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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 07 May 2024
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Press Conferences | OCHA , UNICEF , OHCHR , WHO , UN WOMEN
UN Geneva Press Briefing - 07 May 2024
UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
7 May 2024
Situation in Gaza
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that the previous night the UN Secretary-General had reiterated his pressing call to both the Government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas to go the extra mile needed to make an agreement come true and stop the present suffering. He was deeply concerned by the indications that a large-scale military operation in Rafah might be imminent. The Secretary-General reminded the parties that the protection of civilians was paramount in international humanitarian law.
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that the Rafah crossing was now under control of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and was closed for the movement of goods and people. The same was the case for the Kerem Shalom crossing. Therefore, the UN no longer had physical presence at the Rafah crossing, and the two main arteries for getting aid into Gaza were choked off. Temporary hopes of a ceasefire had been quickly crashed and a military incursion was now beginning. IDF was ignoring all warnings of what this could mean for civilians. Rafah was the only entry point for fuel, for example, reminded Mr. Laerke.
James Elder, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that every warning and every image of children killed or injured had been ignored. The worst nightmare was now coming true. Rafah was a city of children, as more than half of the people residing there now were under 18 years of age. There was nowhere safe left to go in Gaza, stressed Mr. Elder. He said that there was one toilet for 850 people and one shower for 3,500 people. Rafah was home to the European hospital, the largest remaining functioning hospital in Gaza. The south of the Gaza Strip was the main point of entry of aid into Gaza, and it was hard to see how famine could be averted if this point of entry was closed off. The copying capacity of numerous families was being squashed, and people were exhausted and sick; hundreds of thousands of children in Rafah had a disability or a medical condition putting them at an additional risk. Mr. Elder said that the parties to the conflict continued to disregard the life and wellbeing of children. This had to change. UNICEF was pleading and imploring for a ceasefire once again.
Ms. Vellucci, speaking on behalf of UN Women, informed that new UN Women survey data from Rafah highlighted the depth of physical and mental despair, with 93 percent of women interviewed feeling unsafe and over half reporting medical conditions requiring urgent attention. With any Israeli ground invasion, those numbers would soar. The imminent risk of death and injuries among Rafah’s 700,000 women and girls would escalate with any ground invasion, as they had nowhere to go to escape the bombing and killing. Over 80 per cent of women reported feelings of depression, 66 per cent were not able to sleep, and over 70 per cent had heightened anxiety and nightmares. More than half of women surveyed had a medical condition requiring urgent medical attention since the start of the war, with 62 per cent unable to pay for necessary medical care. More information is available here.
Ms. Vellucci said that at 3:30 pm Geneva time, the Secretary-General was expected to address the media in New York on the situation in Gaza. This press encounter would be live webcast at UNTV.
Responding to numerous questions from the media, Mr. Laerke, for OCHA, said that 76 percent of the territory of Gaza was currently under evacuation orders. Reports from the ground spoke of panic and despair; people were terrified and fleeing toward the north with what they had. Exact numbers were hard to get by, stated Mr. Laerke. Under international humanitarian law, people had to be given an adequate time to prepare for evacuation and be guaranteed safe routes for evacuation and be assured a safe evacuation destination; none of these conditions had been met. What underpinned a humanitarian operation was access to electricity, water, and sanitation, all of which were missing. He reiterated that the Kerem Shalom crossing was operated by the IDF and was currently closed. One day of fuel stock was estimated to be available in Gaza; all aid that arrived into Gaza was distributed immediately so there were no warehouses storing large amounts of aid. If no fuel came in for a prolonged period of time, that would be an effective way to put the existing humanitarian operation to grave. Mr. Laerke said that the IDF had denied access to UN humanitarians to Rafah for the time being. Mr. Laerke further explained that the UN was coordinating humanitarian deliveries with the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Egyptian Red Crescent, and the statistics on aid deliveries included their parts. He emphasized that the Eretz border crossing was not a substitute for Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings.
Mr. Elder, for UNICEF, said that people were worried based on what they had seen over the previous seven months rather than on what they were reading in the leaflets they received. Children in Rafah were experiencing unprecedented levels of trauma, he said. More entry and check points needed to be operational if famine was to be averted in Gaza.
Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that all three hospitals in the Rafah area were overwhelmed and treating more patients than they could handle. One of them was treating over 200 dialysis patients per day, and if its operations were halted, that could spell a death sentence for those patients. Less than a third of all hospitals were functioning in Gaza in any shape or form, reminded Dr. Harris.
Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), replying to another question, said that hundreds of bodies had indeed been found in the compounds of Al Shifa and Naser hospitals; some of them had been, very worryingly, reportedly found with their hands tied. OHCHR was not in a position to verify these reports and could not tell under which circumstances those people had been killed. Independent investigations were thus absolutely needed; OHCHR, the Commission of Inquiry, and the International Criminal Court should all be involved. More than 30,000 people had been killed in Gaza thus far, and mass graves existed; a large number of individuals in those graves were unidentified. Ms. Shamdasani stressed that international humanitarian law provided strict requirements under which civilian populations could be displaced. Failure to meet those requirements could amount to war crimes. OHCHR was continuing to press for access and was continuing with its remote monitoring, in order to bring factual, legal, and even moral clarity to what was happening. The violations had to be recorded and widely reported in the media; and accountability had to be ultimately ensured. The cycle of impunity could not be allowed to continue. OHCHR had documented many violations that amounted to war crimes, and the OHCHR would continue to speak out on these issues, stressed Ms. Shamdasani. Speaking about the West Bank as requested, she said that, since 7 October, 475 Palestinians, of whom 120 children, had been killed there.
Crackdown on journalists in Russia
Ravina Shamdasani, for the United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR), informed that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today said he was concerned by the increasing number of journalists charged, convicted, and jailed in Russia for their independent reporting, in what appears to be an intensification of a crackdown on dissenting voices.
