The United Nations Office at Geneva
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Geneva Press Briefing - 27 February 2024
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50:19
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MP4
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3 GB
UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
27 February 2024
Situation in Gaza
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that on 25 February, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the United Nations had evacuated 24 patients from Al Amal hospital in Khan Younis, including one pregnant woman and one mother with a newborn. This hospital had been at the epicentre of military operations in Khan Younis for over a month, which had left it incapacitated. Despite prior coordination for all staff members and vehicles with the Israeli side, the Israeli forces had blocked the WHO-led convoy for many hours the moment it had left the hospital. The Israeli military had forced patients and staff out of ambulances and stripped all paramedics of their clothes. Three PRCS paramedics had been subsequently detained, although their personal details had been shared with the Israeli forces in advance, while the rest of the convoy had stayed in place for over seven hours. One paramedic had been released, and the UN appealed for the immediate release of the other two, and all other detained health workers.
Mr. Laerke stressed that this was not an isolated incident. Aid convoys had come under fire and were systematically denied access to people in need. Humanitarian workers had been harassed, intimidated or detained by Israeli forces, and humanitarian infrastructure had been hit.
The UN and partners had consistently communicated the requirements for meaningful facilitation of relief efforts across Gaza to the Israeli authorities. The bare minimum was this: acknowledging notification of a humanitarian mission in advance came with the responsibility of facilitating safe, smooth and rapid passage on the ground. Mr. Laerke said that the UN would continue its engagement with the Israeli forces for those requirements to be met, so that the critically needed humanitarian response be enabled.
Full statement by the Humanitarian Country Team in Palestine is available here.
Replying to questions from the journalists, Mr. Laerke said that the humanitarian community had had a coordinated response in Gaza ever since 21 October, since the Rafah crossing’s limited opening. The organizations were present in Gaza and across the region, and the UN had a substantial footprint. He renewed the call for a humanitarian ceasefire and warned about a high loss of civilian lives if there were to be a full attack on Gaza. The Secretary-General, in his remarks at the Human Rights Council the previous day, had appealed for a humanitarian ceasefire and immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, reminded Alessandra Vellucci, for the UN Information Service (UNIS). Mr. Laerke explained that 32 non-critical patients had been left behind at the Al Amal hospital. Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), specified that there were 215 people in the hospital, including the 32 patients left behind and 45 medical workers, without functional ambulances. He reiterated that just before the 25 February incident, two family members of Médecins Sans Frontières had been killed in an unprompted attack by Israeli forces against a deconflicted compound where their staff and family members had been sleeping.
Mr. Laerke, answering other questions, said that northern Gaza was extremely difficult to reach, the main reason being that convoys that had been planned in recent months had almost all been denied access. The only opening into Gaza was in the south, he reminded, so all humanitarian convoys would need to cross the entire chaotic, violent war zone in order to reach the north. On the top of the priorities which needed to happen was a humanitarian ceasefire, which would allow unimpeded and safe delivery of much-needed aid. Mr. Lindmeier reiterated that urgent access was needed to prevent avoidable deaths from disease and malnutrition. Only 12 of the 36 hospitals in Gaza were now partially functioning, he added. About allegations of looting, Mr. Laerke said that what often happened was that crowds of desperate people in Gaza would stop humanitarian convoys and take the aid. The UN did not use armed guards; the primary security of all convoys was acceptance and prior knowledge that they were happening. Regarding the 25 February convoy, Mr. Laerke emphasized that all the details had been shared with the Israeli military in advance, as per established practice; the military had acknowledged the receipt of the information.
Human Rights Council
Pascal Sim, for the Human Rights Council (HRC), informed that the Human Rights Council was today continuing its high-level segment and would hear from more than 50 dignitaries; this segment should conclude the following morning. The Council would then hold a discussion on the human rights situation in Eritrea, and, time permitting, the High Commissioner for Human Rights would present his Office’s report on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Nicaragua and Afghanistan would be on the agenda of the Council on 29 February.
Mr. Sim also informed that on 29 February at 1:30 pm, there would be a press conference to
launch the latest report on the human rights situation in Nicaragua. Speakers would be
Jan-Michael Simon, Chair of the Group of Experts, and Ángela Maria Buitrago, Member of the Group of Experts. On 1 March at 1:30 pm, there would be a launch of a new report by the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan. Speakers would be Yasmin Sooka, Chairperson of the Commission, and Barney Afako and Carlos Castresana Fernández, Members of the Commission.
