local communities without
shelter or access to primary health services.
Villages, schools and health facilities have been flooded,
and many water points and sanitation
facilities are no longer functional.
There's limited or no access to clean drinking
water or sanitation in the worst affected areas,
and that is in the central and north of the country.
Some 27,000 Children are out of school.
More than 350,000 people urgently need humanitarian assistance,
according to our assessment.
But access is a challenge because of the floods,
and many villages can only be reached by boat or canoe.
UN. Agencies have developed a response plan with the government,
with a total budget of some $26 million.
The priority sectors include shelter, food security, nutrition,
health and water, sanitation and hygiene.
But that's just the immediate response.
The floods could also have longer term consequences.
Our initial assessment estimate that 2300 hectares of cultivated land
have been flooded, which raises concern that means to produce food.
For example,
fruit trees and fishing gear has been destroyed and livestock has perished
to support the initial response.
An allocation of $3.6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund has
been made in recent days to address the most pressing needs.
However, to implement the response,
much more international funding will be needed.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. I'll see, First of all, in the room. No, no, heads up.
So I'll go to Lisa. Lisa
Schlein.
Uh, thank you. Good morning,
Jen.
Um
I mean, the picture you paint sounds absolutely appalling.
And you say that, uh, talk about the difficulty of reaching people and so forth.
I mean, is any aid getting to these people? How do they act?
How are they actually coping? How are they surviving?
Uh, what is? Have have any people been killed or are? Are Are they missing?
Are they injured? Do do they need medical aid as well?
And I'm kind of wondering about the Children and what their situation is like
anything that you can kind of, um,
you know,
elaborate upon to give a sort of pull a picture
about how they're actually managing to survive with this situation.
As you picked it.
Thank you.
Yes, thank you very much, Lisa,
and those are very good questions and very
pertinent aspects of what we're looking at.
We're still in the process of assessing the situation.
I just spoke to a colleague there this morning and she said it. Really?
It's very slow. Why? Because
the infrastructure is not working. It's flooded.
We can get to places up there in the north, for example, only by boat and canoe.
So how do we make a proper assessment in these situations? Fast?
It is almost impossible.
So we are, of course,
working on that because we want to give an informed response to this.
That doesn't
prevent us with the government of putting out
initial plan, as the government has presented in co ordination with us.
I do not have any confirmed death toll or how many people
are actually missing
to a large extent because of the reasons I just mentioned.
These are numbers unfortunately that will come. We will see.
We will see them in the days and weeks and likely months ahead.
How big this actually is,
as I mentioned, it is a long term
disaster we are looking at. We are warning
that
in the mid to long term, food security will be compromised.
We need Children to get back to school.
We know, as I said, 27,000 kids are already out.
That is also a recipe for future problems if we don't get them back
in a safe school
environment.
So that is what I can say.
Our call today
is of course, for more international support
in terms of funding international funding to the plan that is there.
But it's also, for example,
to the private sector.
Markets have been flooded and destroyed.
It's important to get that up and running again.
And also to the private sector in the international
community who may be helpful in the logistics response.
Because logistics is such a big
challenge in this flooding.
Jens described
Kyle,
maybe before I open the floor to further questions Do you want to give your, uh,
ins inside of the situation?
Yes. So, thanks. Uh, thanks for,
uh, inviting me to speak, Alexandra, Um,
the World Meteorological Organisation.
At the moment, we have a meeting of, um, hydrological advisors taking taking place.
one of them is an expert from Congo. Brazaville. Um
and I spoke to him last night just to get some details as to what's happening.
Uh, I put his name
in the chat for you.
And so these figures that I'm about to give come, come from come from him.
Um and so Dr
Jean
Bienvenu Dinga
is his name. He's the director of the National Hydrological Service of Congo.
He said it's the most exceptional event since the
cat catastrophic catastrophic floods back in December 1961.
Um, just to give you a comparison. Then in 1961 there was a measured discharge of
80,000 cubic metres per second,
um, in the into the Congo basin.