“The continuous attacks on free speech and the criminalization of independent journalism in Russia are very troubling. The intensification of the crackdown on journalists’ independent work must immediately cease and the right to inform – a key component of the right to freedom of expression – needs to be upheld,” stated the High Commissioner.
Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the number of imprisoned journalists in Russia had reached an all-time high. At least 30 journalists were currently detained in Russia under a variety of criminal charges, including terrorism, extremism, disseminating knowingly false information about the armed forces, spying, treason, extortion, infringing upon people’s rights, violating the provisions of the law on foreign agents, inciting mass disturbances, illegal possession of explosives, and illegal possession of drugs. “Journalists should be able to work in a safe environment without fear of reprisals – in line with Russia’s international human rights obligations. I call on the authorities to immediately drop charges against journalists detained solely for doing their jobs, and to release them,” Türk said.
Full statement is available here.
Responding to questions, Ms. Shamdasani said that she did not have information on imprisoned journalists being offered to fight to Ukraine in exchange for their sentences being commuted. Since March, at least seven Russian journalists had faced charges related to their reporting on Ukraine or Alexey Navalny. Twelve foreign national journalists were currently detained in Russia.
Announcements
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), reminded that today at 3 pm in Room XXIII the Palais des Nations, the World Press Freedom Day would be marked with an event “A Press for the Planet”, focused on the importance of protecting journalists and scientists in defense of the environment.
The Committee Against Torture would conclude its 79th session at 10 am on 11 May and issue its concluding observations on the six countries reviewed during this session: Austria, Honduras, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, and Finland.
The Committee on the Rights of the Child, which had opened its 96th session the previous day, was concluding this morning its review of Namibia. This afternoon, it would begin consideration of Guatemala.
***
Teleprompter
good morning.
Sorry for the delay.
Let's start immediately. This press briefing of today 7 May
here in Geneva
with one of the important topics of the day, which of course, is an update on Gaza.
Yesterday night,
the secretary general of the United Nations
reiterated his pressing call
to both the government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas to go the
extra mile needed to make an agreement come true and stop the present suffering.
We have seen further developments since, and we will hear more from our colleagues.
But
the secretary general also expressed his
deep occupation by the indications that the large scale military operation in
Rafah
could be imminent.
And we have already seen movement of peoples,
many of these desperate humanitarian conditions
and having been repeatedly displaced research safety that
has so many time being denied to them.
I think maybe I
will also have some updates on that.
But as a final statement,
the secretary general remanded the parties
that the protection of civilians is paramount
in international humanitarian law
and as I said,
we'll hear a little bit more now about the situation there from our colleagues.
Maybe I will start directly with the
IANS.
And then we will hear on the situation of Children from James
Yens.
Thank you, Alessandra. And good morning,
everyone. Um,
let me start with a
a short, uh, update that I've been asked about.
The Rafah crossing
is now under control of the Israeli defence forces
and is currently closed for the movement of goods and people in both directions.
Kum
Shalom
crossing is also closed for goods and people.
We currently do not have any physical presence at the Rafah crossing
as our access to go to that area for co ordination purposes has been denied
by CO.
So that means that currently the two main arteries for getting aid
into Gaza
is currently choked off.
Indeed, this morning is one of the darkest in this seven month long nightmare.
And that's because of yesterday,
Not least
we all saw the images of families in Gaza celebrating kids dancing in the streets
when they first believed that at long last, a ceasefire
had been agreed to
and it was coming.
No more war. No more dead siblings,
dead parents or families displaced.
Maybe they could even go home, or at least back to what is left of home,
and then a few hours later,
that was turned on its head when they learned that No,
it was a false hope. No ceasefire,
more war.
One can only imagine
the soul crushing disappointment of that.
So now we see the beginning of a military incursion.
Rafael is in the process.
Is
ignoring
all warnings
about what this could mean for civilians and
for the humanitarian operation across the Gaza Strip,
for example, will R
close today?
No fuel entry?
It's the only entry point for fuel.
And without that diesel for trucks, for generators, for communication equipment
and so on
is in
jeopardy.
It does shut it down if fuel does not come in.
So that is the situation as of this morning,
and
I'm sure James has more
teams. Institution of Children.
Thanks.
Good morning, Alexandra. Morning, everyone.
Every warning, every image of Children are killed and injured.
Every heartbreaking story of
of bloodshed
and despair,
every mind boggling piece of data of the sheer number of
Children and mothers killed of family homes and hospitals destroyed.
It's all been ignored.
Our worst fears. Gaza's nightmare appears to be a reality.
Uh, and it's a reality that those holding power still have the ability
to prevent
seven reasons why
UNICEF
and humanitarian agencies have been calling for a ceasefire
and an offensive in Rafah not to take place.
The first Rafa
is a city of Children.
More than half of every single girl and boy in the Gaza Strip is in Rafah.
Two, if we define safety and international humanitarian law says we must,
um as the freedom from bombardment and the access to safe water protection,
food and medicines.
Then there is nowhere safe left to go in Gaza.
Three. In Rafah, there is currently approximately one toilet for 850 people.
When it comes to showers, it's one for 3.5 1000.
Picture the queues of 70 year old women of pregnant mums of teenage girls all day,
maybe accessing a shower.
The situation in the zones where people have been told to go is mind bogglingly much,
much worse than in Rafah.
Four.
Rafa is home to Gaza's last
largest remaining hospital, the European Hospital,
named as such to honour the European Union,
uh, that paid for its construction
amid the systematic devastation to Gaza's health system.
Rafa hospital is one of Gaza's
largest and most critical lifelines.
Five.
The south of the Gaza Strip, as Jens has been speaking to,
is also the entry point for most of the aid that enters Gaza.
A military assault will greatly complicate aid
delivery and likely see that gate closed.
It's hard to see if that closes for an extended period.
How aid agencies avert famine Across the Gaza Strip,
six families coping Capacity has been smashed.
Families are hanging on psychologically and physically by a thread.
I do not recall meeting a single family, and I met scores a single family in Rafa
who hadn't lost a home or a loved one or both. People are exhausted.