Announcements
David Hirsch, for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), announced that the ITU now had over 1,000 industry, academia, and organizational members, in addition to its 193 Member States. This milestone marked the largest, most diverse membership in the agency's history. He also announced over USD 9 billion in investment commitments from mobile operator groups to extend global connectivity. The announcement, initially made at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, built on the mobile industry's strong support to ITU's efforts to connect the world. Further information is available here.
Elisabeth Schoeffmann, for the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), introduced herself as the new senior communications officer at UNIDIR. Her contact details would be shared with the media shortly. She informed that on 5 March, UNIDIR would mark the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness.
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that today at 5 pm there would be a virtual press briefing at the global high-level technical meeting on noncommunicable diseases in humanitarian settings, which was taking place in Copenhagen. Speakers would include the Executive Director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme and the WHO Regional Directors for Europe and Eastern Mediterranean.
Ahead of the World Obesity Day (4 March), an embargoed press briefing on obesity and other forms of malnutrition would take place on 29 February at 2 pm. Data from new research by the WHO and the Imperial College of London would be released on 4 March.
Alessandra Vellucci, speaking on behalf of the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (OSE), informed that the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen would brief the Security Council today at 10 am New York time/4 pm Geneva time. The briefing would be open and the Special Envoy’s remarks would be shared following the briefing.
Ms. Vellucci, for the for the United Nations Information Service, informed that the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights would close on 1 March at 5:30 pm its 75th session and issue its concluding observations on Romania, Mauritania, Ireland, Iraq, Indonesia, and Sweden.
The Committee on Enforced Disappearances would conclude today at 11 am its dialogue with Honduras under article 29(4) of the Convention. The Committee would then close on 1 March at 5 pm its 26th session and issue its concluding observations on Cambodia, Burkina Faso, and Honduras.
The Conference on Disarmament was continuing this morning its high-level segment until 28 February.
Teleprompter
So let's start again.
Good morning.
Welcome to the Information Service Briefing.
Today is Tuesday, 27th of February here in Geneva.
And we are going to listen first of all from Pascal SIM, who has an update on the Human Rights Council that as you know it started yesterday and is continuing is a **** level segment today.
Pascal.
Thank you, Alessandra, and good morning, everyone.
Today, the Human Rights Council is continuing its **** level segment.
We will hear today from more than 50 dignitaries and this **** level segment is scheduled to conclude tomorrow around midday.
Starting on Wednesday afternoon, the Council will begin an enhanced interactive dialogue on Eritrea, with the participation of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country, Mohammed Abdel Salam Hebabi Kerr, and the UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Hills Abrams Karis.
And time permitting, The **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Volcker Turk will present his latest report on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, including E Jerusalem, including and the obligation of ensuring accountability and justice.
This is the report that the OHR media team shared with you on Friday.
On Thursday, the Council will hold an interactive dialogue with a group of human rights experts on Nicaragua in the morning, and another interactive dialogue with a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan in the afternoon, Mr Richard Bennett.
And just to remind you that we have two press conferences this week by Human Rights Council Mandated Investigations.
The Group of Human Rights experts on Nicaragua will hold a press conference on Thursday at 1:30 PM and we will also have a press conference by the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Friday at 1:30 PM.
Both investigations will present their latest reports with you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Pascal, for this update.
I see Jamie has a question for you.
Hi, Pascal.
Richard Bennett, will he be doing a press conference?
I'm not 100% sure, but I can double check with the colleagues of special procedures and I'll get back to you soon.
Thank you.
Other question for the Council, I don't see any in the room.
Let me look at the platform.
I don't see any.
So Pascal, thank you very much.
Good luck for the second day of the **** level segment.
And I'd like now to go to Christian.
Christian, you're online, you are going to brief us on two points I give the floor.
Yeah.
Thank you very much.
Alessandra, 2 brief announcements, 1 is for today and you should have been sent the media advisory.
There's a virtual press briefing at the Global **** Level technical meeting on non communicable diseases in humanitarian settings where this conference is taking part in Copenhagen.
The virtual press briefing is at 5 O'CLOCK 1700 Geneva time.
This afternoon.
Speakers willing to talk to Mike Ryan, WH OS Executive Director of Health Emergencies Programme.
As you know Society Malik from UNHCR, Director of Resilience and Solutions.
Then we have Hanan Balki, Dr Hanan Balki, The Who new Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean and Doctor Hans Kluger, The Who Regional Director for Europe.
So really interesting this this afternoon.