Um and in December 2023 there was a
measured discharge of 74,300 cubic metres per second.
And on the ninth of January, it reached 75,000 cubic metres per second.
Uh, those figures are in the chat
for you. Um,
as I've said, uh, as Jans just said, it has resulted in massive displacement in
loss of life. Um,
the work forecasts. It was predicted to be an exceptionally heavy rainy season.
The seasonal forecast for, um,
October, November, December did warn that there would be very heavy rainfall.
It is a typical impact of El Nino in the in the region.
and one other interesting thing that doctor Dingo said is that
Congo, like many countries, are really,
really trying to improve their early warning systems.
they, you know, would like to embrace the early warnings for all initiative which,
WMO, Secretary General, uh, Celeste
Saulo
spoke to about, um earlier this week.
Um, but it comes down to lack of resources. There are,
you know, there there is no funding. There are no resources. Um,
Doctor Dingo told me that in 1995 there were 80 hydrological monitoring stations.
So it's 80
now. There are just 1313.
So, you know,
we've seen a massive deterioration in the
in the observation network in recent years.
And with that goes the, you know, goes the ability to issue early warnings.
So thanks, that's so that's it for me.
Thank you very much. And I see that
Tariq has also
put in the chat the link to a news which was issued by the regional office of
Who
on the floods in this part of the world.
Let's go back to the question,
Chris,
Catherine, wait.
You
know,
I take this opportunity to say that I always try to
give the floor first to the journalists who are in the room
to thank them for their presence. So I go first to Chris Chris.
It's just a practical matter is that when we're in the room,
we're typically not in the chat,
and so we can't get the info, so if you can send us the
information
that you put in the chat,
it would be great for
us to come here. Yes,
that's a very good point. thank you for reminding us of this.
And also, I understand from Katrina from other journalists
that what's in the chat cannot be copied as such. So
that's for colleagues if they can send this kind of information
also, at least also or
by email.
And
Ben, you had raised your hand. It was the same thing. OK, fine.
So, Catherine, now let me come to you. Thank you.
Thank you, Alexandra. Thank you so much. Exactly.
I mean, kindly remind the the spokesperson that we can not copy, uh,
what they post in the chat, so it would be really appreciated if they could mail it.
So, like that, everyone would be able to have access to it. What? Just Christoph
mentioned,
uh, my question regarding, uh, Congo
Congo Brazzaville.
Uh, maybe yens, um, regarding the regions that, uh,
have the floods are the regions that were used to to be, uh, facing floods in the past.
Or is it new?
They've never been affected by floods.
Play orient?
Um, yeah. I mean,
that's
thanks for the question.
Quite a broad one.
We just heard reference to massive flooding 60 years ago.
So of course, there's been flooding before.
we can also see in
the other side of the river in Kinshasa,
I saw a news report yesterday with
people taking the
down the street in
Kinshasa.
So there is flooding elsewhere.
But the Congo is really a focus right now.
And if I can just
come back to a question that Lisa raised
because I'm getting some real time info here,
the official
death toll is 23
and that is since the beginning of the flooding.
As I mentioned, the heavy rain started already in October. That's where we are now.
23 Death.
And what we know of recorded displacement is 6000, 178.
So those are the figures that we have as of today from the government.
Thank you very much, Antonio.
Uh, thank you.
So, um you said that nine out of the 12 departments are, uh, underwater.
Uh, do you know how this translates into land area? What percentage of the
country is is flooded?
Yes. Our initial assessment says 2300 hectares of farmland,
if you like.
Which is, of course, what we are looking at because that has a direct impact on
food production.
The total area in terms of
hectares. Frankly, I do not know,
but
there
are reports from as you mentioned,
nine out of 12 departments that they are affected to various degrees.
The most affected departments
are
central and north.
As you may know, they are called Plateau quit.
And Lia.
Thank you.
I don't see other questions on this matter.
No.