They're malnourished,
Children are sick,
and that brings us to the last.
The health of those in Rafa.
Hundreds of thousands of Children in Rafa
have a disability or a medical condition or a
vulnerability that puts them at even greater jeopardy and makes
it so much more difficult for them to relocate
if there was anywhere for them to relocate to.
In Rafa,
I saw Children who'd had amputations now in tense,
because because hospitals are full,
those Children and many many more are now told to go to zones such as
Alma
WASI,
the so called safe zone of
Alma
WASI
Ah,
where UNICEF
reported a couple of weeks ago on a little boy called Mustafa,
who had left his family home to go and get parsley for dinner and was shot in the head.
Mustafa was killed in the safe zone,
so called safe zone of Al
Mawasi, the zone where Children and families in Rafah are now told to go to
this past weekend's events in Gaza. The continued killing of Children,
more attacks from the warring parties and now evacuation orders
yet again expose how parties to this conflict continue to utterly
disregard the lives and protection of civilians and of Children.
This has to change and this is the last moment for that to change.
Aid must flow.
Hostages must be freed. Rafah
must not be invaded and Children must stop being killed.
We've pleaded. We have implored countless times and we do so once more
for the Children of Rafa.
We need a ceasefire now.
Thank you very much, James.
Let me add, please.
On behalf of
women
who have asked me to convey to you this information,
please be informed that there is a new survey data
from
Rafa that has been published.
I think it was yesterday night pretty late and is available on I
think we have distributed to you the press release
this
this new women survey data from Rafa
highlights the depth of physical and mental despair,
with 93% of women interviewed feeling unsafe
and over half reporting medical conditions requiring urgent attention.
we have in this press release lots of data
that I would ask you to have a look at
this. Data collected by UN women reveals, for example,
that more than 10,000 women have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.
Among them 6000 mothers leaving 19,000 orphaned Children behind.
And we have heard from James
the condition of life of these Children.
The survey also sheds light on the devastating reality of women and girls in Rafa,
including the fact that Rafa
now hosts 700,000 women and girls who have nowhere else to go.
Over 80% of women report feeling of depression. 66% are not able to sleep.
Over 70% have
anxiety and nightmares.
More than half of women surveyed there is 51% have a medical condition requiring
urgent medical attention Since the start of the war.
More than six out of 10 of the interviewed women who are
currently pregnant or have been pregnant since 7 October reported complications.
And in households with nursing mothers,
72% reported that there are challenges in breastfeeding
and meeting the nutritional needs of babies.
I will conclude with a statement
by Sima Bai
and women executive director that said
women and girls in Rafah as in the rest of Gaza
and in a state of constant despair and fear. Already
a ground invasion would be
an unbearable escalation that risks killing thousands more civilians
and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee again.
We must protect civilians.
We need an immediate ceasefire and
unimpeded and safe humanitarian aid distribution.
Across all Gaza.
The need for peace has never been more urgent.
It is our only hope, concludes the UN Women Executive Director,
which calls for the implementation of the UN
Security Council Resolution 20,728 25 March 2024 which demands
an immediate ceasefire the release of all hostages
and safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.
Our colleagues at UN women are, of course,
available if you have any questions on this data,
and with that,
just the last information before we open the floor to question
just to inform you that at 9:30 a.m. which is,
of course, 330 if I'm not wrong.
Geneva Time.
930 in New York,
The secretary general is expected to speak to the
press to deliver remarks on the situation in Gaza.
And, of course, you will be able to follow this on Web
TV.
And let's start with the question. There are many I have seen first. Jeremy,
you responded
already in a way. But I'd like to maybe have a more comprehensive answer on
exactly what kind of facilities the UN have in the so called red zone right now.
Have you mentioned the European hospital of any others?
And has the UN been asking its personnel on the ground to evacuate as well?
And
regarding evacuation we have been,
we are hearing reports from people on the ground that people
who are not in the red zone are already evacuating to al
Nazi and the north.
So have you been hearing those reports as well? Are you
hearing that people are evacuating Rafah
regardless of the zones where they are right now,
Thank you.
What we have in that
zone that has been designated as an evacuation zone by the
and mind you. Now
76% of the territory of Gaza is under evacuation orders 76%
In that area,
there are nine sites sheltering displaced people.
It's also home to three clinics
and six warehouses.
and of course,
that is part of
what I mean when I say that this is a
devastating blow
to the aid operation
in Rafah
and beyond.
So it has terrible repercussions
in terms of movements. We have
seen people move.
I think it's fair to say that the reports that
we get from colleagues on the ground is that,
uh,
panic and despair
has taken hold.
People are terrified.
We have seen images of people fleeing
with what they have. It's extremely difficult for us to have exact numbers
on this for the reasons that you can all understand
and they are moving
towards the North.
We have for some time actually ex
extended our presence towards the north
because we knew that people were going there.
And our purpose as humanitarian is, of course, to be where people are,
regardless of how or why they got there.
We can discuss that
and have, and we can protest the way this is being done.
But of course, our imperative is to help people and we will go
to where they are. So we have seen that moment.
Now, what is
very important with these kind of evacuation orders
and that is enshrined in international humanitarian law
is that one people
must have adequate time to prepare
for the evacuation. Has that happened?
No.
They need a safe route or
corridor to get to the designated area.
Have they had that? Is that present? Absolutely not.
We have seen we have heard the reports from the missions going there.
It is littered with unexploded ordnance, massive bombs lying in the street.
It's not safe. Three.
The point of destination must be safe and they must have access to humanitarian aid.
Is that the case?
No, it's not safe. We have just heard that.
And by the way, the area that they
have designated as quote unquote safe zone. They changed.
You have seen the map that they have put out.
It's about three times the size that it was previously.
So these things are constantly fluctuating,
and that is not a conducive environment for carrying out a safe evacuation
of people,
so they must have access to aid where they go. That is
not the case, particularly in Al
Mawasi.
The major problem is that there is no infrastructure.