The second is an embargoed press briefing on Thursday.
Oh, sorry, coming back on the on today's you, you should have been sent or will be sent later today material on on this for your background.
So secondly, for Thursday 29th February, an embargoed precinct brief press briefing on obesity and other forms of malnutrition at 2:00 on Thursday, again ahead of World Obesity Day on for March, WHO will be holding an embargoed virtual press briefing on obesity and other forms of malnutrition on 29 February.
The Imperial College of London in collaboration with WHO contributed to the data collection and analysis and will receive release it's data on 1st of March.
Hence this embargoed briefing material, embargoed press release and other material will be shared ahead of time.
And again you have been or will be sent further details.
Thank you, thank you.
Sorry, thank you very much.
Christian questions for The Who in the room.
OK.
Lisa, hi.
Thanks.
Good morning, all.
Christian, just a quick question, Is World Obesity Day on March 1st And then there are some conflicts on Thursday in terms of press conferences and I'm already schizophrenic, but I'm wondering whether it's possible to get an audio of the obesity press conference so I don't eat too much because of my nervousness.
Thank you.
Lisa, I hope I didn't say 1st of March it should be or I misspoke, it should be World Obesity Day on 4 March.
So World Obesity Day is on 4 March.
That would be what, then Monday next week, So not first of all on 4 March.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to correct that in case.
And yes, please get in touch.
I'm sure there would be a recording which we can make available unless there's a post press, but yeah, I'm sure we can arrange.
Thank you very much.
Other questions WHOI don't see any, you may have seen some or sent you a revised agenda that Yance is coming with an update on the statement on the situation in Gaza.
But he couldn't be with us before 11:15.
So I guess we will have to wait for him.
And I'd like to ask Christian if he could be on the line in case there are questions elaborate on Gaza when we'll touch upon this subject.
So thank you very much, Christian, for this announcement.
I turn to my left now.
David is here for ITU to tell us about a membership milestone of ITU.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Pleased to announce that yesterday the ITU announced that it has reached its 1000 member threshold, 1000 members from industry, academia and organisational members.
Those are regional and international organisations and this is in addition to ITU's 193 member states.
The milestone marks the largest and most diverse membership in ITU's histories.
I TS expanded membership base builds on the on ITU's unique contribution to the UN system and global membership has evolved over the organisation 159 year history to reflect changing technologies and the expanding digital ecosystem in everyday lives.
In addition to that announcement, which was made at Mobile World Congress in in Barcelona, Spain yesterday, IT also announced that an additional 9 billion in investment commitments were made to IT US Partner to Connect system which is meant to support access and affordability to communications to telecommunications worldwide, particularly to connect the 2.6 billion people around the world who are yet to be reliably connected.
One more note on, on the membership of of Bear saying that 2/3 of ITU sector members are from industry with the rest divided between academia and regional and international organisations.
Thank you very much.
David.
Any question to ITU?
I don't see any in the room or nor in the on the platform.
So congratulations for this milestone and I like to ask Elizabeth maybe to come on the podium.
Thank you.
So I'm happy to introduce you to a new colleague, Elizabeth Scheffman.
I hope I pronounce it well.
Who is the new Senior Communication and Partnership Specialist at Unidir.
As you may remember, as I was answering questions from the press, but now we they Unidir has a specialised person, senior communicator, and she's here to introduce herself to you.
Please, Elizabeth, thank you very much.
And now thank you.
But I'm very happy to present myself here today.
I don't have a special announcement.
I just want to say that I'm very glad today is my actually my first day at UN Geneva.
I'm normally based in Brussels and one hour into being here in Geneva, I'm already there to meet you.
So I'm very glad about that.
And so I will be your main contact in terms of media questions, if you have any.
As you know, unit air contacts, independent research on disarmament issues and general security issues, arms control.
And just for your own planning, next week on the 5th of March, we're actually celebrating the International Day of Awareness on Disarmament and not Proliferation.
So that's all from my side and I'm look very much looking forward to working with you.
Thank you very much, Elizabeth.
I don't know if there is anybody who wants to take the floor.
I don't see any.
And of course, Solange, we are preparing a new list of spokesperson as usual for the beginning of the year.
So you'll have it.
No, as you know, we always publish one in March and one in October.
So you will have Elizabeth's telephone numbers and contact details in the list.
But of course, if you want to contact her beforehand, you can just either ask us or as or maybe Elizabeth, you could just circulate your your contact details once you have Swiss phone and whatever.
I see Christophe.