So
I
thank you very much for this update.
I'll go to
Ta ta.
You had an announcement, and I see in the chat that Emma also wanted to ask a question.
So maybe just start with your announcement and I'll go.
I'll go to Emma
and
Sorry, I. I have just quickly see seen. Um
um, Claire's face. Claire, is there anything else you wanted to add?
No, I don't think so. OK, so let's go to Tariq for the announcement and the questions.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Uh, thank you. Thank you very much. Uh,
Alexandra again. So,
uh, uh,
Just to go step back on the on, on on, on on the figures that I said about, uh
uh about Gaza. So I sent to few people who asked by email.
Now we have a little issue at WHO with the platform.
We used to send the information to journalists as of,
uh, late last night,
Uh, so I can't really, uh I'm not in a position to send to everyone
through that platform to the ballet media list,
so I will have to do one by one.
So
it might be just easier if you send it to us,
and then we can distribute to everyone I did.
I
did to
us to
unit.
OK,
then we will take care of.
But then it would be easier.
And then, you know, it's also an issue
that I'm going to talk about now. So
we have a executive board
coming, uh,
next week and we want to send the media advisory with all the information.
Hopefully, we will sort out the problem, and we will be able to send this, uh,
uh, information, uh, during the day. But I will I will just give it to you now.
So you have it. So, as you know, we have our regular executive board meeting.
It's a 154th session,
and it will take place from 22nd to 27th of January.
Now, you you remember, It's a 34 body. Uh
uh. 34 member states, uh, that are elected, uh, for three years.
And the role is really, uh, to, uh, to to to to implement decisions,
uh,
and policies of the World Health Assembly and to facilitate
the work of the of the World Health Assembly.
So, uh, this, uh, executive board is taking place from 22nd to 27th starts on Monday
at 9. 30.
Uh, and from Tuesday, it will be working from 10 o'clock in the morning, uh, until 5.
30 with a with A with a break between 1232 30 in the afternoon.
Uh, so all the documents are already on, uh, on on our website.
So we have uh uh, we have a, uh,
provisional agenda. We have meeting documents.
we will also be having the daily time table. So this is on on our website and again.
Once we send this media advisor, you will have the links as well. Uh, if you want to
consult it now, just go to WHO website governing bodies executive.
Uh,
So proceedings will be, uh, Webcast as always. So uh, you may follow. Follow.
Uh, that, uh, so, Director General, we will, uh, uh,
deliver his report. Um, on Monday at 10 o'clock.
So we will have his, uh, his report, uh, sent, uh,
to to to media also, uh, something to, uh to to to to keep an eye on is that on Tuesday
at the beginning of the session at 10 o'clock,
members of Executive board will consider the appointment of regional directors
for free region, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and
western
Pacific. Uh, there are documents, uh, with the with the names of proposed,
uh, candidates, also on the on the website on the website.
You can also find the composition
of the board and all the other information. Uh, there are some 45 items and sub
items on the agenda,
And, uh, and you can you can get all of that,
uh, for journalists, uh, who want, uh Well, you can watch the sessions online.
Uh, if you want to come, uh, and and be physically present, uh, let us know.
Uh, there will be, uh uh uh.
There will be no room inside the meeting room,
but there will be an overflow room that, uh, can be used.
Uh uh.
So just let us know, and we will, uh, from the media team, we will be in the building,
and we can facilitate your
your access.
So that's,
uh there's also 11 side event that I would like to mention on Monday again from, uh,
1 to 2.
Uh, there will be informal briefing,
on the processes related to the INB. Uh,
and negotiations on, uh, on on on on any treaty or any other legal, uh,
document on the pandemic preparedness.
So that's that's just a side event. And it's at at, uh, at
10 clock on Monday. So any other, any other really, uh, questions Let us know.
And we again hope that, uh,
this media advisory with all the links will be will be sent today.
Thank you very much. Tarik.
Liza?
Yeah. Hi.