What underpins a humanitarian operation is access to electricity,
access to water and sanitation
systems, sewage system and so on. It's not there,
it's simply not there.
And finally,
But that's looking a bit farther ahead.
If such an evacuation is carried out, people must have,
uh, must be allowed to return
to where they come from when it's safe to do so
from UNICEF.
Yes, that crossing is where our supplies come through almost exclusively.
That's water,
and I explained some of the
some of the data in terms of the sheer lack of safe water. It's in Rafa.
It's around one litre per person in a household which is
catastrophically below,
uh, any emergency levels, Um,
so that that that is that is people's lifeline,
absolute and and simply cannot maintain that.
Um uh,
without supplies coming through there,
UNICEF
won't leave our motto very much like we heard from
MRI
and from I'm sure all other agencies to stay and deliver,
uh, in terms of we've we've had people moving F, not from those zones.
Yes, I've spoken to people.
I speak to people regularly there and was asking how they were yesterday.
Two things struck me. One? Yes, people are moving from other areas in Rafa,
and I think that's because they have realised that it's important to
look at the evidence of what's happened in Gaza in
the last seven months rather than the language used.
So the language used now is, of course, quote unquote limited
invasion.
Now,
as we've spoken about previously here from this platform,
it was in November December where promises were made that the south
of Gaza would not possibly endure the ferocity of the north.
And then I've stood in Khan Yunis, the neighbouring city to Rafa,
seen utter devastation 360 degrees more,
more intense devastation of a city than anywhere in my 20 years.
So people are well aware that they need to look at the evidence
and the way this war's been conducted rather than what leaflets say,
the final point,
I'd say to that is the people I spoke to yesterday just showed again a level of trauma.
This was families who were aware that they would have to move,
had been aware for months that this
this worst case scenario may came and come.
And the people I spoke to invariably would say,
I'm frozen.
I don't even know what to pack seven months now we talk, of course,
of two thirds of houses, homes and destroyed.
We talk of reports of more than 14,000
Children killed.
So somehow we don't talk of not a single university still functioning.
Not a child has been to school for a year and an unprecedented level of child trauma.
That's what we're seeing now again in these Children who are told.
Pick up your last surviving remnants of your life and we move from tent to tent.
That's also what's happening to Children in Rafa
now.
Thank you,
Margaret. Welcome. You may have also something
welcome.
You asked about the hospital specifically, and Al
Naja is in the
Sorry
better.
Uh, Al
Nasr is in the DES. The zone that's been designated has been advised people to move.
Now it they are not moving. They're staying open and continuing
to accept patients. But
they are also the only place now in Gaza where dialysis is taking place. Uh,
they they're doing about two around 200 dialysis dialysis per day.
So again, if they're no longer functioning, if they're shut down,
that means all those people will die simply from kidney failure.
Because that's what's keeping them alive.
Uh, they are also overwhelmed. They're all the hospitals.
There are three hospitals currently functioning in the,
um, rougher area. They they are all overwhelmed.
They are all receiving more cases than they can deal with.
The European Hospital in
Han Unis
is also threatened by this action because it will be cut off.
So it again is a very important hospital for dealing with the wounded.
It's called the European Hospital because the EU has funded it,
but it will probably not be able to function as well,
or it will be difficult for patients to access due to the
incursion.
Thank you to all colleagues and yes,
yes, thank you.
Uh, that would be a a question. Um, to here. I'm here to To
Jens,
Uh, you you mentioned, um,
we were having a geographic discussion
according to my information, uh, Europeans in East
Haus. But James has been there.
It's rougher. Is it R?
It's right on the border of the first evacuation order from yesterday. But as
Jen said, that has changed.
I've seen lots of events I won't forget.
Yes,
was waiting and yes,
go ahead.
Yes, I like.
So the question, uh, concerns, uh,
you you say that it was closed.
Uh, but you didn't mention why if you could let US know why
and concerning the the fuel.
Um, so we understand that the the fuel cannot entry more into Rafa
and
Gaza.
General, if you could specify.
And, uh, how many? Um, stocks, Uh, does, uh, do you have, uh, IN Gaza or IN Rafa
to of of fuel? And for how many days? If you could, uh, um specify.
Thank you.
Thank you,
Jen.
Thank you. Agnes.
Karem
Shalom
is operated by the Israeli defence Force, and they have closed it.
Simple as that. You have seen a few days ago. There was an attack
in that area.
Of course. We call on those who perpetrated this attack to stop doing so.
I mean, this is this is devastating as well.
but it is the idea that closes down.
as I mentioned, Rafah is currently under the crossing,
is currently under the idea of control.
And we have been told there will be no crossings of personnel
or goods in and out
for the time being. For how long? I have no idea.
But that's the current situation. Now that has a massive impact, if you like.
On your next question, how much stock do we have?
We have been told that there is a very,
very short buffer of about one day of fuel available,
primarily diesel to run trucks and to run
generators.
So there's that
we know by and large that of all the aid that comes in,
it's pretty much distributed immediately.
It's not like that. There are huge warehouses full of aid.
It's distributed immediately for good reasons.
Yeah, go ahead.
Yes. You said one day, one day for Rafael
or one day for old Gaza.
This is as fuel only comes in through Rafah.
The one day buffer is for the entire operation
in Gaza.
Benjamin.
Thanks. Alessandra.
Um, question to Jens
and then question to all of the the three on the podium.
Um, so just to be clear,
uh, you said the two main arteries a RE closed. That's, uh, an evidence. Um,
is there any type of contingency plan that is,
uh, for routing? Maybe
somewhere the supply of humanitarian aid? Is there any
other type point of entry for for the aid
or
I'd like to hear you on that. Or is Rafa
now totally isolated from any type of supply?
And my
You want my other question? OK, Yeah. No, no. Go on. Go on.
I'll do a follow up.
Thanks. There is, as you know, the a
crossing in the north,
which have been opened recently.
There's not
nowhere near the volume of aid that comes in
compared to
ks
and
Rafa.