Chris Wong is our AFP chief of office.
Hi, welcome.
Yeah, it was just about your contact.
If through through you Alessandra, you could just send us your e-mail phone number as before we get the list because that might take longer.
So that would be great.
Thank you.
No, absolutely.
With pleasure.
I can also just afterwards take your name and then I'll send you an e-mail just right away so that you have everything you need.
I think it would be useful for all the journalists.
Jamie, you had raise your hand.
I was also just going to welcome you on behalf of Akanu, the UN Press Association here in Geneva.
So we have a number of journalists who are affiliated with that.
So I'll give you the address to Akanu as well.
Yes, thank you very much for welcoming Elizabeth on behalf of Akano, thank you, Elizabeth.
So I'm left with a couple of announcements which I'm going to give you now and then for those who want to stay, we will wait for Yens to come and tell us about the statement on Gaza.
So first of all, I am the Office for the Special Envoy in Syria is asking me to inform you that the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Mr Gaydo Patterson.
We'll brief the Security Council today at 10 AM New York time.
So that's four in Geneva, of course.
4:00 PM.
The briefing is open and Mr Petition remarks will be shared following the briefing.
As usual.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will close next Friday, 1st of March at 5:30.
It's 75th session and we'll present an issue, the concluding observation on the six countries that they have reviewed during the session, Romania, Mauritania, Ireland, Iraq, Indonesia and Sweden.
As you may remember, I told you on Friday the Committee on Enforced Disappearances will achieve this morning.
It's dialogue with Honduras and then we'll close next Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM.
It's 26th session where they have observed the report, analysed the reports of Cambodia, Burkina Faso and Honduras.
And of course, the conference on this armament is continuing this morning.
It's a level settlement which is started yesterday, as you know has been addressed by the Secretary General who has left us yesterday to go back to New York.
And we, we were really happy to have him here and to listen to him, the two statements and the media stakeout.
And this is what I had for you.
So let's interrupt for a moment.
And again, for those who can stay either online or in the room, we will wait for Jens to come and then we will take up the issue of Gaza.
Thank you.
Sorry baby, it is so too much.
One tomato.
OK.
So thank you very much.
Welcome back.
Thanks for your patience.
We have now Yens here with us on the podium.
And as I told you before, he has a statement on Gaza.
Yens.
Thank you very much, Alessandra, and thanks for your patience.
I know how it feel like to be Aun boss.
People waiting for me used to be the other way around.
So yes, I have a, a statement on the situation in Gaza.
It's from the humanitarian country team in Palestine and pertains to a an incident that happened on Sunday.
Let me just read it out for you into the record.
On 25th of February, so that was Sunday, the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the United Nations evacuated 24 patients from Al Amal Hospital in Kanjunis, including one pregnant woman and 1 mother and newborn.
Al Amal Hospital has been at the epicentre of military operations in Kanjunis for over a month.
40 attacks at the hospitals from 22nd of January to 22nd of February, killing at least 25 people, have left it incapacitated for more than one attack per day on average.
Despite prior coordination for all staff members and vehicles with the Israeli side, the Israeli forces blocked The Who LED convoy for many hours.
The moment it left the hospital, the Israeli military forces that the Israeli military forced patients and staff out of ambulances and stripped all paramedics of their clothes.
3 Palestinian Red Crescent Society paramedics were subsequently detained, although their personal details have been shared with the Israeli forces in advance, while the rest of the convoy stayed in place for over 7 hours.
1 paramedic has been released and we appeal for the immediate release of the two others and all other detained health personnel.
This is not an isolated incident.
8 Convoys have come under fire and are systematically denied access to people in need.
Humanitarian workers have been harassed, intimidated or detained by Israeli forces, and humanitarian infrastructure has been hit.
Just prior to Sunday's incident, two family members of Mitzen Frontier were killed in an unprompted attack by Israeli forces against a deconflicted compound where their staff and family members slept.
The inadequate facilitation for the delivery of aid throughout Gaza means that humanitarian workers are subject to unacceptable and preventable risk of being detained, injured or worse, leaving us and our partners unable to safely reach northern Gaza and increasingly, parts of southern Gaza.
The UN and our partners have consistently communicated the requirements for meaningful facilitation of relief efforts across Gaza to the Israeli authorities.
The bare minimum is this Acknowledging notification of a humanitarian mission in advance comes with the responsibility of facilitating safe, smooth and rapid passage on the ground.
We will continue our engagement with the Israeli forces for those requirements to be met so that the critically needed humanitarian response is enabled.