Uh, yeah. Hi, Tarik. Couple of things, um,
maybe you said it and I missed it. But is, uh, Tedros
Doctor uh uh,
going to make an opening statement to the
executive board and will you be sending us the
the speech? Uh, al also what? By email. Also what time will that be?
And then a question regarding the, uh, press conference,
which is taking place fairly soon
on, uh, the malaria vaccine, which is going to be,
uh,
well, introduce next week, Uh, on a on a big scale.
Is that a a webinar, or is that exclusively for, uh,
journalists in Geneva?
And more importantly, is it possible to get the audio of that cause
Too many things happen at the same time. And I'm totally schizophrenic.
I have to say Thank you.
Uh, thanks. Uh, thanks. Lisa.
So, first on the DG, uh, doctor
Tedros.
Yes, it will be Monday at 10 o'clock. Uh,
tetro
Tedros will present his report to executive board, and we will have his report,
uh, shared to media.
Uh, as as always, You know, either as it's as it's being delivered or or just, uh,
immediately.
Uh, after you can also follow it online.
Now, the press conference this afternoon is not WO
press conference. Although we did, uh, disseminate the, uh,
the media advisory. So it is, uh, led by Gavi.
Uh, you in a media advisory, You have, uh, contact, uh,
emails for Gavi and any logistics.
Uh, please. Uh, contact its media at Gavi.
Uh, uh dot org. We have from our side from WHO. Uh, one of the speakers.
Our Kate Doctor Kate O'Brien, Will will speak, but again, you know, this is, uh,
Gabby.
Let's press briefing.
Thank you, Taha.
Yes,
Thank you, Tariq, For useful information regarding Gaza, are you able
to reach those who are affected by the disease?
So we think
you are asking your question back on Gaza,
OK?
I don't know, Tariq, if you can
talk about that,
there is still OK.
Yeah, Go ahead. Go ahead.
Yeah. So
this is all the information that, uh,
that we that I that I provided the numbers are from the from the shelter.
So, uh,
so, uh, uh, we are working on trying to improve the disease surveillance and rapid,
uh, response.
Now, really, the issue is is is is is a broader its access to to hospitals.
Uh, you remember Doctor
tter
was talking how? For two weeks, we were unable
to go to hospitals, uh, in the north to provide what they need.
That includes, uh, fuel, uh, medical supplies. Uh
uh, and and and other things.
So So we need this access And you have seen that really the
the the the press release have been issued jointly by free agencies.
Uh, a few days ago. We need to to change the way,
Uh, the aid is being delivered. We need to have also, uh, economic sector. Uh uh uh uh.
Being involved. Because what is getting in right now is simply
not enough.
And we need, uh we need those to su supplies to treat people who are who are injured,
but also people, uh, who, uh, who have chronic conditions as well as people.
Uh, who
may be infected with these, uh, infectious diseases that are.
Thank you very much.
Emma.
Um, thanks for all those details. Tarik.
Um, just a couple of, uh, specific questions.
Uh, I heard there's gonna be a political debate on, um, health emergencies,
which will touch on Gaza.
I was just wondering
if you know, off the top of your head when that would be And, um, the side event.
Would you kindly send those details? Is it at the WHO?
And And can we come to the side event on the INB? Thank you.
Uh, again, please. Uh, we will.
We will send We will have all the links in the
media advisory that we will send once we get our platform.
Uh, working again.
Uh, if you need Really right now,
just go on our website and check the provisional agenda.
Uh, see, uh, what is there, Uh, and and and And contact us, Uh, if you if you want to, uh,
to come in person and, uh
uh and and be there.
Thank you very much. Tarik. Antonio,
uh,
you already mentioned that this, uh, malaria, Uh, webinar is organised by Gabby,
but are you preparing any press releases concerning this malaria vaccines?
Uh, not that I know. Antonio.
Uh, I think the best thing is really to follow the the the press briefing.
And if you have any other other other questions we may
we may organise something for you to provide you with information.