Now,
of course, we are looking at all possibilities, right?
I mean,
we didn't know that this was going to shut
down these two crossings in the south that we
rely on
so heavily not of our own
choice, but because that's what we've been designated to use, right?
So we are looking at,
of course, all options for how can we kind of get something in there?
It remains to be seen, but
is, of course,
on the table.
If if you like
the second part of your question, the second part of my question is,
is Russia
now
isolated from any type of supply of aid? Because even if you go through
areas
in the north, then is the road open?
Exactly
A very good point. It's like what we've been talking about for a very long time.
Why we have advocated for opening in the North
because of the illogical way of delivering aid in the North that you have to go all
the way to the south and then drive through a war zone to get to the north,
where we have said, Well, can't we just get in from the north Now?
You flip that around
and you say
we will have to drive through a war zone, but in the other direction to get from a
to the South. So of course we need
to we need to have
aid as close to people as possible. And it is close to people. It is close to people.
It's there, just on the other side of the border. So of course we need those openings.
Had a question for the other colleagues,
just the last one. Also, some kind of technical question.
Were you able to preposition any type of aid in the
alma was
designated humanitarian zone?
Or is it only, uh, controlled or or or dealt by a cog?
Yeah, some for UNICEF, some pre-positioning,
but not of the things that we need day to day,
which is water for UNICEF and very little pre-positioning in in that area the of the,
um, high energy malnutrition,
uh, supplies that we need for Children.
The only thing I'd add to what Jen said is that
the conversation about where Aid comes in is critical and he's dead.
Right areas will simply not be enough.
It's also very important to underline that this is not just about goods coming in.
It's about them being able to freely move around when they come in,
and this has been the constant war of words
and disinformation to be frank. That's happened once goods come in,
then we sit,
and I've done this many times for hours and hours and hours at checkpoints.
As other United Nations senior officials have said,
You know they know this dance.
You sit at a checkpoint for hours until know fully knowing full well that
the clock will tick and we won't be able to work in the dark.
And so approval was gained. But time was not with us and we had to return.
So the freedom of movement and more opening of checkpoints in
on the Gaza Strip is something that urgently needs to happen.
If we're serious about preventing a famine,
thank you,
we we also
it was a prepositioning of supplies.
Yes,
we indeed did preposition supplies in a warehouse away from
where we expected the military activities to be happening.
But again, as as James has said, I haven't seen the place.
But from all descriptions,
it's not an area that you'd be able to actually put supplies in,
but we've put medical supplies, but again they will run out very quickly.
And the critical thing is again
for the hospital
to be able to receive patients,
which will be impossible in the middle of a conflict like this.
We've only got 33 per cent of
30 per cent of hospitals functioning in any shape or form.
And that is not a shape or form you or I would understand as a functioning hospital.
OK, more questions from the room. Uh, Beza, then Emma, then
ia
Thank you, Alexandra.
You already
mentioned about the contingency plan and relocation of the supplies and you say
it's going to run out quickly. But what? I would like to ask that
at
what level? Those relocated supplies can meet the needs of the people
in the move
right now. Can you give a day for that?
I
can't.
I can't give an exact date. There are many types of supplies about medical supplies.
We're about fuel. We're about high nutrition biscuits, many kinds of supplies.
And there may be various levels of availability
of that
that doesn't negate what I said before, which is that the
overall picture is that aid is pretty much distributed
immediately
because the needs are so high. We don't have the luxury of having huge warehouses
with a buffer stock.
Emma,
Uh, just given this, um,
picture that you've painted of very few stores can
you just fast forward a couple of days?
What does the situation look like if these two key crossings remain closed
and for WHO for Margaret, please.
Are there any exceptions at all for patient transfers
out of Gaza and and maybe medical supplies coming in? Um,
Rick
Porn mentioned that Rafa was
the main one, taking almost all of the supplies in.
Just spell out that situation, please. Thank you.
You want me to
crystal ball this a bit? Let me let me put it like this.
If no fuel comes in for a prolonged period of time,
it would be a very effective way of putting the humanitarian operation in its grave.
Clear. Margaret,
for the last two days,
yesterday the crossing was closed and there were not exceptions.
No personnel in or out evacuations. Nothing.
And my understanding is the same applies today. So
nothing in nothing out.
Um, Isabel?
Yes. Sorry, JJ,
but,
uh,
to put things in perspective, Um, could you tell us,
um, what was the volume
coming into into Gaza through
Rafah
through the crossing in the last weeks and days?
And what it means for this is the second is a quite rhetoric one.
But what means that in the next, also, days and weeks, you will have
likely to negotiate
with Israeli forces.
Any kind of,
um, entry of
humanitarian aid of any kind
to Rafa?
Yeah. Thank you. Um,
as you know, it's tracked.
I don't have the tracking in front
of me, but I'm happy to dig that out and share that with you. The exact numbers.
What has been going in through the two crossings
over the past week or so? So we can see what is what has been choked off. Exactly.
Of course, we engage every single day
many times a day. I would say constantly
with through intermediaries with the with the IDF
about
access.
Getting this in That, of course, will continue whether it bears fruit.
Well, time will tell,
uh,
Jamie and I go to the platform.
Hi, Jen.
Could you tell us what, uh,
ID F is telling you beyond the fact that they're simply denying access?
Are they telling you anything about how long this could go on for?
Are they telling you to
stop bringing trucks to the border? What are they?
What kind of, uh,
instructions are they giving you both for the
security of your own personnel and partners?
Um, and for a possible continuation of, uh, the aid effort,
I
I don't have that information, Jamie.
You would have to ask them
what they say we have been.
We have been told that the crossings are closed for goods and personnel
in and out, we have been told
because we want, of course, to have access to Rafa
to see what's going on.
We have been denied
access for the time being.
Musa,
we we say
about
Messi.
Uh, my question is for Margaret.