The United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society had to leave another 31 non critical patients at Al Amal Hospital.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Ian.
And I am pretty sure there are questions.
So I yes, I start with Gabrielle and writers.
Hi, Ian, thank you for for this information.
Just a quick question regarding U.S.
President Joe Biden saying that Israel has agreed to halt military operations during Ramadan.
Given if that is indeed the case, how is Ultra set up to get humanitarian aid in as fast as possible?
Thank you.
We have as, as you know, a, a coordinated response in Gaza that has been, you know, working essentially since the, I believe, 21st of October when the borders were opened or the one crossing from Rafa was opened.
We have also said very consistently that it is far below where it should be because of the exponentially growing humanitarian needs in Gaza.
So we are there in Gaza, in Rafa, we are in the region, we are in Egypt, we are in Jerusalem and so on and so forth.
So, so there's quite a substantial UN footprint.
Across this crisis.
So that's about what what I can say to that.
Of course, we we renew our call for an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds and we warn again against the potential large scale loss of civilian life if there is a ground offensive in Gaza, sorry in Rafa.
Thank you.
Yeah.
And I will also like to recall the words that the Secretary General addressed yesterday at the Human Rights Council, exactly repeating the call for a humanitarian ceasefire and immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the things he said about humanitarian aid.
Yes, Basin.
Thank you.
Alessandra, I want to ask about, you know, Israel Prime Minister's recent remarks saying that even hostage deal cannot stop but only delayed Rafa attack.
So I would like to ask, how do you evaluate that Israel's no deal can stop Rafa attack approach And do you think that such attack aims to make Gaza an inhabitable?
Thank you.
Thank you, Baeza.
I think at this point we take it one step at the time, one day at the time.
There's a lot of of messaging going around as Alessandra mentioned, the United Nations and and ours from from orchest position is is very clear we need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
We need release of all hostages unconditionally.
So those those are our true goals.
Thank you.
I had seen another hand.
Europe.
No.
Then wait, please.
I Yeah.
Jamie.
Hi.
Yes.
Just wanted to know what you or Ocha or the UN more broadly knows about an area that's being cleared off right inside of Egypt across the border with a wall that's being erected and a sort of a zone.
Can you tell us anything about what that zone may be used for and if the UN is involved in any way and in in maybe equipping it or supplying it or whatnot?
Yeah, thank you, Jamie.
But my reply to that has has not changed over the past week because this is not the first time when we ask about this.
We do not have any information about that and we are not involved in in, in that.
So I guess your question would have to be addressed to the Egyptian authorities, Nick.
Yeah, thank you.
Couple of things.
Do you have any information on the situation that prevails in our our hospital?
You've got these particular numbers out.
What's the status of how many medics and staff are left in the hospital?
Is there any information on the condition in which they're operating?
And I mean, if there is a ceasefire, again, I'm just wondering, I mean, have you had any detailed discussions with Cogas that would open up additional entry points that would facilitate a greater delivery of aid?
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you, Nick.
We know that there are when, when this this movement on Sunday that I just referred to happened and was and didn't go as it should have.
We were forced to leave another 31 critical, sorry 31 non critical patients at Alamal Hospital.
The situation inside the hospital, I believe who can perhaps speak to that on on the seat back.
Of course there is planning of various sorts going on and we will inform you about that in due course.
Thank you.
Christian, would you like, would you like to add something?
Yeah, thank you very much and thanks, Nick.
Just a few more details on, on the numbers that Jens mentioned.
There are currently 215 people in the hospital, including those 31 patients that were left behind and 45 health workers.
These are paramedics, ambulance drivers, 8 physicians and 10 nurses.
No ambulances are functional.
Yeah, this, this, this is on the figures all all of those health workers have confirmed that this was the first time that they had gone outside the hospital after an entire month.
And that's pretty stunning.
For context, they had been afraid for their for their lives all the time.
And since there was fighting all over the area and the hospital had been hit numerous times and they have been staying inside all the time.
Thank you, Christian.
Lisa.
Thank you.
Yeah, Jens.
And maybe you said it and it went by too quickly for me.
I'm not sure, but the 24 patients that were in the in the the Palestinian ambulances, what condition were they in?
Presumably they were in critical, are in critical condition and where are they now?
What has happened to them?
And then I'm wondering, has there been any explanation from the Israeli authorities as to why they took this rather dramatic, I don't know what what the word is, but what happened there?
They have to.