OK, I think that's it.
Tariq, you are off the hook. Thank you very much for this information. And
let me just give you a couple of announcements to close. I
just wanted to remind you that the Committee on the Rights of the Child
is continuing the review of the reports today.
It was the report of Senegal, which will be concluded this afternoon.
Next week we will have Russian Federation Lithuania, South Africa and then,
as I told you last time, a meeting with the state parties on Thursday,
first of February in the afternoon.
I also wanted to remind you that on the 22nd of January and Monday,
the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review Working Group will start.
This is the 45th session
of the group.
They will examine the record the human rights records of 14 states.
As you know, the U
is a unique mechanism of the
council
that calls for each UN member state to undergo a
peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years.
The states to be reviewed at this session
are
in order of the scheduled review Saudi Arabia, Senegal, China, Nigeria,
Mauritius, Mexico, Jordan,
Malaysia, the Central African Republic, Monaco, Belize, Chad,
the Congo and Malta.
It's the fourth time that these countries will be undergoing
UPR examination and the final outcome of the 45th session
will be adopted
by the plenary of the Human Rights Council at its
56th regular session taking place in June and July.
I don't have more information that I'm happy to take your question,
but I know that our colleagues of the Human Rights Council media team
have sent a press release on 17 January and they are sending out also
detailed information about each country under examination
one by one,
and I conclude my announcements and I give you the floor.
The last thing I wanted to remind you of is the Conference on Disarmament.
The conference will hold its first public plenary of the 2024 session on Tuesday,
23rd January at 10 a.m.
under the presidency of India.
Our Director General, Tatiana Val
Vala,
who is also as you know, the Secretary General of the Conference on this Armament,
will address the conference at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 25th of January.
As you know, the Conference of December take place on three parts every year.
And this year these parts will go the first one from 22nd. As I said to 28 march,
the second part from 13. May to 28 June and the last from 29. July to 13 September.
So I will
give you the
Oh, you should
the
Yeah, from the next Monday. I've seen so many set events. Uh, and the room?
24 or some hour? Somewhere around.
So do you have any details? Because of all the set events? Who called infirm
Consultation.
Um, we need more details. And what time? On which side events?
Thank you.
I'm really, really sorry. I have no other information on the
session and whatever side events may be, so please ask.
I've just read you the information because, you know, as a meeting update,
But I don't have this information you would have to ask, but
and his team, please.
But could you assisted
Pascal
to send us
universal email?
It has.
They have sent an email with the generic
the general information about the
this session, the 45th session of the
working group on 17 January. And now they are sending country by country
the information with also the links to the background documents, et cetera. So
they are really taking this up.
I would really invite you to talk to him if you have specific questions,
including on the programme and including on the side events on my side.
Of course I can ask security if there is any
a special issue on the access.
But on the programme on the side events
on specific questions related to a specific country,
you have to ask the organisers.
Thank you very much.
So if there are no other questions, let me see on the
Yes, Mohammed.
Uh, yes. Alexandra, thank you so much. Uh,
I have a question. Uh uh, for you on on different topic, uh, C
and and, uh, Ukraine, uh, announced, uh, a
T
at the beginning of this week and they plan to
organise a peace summit for Ukraine hosted by Switzerland.
Two countries also started talks on this issue
in Davos this week. My question is, is the United Nations part of this initiative?
Yes. I want to know that. Thank you.
Yeah. You remember Mohammed as US G?
Griffiths said when he addressed, you know, at the beginning of the week,
when we had a press conference on Ukraine with USG, Griffiths and Grandi
was asked this question and answer.
At least at that moment, there was no direct implication of the UN For the moment,
we have seen the report, of course,
on the
possibility of a conference to happen
in Switzerland. But
on this I will ask you to address your questions
to the Swiss mission. At least for the moment.
I don't have any further information on that.
So I don't see any other question. Thank you very much.
I wish you all a very good weekend
and I'll see you next week. Thank you.