Um, I refer to the United Nations expert group statement yesterday,
they said more than 39 bodies were discovered in the Nasser and Al
Shifa hospitals,
including those of, uh, women and the Children,
many of whom are believed to have serious signs of torture,
torture and, uh, summary executions and potential examples of people,
uh, being buried alive.
If, uh uh, Margaret, you have some information about About that, Uh uh.
You can confirm this, Uh, the statement of the expert group. Thanks.
I wonder whether this is more a question for Ravina,
who is actually our next speaker.
But maybe she can come to the point of
Margaret. Do you have anything you want to add on this?
It's exactly we witness. We don't do the forensics. We don't do this area of work.
So this is definitely for
you. Have already spoken about this in the past days.
I don't know if you have an update on this. Thank you.
Good morning.
Yes, as Alexandra pointed out, and as you know,
we have spoken about the issue of mass graves.
What is clear is that mass graves exist
in
both the compounds of Al
Shifa and Nasir
hospitals. Hundreds of bodies have been found.
what is unclear is the circumstances under which these people were killed.
We have received very worrying reports, including as I've mentioned before,
we've received reports that
some of the bodies were found with their hands tied.
Now, these are not reports that we are in a position to verify. Um, there are several N
gs
and
other actors on the ground who are trying to gather more information.
We're in close touch with them,
but what we are insisting on is an
independent investigation to establish exactly what happened.
We know that the graves exist. We know that lots of people were killed.
We know that they were buried in the compounds of hospitals.
We do not know in what circumstances they were killed,
whether it was due to the conduct
of hostilities or whether there was something further
that needs to be examined.
Thank you very much. Uh, Christian,
maybe
if you stay in the boarding room. So yeah. Thank you, Christiane.
Uh, thank you very much.
Coat
has been playing down the UN aid operation and has
been suggesting that lots of other stuff is coming in.
Does any one of you know what percentage of the overall aid
the UN is supplying?
Do you know of other significant aid deliveries
coming in Red Cross or private donations?
That seems to be what
KG
is suggesting.
And, um, wasn't there also use of the military road?
Uh, at some point for, uh, a deliveries. Thank you.
Thank you. First of all,
Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent
coordinate with us. So the number of trucks that
we report on
does include that
we have seen as you have
commercial some kind of commercial operation
done by the Israelis.
I think you will recall what has been referred to the flower massacre,
which was one such operation that ended in tragedy.
we have humanitarian experience and expertise to
stand up a proper,
principled humanitarian operation, and that is what we intend to continue to do.
Um, it
is there,
and we are not leaving Rafa
as
James said, That goes for
all of us.
We intend to stay
as long as as is humanly possible.
Thank you. Unless
colleagues want to add something now. So let's go to Nick.
Yeah. Thank you. Um,
I take your point that, uh, the arrows crossing is no substitute for R
and Karam.
Shalom,
could you just give us an idea
of what aid is coming through that particular crossing point?
Can you also give us an update on
the, uh, maritime deliveries and the floating pier again?
You've said before that this is no substitute, but it would just be useful to know
where we are with that. And if we can see a
coming in via that route anytime soon.
And just as a quick side note to Alessandra, um,
be good if the UN women could actually circulate this
report We haven't seen it be great to have it.
Thanks.
Just quickly answer in this. We have sent it. In fact, both of me
and
Solange have sent it to you
during the briefing, so you should have it in your email.
And, of course, our colleagues are available for questions. It's not a report.
It's a press release with updated data
yens.
Thank you. I hope the microphone is in the right position now.
Thank you, Nick.
Can I add that request to what Isabel asked about on the
numbers of trucks of what we know has gone through areas.
It's not data I have
in front of me,
but I'll
I'll be happy to investigate that
as to the
pier and the maritime corridor. It's not functioning yet.
We are not the ones building it.
So you'll have to talk to the to the US authorities about that.
sorry. I thought it's the hand in
the room. Isabel, Maybe.
Yes, it's a follow up.
OK, go ahead.
If you can comment
rabina What?
What? What is, uh, what All this means, uh, in in human rights terms, uh, in Rafa
to
what is happening now.
Thanks, Isabella.
I think my colleagues have very clearly set
out what this means in humanitarian terms.
It means that people are being forcibly relocated yet again, sometimes for the 4th,
5th, 6th time
to places that are not safe.
And let us remember that these people include people who have
been disabled as a result of the conduct of hostilities.
This includes people who need dialysis treatment. Otherwise they will die.
They are being relocated to places that do
not have the infrastructure or the resources to be
able to host the mass displacement of this
large number of people with such diverse needs.
International humanitarian law prohibits the ordering of the displacement
of civilians for reasons related to the conflict,
unless the security of the civilians involved
or imperative military reasons or demand.
Even then, this is subject to strict legal requirements,
and Israel has strict obligations
under international humanitarian law to ensure the safety
and access of these individuals to medical care to adequate food
to safe water to sanitation.
Failure to meet these obligations may amount to force displacement,
which is a war crime.
Yeah, I'd like to go to the
Isabel Da
one, please.
Yes,
I'll follow
up.
So?
So that's that.
It means that as you said,
the evacuations in this this this type of questions are prohibited
unless completely necessary, which is which is not the case.
So one more, more time is, uh,
given your review, uh, Israel is violating international humanitarian law.
There are strong indications that this is being
conducted in violation of international humanitarian law.
Thank you.
Yes, Thank you, Alexandra. And good morning, everyone.
My question is for Ravina,
so thank you to come to the podium for that.
The first question is about the fact that you still don't have access to Gaza,
even if you are required.
All the warnings from your office and from the
High Commissioner have been ignored by Israel without exception.
All what you said has been ignored.
What is the next step?
So,
at what point will the notion of war crime be surpassed
in the language elements of your office to speak of crimes against humanity?
Because nothing changed. Even when you're putting warnings. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks for the question, Yuri. Indeed, it's a source of immense frustration for us.
Um, the lack of access to be able to
physically be there and corroborate information.
Interview witnesses, visit sites, examine. Um, uh, the actual,
you know, situation on the ground. We are continuing to press for access.