Have you had any, any explanation from the Israelis as to why this happened?
Thank you.
Yeah, Thank you.
Thank you, Lisa.
I, I believe Christian will probably have to have a bit more.
What I have on, on the 24 patients is that they were transported from Alamal to hospitals in Rafa where they could receive treatment and several if not all of them required some kind of surgical intervention, which of course could not happen at Alamal Hospital.
We have not had any information or any communication from the Israeli authorities why this clearly notified movement, which they, by the way, acknowledged that we had sent them.
The notification was still detained, as I said, at least 7 hours.
Health workers taking out, forced to undress, you know, held back.
Two of them still not released.
Lisa, you had a follow up.
I see, Christian, that you have put your mic.
No, no, only if, if, if Christian has more to add on this situation.
That would be helpful.
Thank you.
Yeah.
So he has put his mic on.
So Christian, maybe you want to add something.
Yeah, the the patients, those 24 were referred to the Inc field hospital in the area.
And to note that as you asked about it too, this is, this is not an isolated incident.
The 8 convoys have come under fire and are systematically denied access to to people in need.
Humanitarian workers have been harassed, intimidated or detained by Israeli forces, and humanitarian infrastructure has been hit.
Just prior to the Sunday incident, two family members of Madison Frontier were killed in an unprompted attack by Israeli forces against a deconflicted compound where their staff and family members slept.
Thank you very much.
I see online, Melanie Lidman, can you introduce yourself, please?
Thank you.
This is Melanie Lidman from Associated Press.
I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about the aid being delivered to North Gaza and what's happening when the last time is that you were successfully able to bring aid to North Gaza and and if there's plans to increase aid to North Gaza.
I also have a follow up question.
Should I ask that now?
Yes, please.
I'm just curious.
The Israeli army has said that the UN isn't, isn't able to to adequately distribute the the aid coming in.
They're saying that they can bring more aid in, but the UN can't distribute it.
So I was wondering if you could comment on those on those accusations.
Thank you, thank you.
And this gives me the opportunity to remind journalists who connect on the platform, please put your name and the media that you represent.
Jens, thank you.
Northern Gaza is extremely difficult to reach.
I will have to look up exactly when the last time we were able to deliver any material aid there.
It, it's, it's been a long time, main reason being that the convoys that have been planned over the past one month, two months have all but been denied.
Very few have been able to to proceed because we have not received the assurances or the accept of our notification from the Israeli authorities.
So we certainly fear for the situation there.
We have been able to send in one or two, I believe very short, if you like, kind of reconnaissance missions just to get a, an idea of what the situation is, what the needs might be so that we can plan for the, the time, hopefully soon, when we can access northern Gaza.
It is very complicated at the moment because there is only the, the, the opening into Gaza from the South, which means you have to traverse an entire war zone from the South extreme S to the extreme N to to deliver aid.
Whereas it would be much more logical, practical and efficient if we had border crossings directly in the north where you could just cross in and deliver aid.
So we are certainly working on that on a daily basis with those involved in that.
About the distribution inside inside Gaza, again, it is a very violent, chaotic war song.
We acknowledge that we have tremendous difficulties distributing the aid that does get in across across Gaza.
That is certainly not a situation of our making.
It is the war itself that creates it.
On the top of our list of things that needs to happen, and there's no way around it, is a humanitarian ceasefire that will enable us to safely deliver and for people to safely receive the aid that comes in.
We have a number of organisation and staff, colleagues, friends who are working there under extreme conditions, extreme conditions.
They are doing their level best to do what they do best, which is to save lives on a daily basis.
And we applaud them for their for their courage.
But to mount a humanitarian operation that is fully worthy of its name, there's a whole laundry list of things that need to happen 1st.
And I'd like to call your attention also on the situation reported on issued yesterday we distributed to you.
It's the number 82 has quite a few figures on the most recent humanitarian aid getting into Gaza, not necessarily to the North East, but there are many figures you may be willing to look at.
So let's go to the next question, which is from Nina.
We can't hear you, Nina.
Sorry.
Can you hear me now?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
No.
Can you hear me now?
Yes.
Go ahead.
You're on.
Great.
Thank you.
Thanks for taking my question.
I was wondering, Jens, if you could comment, I saw that the I the Red Crescent, Palestinian Red Crescent has decided not to or to suspend all humanitarian coordination procedures on the medical missions.
I guess after after this event.
Is the UN also considering doing the same or what do you think about about doing that?