This is crucial.
Uh, we are also continuing to carry out remote monitoring, um,
and put out information that we are managing to corroborate,
to bring some
to try to bring some factual clarity,
some legal clarity and perhaps even some moral clarity to what is happening here
on situations like the discovery of the mass graves.
What we were concerned about is that this will be yet another blip on the radar.
Yet more violations carried out in Gaza
that just get forgotten about over time.
Well, these violations should not get forgotten about they need to be recorded.
They need to be reported widely by the media.
They need to result in pressure from member states that
do have leverage over the parties to the conflict.
To bring such violations to an end,
they need to be recorded so that there will
be accountability so that investigations do take place.
And ultimately there is accountability.
And the cycle of impunity does not continue
over and over and over again. As we have seen it.
We have documented many violations that amount to war crimes and
that there are even indications of further atrocity crimes being committed.
And it is our obligation and our duty to continue to speak out on these issues.
Lisa?
Uh,
yes.
Thank you. Thank you, everyone, this is
very sobering. Um,
meeting discussion, I must say, uh, Ravina,
I'd like to ask you about the mass graves.
Whether it is clearly determined that Israel, in fact, has, uh,
dug these mass graves.
I asked this because
Israel just the other day came out with a a release saying that
the mass graves were dug by dozens themselves before Israel's operation began.
So I'd like your
input on that.
And also, um,
I mean, is this still to be determined?
And then how likely is it that an independent investigation will go ahead
in the medium term? Or is this something for the long term? Because,
uh, do you believe that forensic experts will be given access to the area right now?
how long is this likely to happen?
Does she
Thanks, Lisa. Um, it is a complex issue.
So as I said earlier, it is clear that mass graves exist not only in the compounds of Al
Shifa and Nasser Hospital, but there are impromptu graves conducted containing
large numbers of bodies that exist across Gaza. A lot of people have been killed.
More than 30,000 people have been killed.
Graves are dug very quickly, people are buried and these graves exist, You know,
in many parts of Gaza,
what is worrying about this one in particular, um,
is that there's a large number of individuals in these graves who are unidentified,
so their loved ones did not know whether they were alive or dead.
Um, and it's not clear the circumstances under which they were killed,
Some of these graves,
they did exist and there were bodies there.
The IDF claims that they dug up the bodies and they reburied them.
It's not clear how many bodies were there initially.
How many bodies were buried by the IDF. There are so many open questions here
and again, there are very worrying reports that indicate
that some of the bodies may have been found with their hands tied. Now, we don't know.
We haven't managed to corroborate these reports,
but they are severe enough that we need to insist on an independent investigation.
These claims cannot simply be dismissed.
And we can't just take
their word for it. Um, that these were all bodies that were
already pre-existing dug up and then reburied with respect.
There needs to be an investigation. They need to be independent
assessment of the situation. And this is what we are insisting on.
Satoko.
Hello.
Uh, good morning. Um, I just want to follow up. Um,
this, uh, international investigation.
which UN body or institution would be appropriate to create
a mandate to set up an international investigation? Thank you.
Alexandra may have more to add on that from our side. What we are calling for.
Well, we are calling for access for us for the UN Human Rights Office.
We are calling for access for the Commission of Inquiry,
the UN Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory.
And as you may know, the
the International Criminal Court is also engaged on the situation.
And there are ongoing investigations there.
Uh, yes. Good morning. Uh, thank thank you for giving me the floor question,
uh, to Jens Ma. Maybe you have said it, but or I missed it.
Um
I was wondering, Have the Israelis given you any
official reason for closing? Uh, the two crossings into into Rafa?
Ha?
No,
not particularly. But it's it's
part of the of the zone that they
have now issued an evacuation order for, But we have not
gotten anything apart from
that. It's closed.
Second question from Nick.
Yeah, I think your question to Ravina and Margaret.
Um, there were reports last week that the former head of orthopaedics at Al
Shifa
Doctor
Al
Bush had died in Israeli custody.
Uh,
have you either of you been able to get any
further information on the circumstances or cause of his death?
Thank you.
no, I'm afraid not, Nick, But let me check.
If colleagues have managed to gather any further information on this,
I'll get back to you
and Margaret makes no
sign. So
you want to say something?
Likewise, I'll follow up for you, Nick. And
I will see if we've got more information on this tragedy.
Thank you very much. Catrin.
Yes. Good morning to all. Thank you. Alexandra.
Um, two questions. My side, uh, a follow up about question already, uh, asked about
so, uh,
According to you, Alessandra,
which entity at
the UN is able to take any
decision
regarding the fact that Israel is systematically refusing the request
of access to visit Gaza to heads of agencies,
not only human rights,
but other heads of agencies have requested to go and visit Gaza and West Bank, and,
um, they haven't got a positive answer.
They got no answer, in fact,
and I'd like also to
come back to the West Bank.
Could you tell us more about the situation in the West Bank? Um, I don't know, yen or,
uh,
James or Margaret, Any of you.
Uh,
because we know that some people from Gaza are trapped
in the West Bank since the beginning of the events.
Uh, in October.
What about Havina? What's happening there? Because people are focused on on Gaza.
But there's a lot of things
happening, apparently, um, in West Bank, Thank you to all of you.
Thank you, Katherine.
I don't think I have anything to add to what
Ravina said about the bodies.
I just wanted to mention that
Filippe
Lazzarini was indeed denied access. That was on the fifth of May,
and he put out a statement
again,
asking for that access and concluding that
the denial of humanitarian access is a violation
of humanitarian law.
I think
Ramin
mentioned the bodies and maybe I don't know who would like to take
up the last. The
second part of the question about the West Bank, maybe Y
you want to start on this or
or maybe James if you also have something on the Children in that area
just very quickly. First of all, thanks, Catherine, for
raising the West Bank because it
is not as much
in focus.
And it should be because things are happening there as well.
You will see in our situation reports that come out three times a week.