And if you could say a little bit more about what the consequences of this long, lengthy 7 hour wait were for the people involved, that would be great.
Thank you.
Yes.
And then I see Christian is also racist and go ahead.
Yeah, I, I think I will leave this this one to Christian to go first.
I can see if I have anything to add.
Thank you, Chris.
Go ahead.
Yeah, thank you.
Wasn't unmuted.
Thank you.
First to underline again what, what Jens said before all the issues about access to the North.
So access to the North remains extremely difficult as as he pointed out.
And importantly, no humanitarian aid has reached the North since 23 January.
That's over a month now, 5 weeks then who last reached chief of hospital, for example, on 22 January and the urgent access just as or just just over and over again now of humanitarian aid is needed to avoid further preventable deaths from malnutrition and diseases on the the people on the on the convoy, Several of those they don't have the numbers now in front of me were people couldn't walk so they were not movable, but everybody else had to get out of the ambulances.
And you can imagine being already transferred under life threatening circumstances, not being able to move or being able to move and then being made to stand outside and having to wait for seven hours is pretty unimaginable.
Thank you.
Absolutely, Christiana.
Thank you.
Question to Christian, can you just remind us of how many hospitals or primary care facilities were there and are still working?
So this is the questioner numbers.
And to answer question, you are avoiding the word looting I guess because you you understand that people are so desperate that you wouldn't call it looting.
But is that the problem that convoys are being stopped and unpacked that are possibly meant for other areas?
The Wall Street Journal has a story.
Lawlessness hampers Gaza aid efforts.
So I'm trying to get to the bottom of this.
Thank you.
And maybe let me start with the sheer figures.
And then I let Jens come in on to you on the repositioning or whatever you you you call it of, of the needs for those in need.
So only 12 out of originally 36 hospitals are partially functioning and that's six in the South with Alamal being one of the minimally functioning ones and six in the north, 23 hospitals are not functioning at all.
Let me see if I have further details.
Yeah, have the names of the hospitals, but if that helps, they're currently that's maybe important.
There are currently 15 emergency medical teams deployed in the South of Gaza with four field hospitals and that adds 305 beds combined, three of which are now functional South of the the Gaza line.
So these, these are important pots of help or pockets of help.
But of course, more importantly, it would be to get the Gaza health system back up on its feet and get all those healthcare workers which are there and are trained and are even under these circumstances willing to work into a position and able to work.
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Christian.
What we hear from our country team colleagues in Palestine is that it frequently happens that trucks after they have crossed into Gaza, sometimes just a few 100 metres, are stopped by crowds of people who then take off the relief items, whatever that that may be.
If it's food maybe to consume on on on the spot for for those incidents, I think it's important just to recall that the aid on those convoys does not belong to the UN per SE.
It belongs to the people in need.
So there is a certain understanding that desperate people take what they can.
It's absolutely not optimal way of doing humanitarian distribution via this self distribution incident.
But we have also seen that the humanitarian Contra team has has has also.
Spoken about that is that there seems to be elements of criminal activity where some kind of gangs are taking some of the relief of the of the convoys that later appear in the black market.
That should, of course, never happen.
It is linked to the increasing breakdown of civil order inside Gaza after more than almost five months now of war.
There's not much in terms of enforcement of normal law and order.
Nina, follow up.
Hi, I just, yes, I, I was wondering if you could answer my question from before which, which was about what the Palestinian and Red Crescent had suspended, had suspended its humanitarian coordination with the Israelis after this event.
And if that is something that the UN has also considered doing, given the frustrations over the way this is obviously not working very well.
Thank you.
Yeah, thanks.
I hope Christian could answer that one.
But of of course, we, we understand, we understand why, you know, the, the right question they take, they make their own decisions and their own assessments of, of this of, of the situation.
As to my information, as of this morning, there's no similar decision being made by, by the UN.
OK, sorry.
John has been waiting for a long time on online.
John, yes, good morning.
Patience is a virtue.
I've got 2-2 basic questions, 1-2 Yens Yens did concerning the incident with the evacuation convoy.
The military affairs unit of Watcher.
You mentioned they had given all the deconfliction details to the Israeli authorities from the same unit.
Do you have the details which Israeli commander or unit were on the spot and responsible for this incident?
And secondly to Christian, do we know who was heading the for The Who the and coordinating the convoy out of the hospital?
Was it Doctor Piper Con and his team?
Thanks, Master.
Yeah, thank you, John.
Yes, indeed.
I mentioned it was, it was what we consider fully de conflicted.
That means that the the route of the convoy, the people on the convoy, they are, they are ID card numbers, the number plates, everything.
It's very minute detail.
We, we, we provide.
So it's 100% clear that everybody on the convoy can be identified and every vehicle is accounted for, every route where it is, at what point in time and so on and so forth.
It's it's it's quite detailed now.
This is a centralised mechanism whereby we are not in direct contact with the commanders on the ground for this deconfliction.
We count of course, and it is their responsibility on the authorities that we sent this information to.
And as I mentioned, they acknowledge receipt of the, of, of the information that they communicate that to whomever is commanding on the ground.
If that does not happen or if there's some kind of lack of communication, we will have to, we will have to ask the, the, the, the authorities about that.
But we certainly did our part of the of the of the of this exchange.
Christian.
Yeah, thank you.
I don't have the names of the convoy leads or convoy members now from WH Joseph.
And I'm actually also not too sure if we want to give that, but I'll, I'll see if it's available or not.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chris, also thanks for your patience.
It is a virtue, Jens.
I was just, I wanted to come back on the criminal activity.
Can you give us a sense of the scale of that?
Because if humanitarian aid is, as you say, already very scarce, how much of it goes to the to the criminal gangs?
And can you give us a sense of what security measures are taken with those convoys?
Do you have armed guards or?
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Christophe.
I I cannot give you a breakdown.
How much how many percentage is this and how many percentage each the other in terms of the the security of those movements.
The UN does not use armed guards.
That is not the way we we operate in this scenario as in others, the the primary security of convoys at any moment is acceptance, acceptance and prior knowledge that this is happening.
So of course when we notify this to to the authorities, in a way it is to assist them in living up to their obligations under international law, which is to facilitate and safeguard these convoys.
It's to make it easy for them to do what they're supposed to do at At the same time, there is, as I mentioned internally in Gaza, a breakdown of of of order.
Normally you would have a, you could have an unarmed police presence as kind of deterrence or at least a show of this is being watched.
That is not the case at the moment.
And Christian, you want to add something?
Yeah, just because we checked, I checked in the the names of the convoy leader actually in the UNIFID details.
So that's that's public knowledge now.
So it's Doctor Gagavanis, A trauma surgeon at the emergency officer for WHO.
And by the way, our good old colleague Chris Black was also part of the convoy.
Thank you.
I don't see other questions on Gaza, so I'll turn to Yuri.
OK, go ahead.
Yeah.
Hi, Christian, it's Jamie.
Could you are there going to be visuals of this incident?
I mean, Chris Black usually has a camera with him.
So could we get some visuals?
Thanks.
So there's indeed, it's actually on the on the UN multimedia already.
It's on Unifeed.
I could put it now the link here, but that's then not easily available for everybody, I understand, but I'll put it in anyway.
Maybe UN colleagues can help out maybe or by e-mail I can do that.
So I think also there are some footage available on UN Multimedia from Gaza.
So if you want to have a look from yesterday, I think.
Thank you.
OK, So if there are no other questions on Gaza, let me see on the platform and there aren't, I'll turn to Yuri.
Yuri had a question for Yance on another subject.
Yes, thank you and good morning.
One more time I was speaking with WHO Ukraine.
I tried to ask this question to Unit CR I to UNICEF and they all told me that I have to ask you this question.
So, so sorry.
I am trying since one year to understand why the UN can't provide help to millions of people who are living in the territories and their Russian control in the conflict.
And I was trying to ask this question to diplomats and some of them told me that it is a problem, a political problem.
It means that, for example, WHO Ukraine don't have access to these territories, but in theory, WHO Russia could have access, but they are not going there.
So I'm trying to understand what is the main problem because every time when we, we heard that we don't have access.
But as far as I understand, you can have access.
This is just more than only a logistical problem, but also a political problem.
Is this the case?
I think it's, it's, it's fair to say that there certainly are political aspects of, of, of that problem.
Let me take your question very as as you've asked it straight to, to the people who should be able to to answer that.
I'm reluctant to say anything now because Orcha, as we are, we do not have a presence in the Russian Federation.
So I don't have anyone that that that I can call that is it is as as it is so, So let me take it up and and push for for for you to get a reply on that.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Is there any other question for Jens or Christian or anybody on the line?
Don't see any.
So I've already given you my little announcements.
Therefore, I thank you all very much.
Thanks for also your patience that as we said today, it's a virtue also for those who have been waiting on line and I'll see you on Friday.
Thank you.