As you know, there is a new one online. This morning there is a section
about what is going on in the West Bank. A lot of it has to do with settler violence,
which has seen a spike
in
recent times.
And we do see reports of
buildings and structures inside refugee camps in the West Bank being bulldozed.
But I will refer you to our report for details.
Yeah, I, I will get more recent information, remind me, but certainly uh,
if we look at the data that UNICEF
got from the end of last year, um,
there were, in fact, in the last 12 weeks of 2023 83 Children killed in the West Bank.
That was more than
double all Children killed the year previous to that.
So we are seeing spikes in Children being killed, uh,
across the occupied territories?
Yeah, Ravi And then Margaret.
Yeah, I'm reading our latest update.
Thank you, Katherine, for that question because obviously,
the situation in the West Bank also remains
very difficult for the Palestinians living there.
We have verified that since the seventh of October and until the sixth of May,
475 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The data that we have suggested set of these 120 are Children.
We are also continuing to receive reports of settler violence
continuing to receive reports of arbitrary arrest, detention and ill treatment,
as well as restrictions of freedom of expression, movement restrictions as well.
And just to add, we've recorded very high numbers of attacks on healthcare.
We have recorded at least, um,
446 attacks, which have resulted in 12 fatalities
and 95 injuries.
Now it should be noted that also in Israel there have been 68 attacks on healthcare,
with 24 deaths and 34 injuries.
Thank you very much, and I'm seeing here in the chat. If colleagues could give this
data on the West Bank in writing at the moment to
journalists, that would be useful.
There is also one question in the chat
Jen,
I had not seen from Christian
That just asks whether
is it
the military route to
the Gaza I think is being used for AIDS?
I don't know if you have an answer to that military road in brackets.
Sorry,
Apologies. I
forgot that question.
I'll have to check. But if Karem
Shalom,
which is also a screening point, is closed, the question remains.
If if anything is being screened
right
and it needs to be screened before it gets
on the military road to to what's called Gate 9096
entry point further through the North. But let me let me double check on that.
No, it's just an important point that Jens has mentioned that
areas as well anything that goes through areas has to go through Karem
Shalom.
So that's closed
then. Then nothing is being cleared.
Sorry, Catherine.
Um, yes. This is just to come back to the UN women, uh, press release it.
It was released yesterday in New York,
so
Yeah, it did.
Yeah. No, Exactly. And that's that's what I said at the beginning.
When I started reading it,
the press release was put out yesterday night.
We received it in the evening and we were asked
by our UN women colleagues to flag it to you,
which I did.
Especially that now we were having this this briefing on Gaza. Katrina.
Thank
you.
But
for me, my colleagues in New York did already cover probably some.
Some of your media would probably have covered it also from New York.
Some others may have not seen it.
And that is why basically, we are the first UN briefing.
After that, they published it. So they have asked us to flag it,
Jeremy. And then maybe we'll go to the next subject.
A
quick one for Margaret.
I'm reading that two hospitals are evacuating the patients in south Rafah.
Gaza, so I'd like to know. Is it you saying? You said I think that Al
Najar is not
evacuating. So just to understand,
what are your information, Which hospitals
are evacuating?
Certainly my information from this morning from my
briefing that I got this morning was that Anna
was currently staying open even though they were in the zone.
And perhaps the European had the same issue.
But my understanding was the hospitals would continue functioning. And they are
trying to serve their patients as best they can.
Thank you very much, thanks to all of you,
correspondent. And but also thanks to all our colleagues here,
I like to ask
to stay with us
as she has another point of brief. And thanks to Margaret,
IANs
and James and again
please
Sorry.
Please be reminded that
at 3.
30 this afternoon, the Secretary General will speak to the press on the situation
in Gaza.
So and it will be on U Web TV. You want to get a little bit
for the camera? Sorry. I think they are just more central.
Thank you very much. Ravina. So you have another point?
Uh, on Russia and the crackdown on journalists
Quite timely since the third of May, as we all know,
was World Press Freedom Day and we'll speak about this in a moment, please.
Exactly. Alexandra,
you should have received a press release about an hour ago
on Russia.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk,
is concerned by the increasing number of journalists charged,
convicted and jailed in Russia for their independent reporting
in what appears to be an intensification of a crackdown on dissenting voices.
The continuous attacks on free speech and the criminalization
of independent journalism in Russia is very troubling.
Since the
start of the invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022
the number of imprisoned journalists in Russia has reached an all time high.
The crackdown on journalists independent work must immediately cease,
and the right to inform,
which is a key component of the right to freedom of expression, needs to be upheld.
At least 30 journalists are currently detained in
Russia under a variety of criminal charges,
and these include charges ranging from terrorism, extremism,
disseminating knowingly false information about the armed forces, spying,
treason, extortion, infringing upon people's rights,
violating the provisions of the law on foreign agents
inciting mass disturbances,
illegal possession of explosives and illegal possession of drugs.
Out of the 30 reporters deprived of their liberty,
12 are serving prison sentences ranging from 5.5 to 22 years in prison.
Since March,
at least seven journalists have faced administrative of criminal charges,
particularly for criticism of Russia's actions in Ukraine or
for alleged links to the late opposition politician Alexei
Navalny
and his anti corruption foundation.
The Russian authorities appear to be
attempting to further strengthen control of the
narrative both around domestic issues and around
the conduct of hostilities in Ukraine.
As a result,
people in Russia have increasingly restricted access
to non state information and viewpoints,
which hampers their ability to benefit from diverse sources and to
make fully informed decisions on matters of vital public interest.
We are also concerned about the frequent use of
the broad legislative framework to combat terrorism and extremism,
and we call on the authorities to amend the
legislation to comply fully with the principles of legality,
necessity and proportionality.
Under international human rights law,
journalists should be able to work in a safe environment without fear of Reprisals.
We call on the authorities to immediately drop charges against journalists who
have been detained solely for doing their jobs and to release them.
Thank you very much. Ravina Jamie Uh, sorry,
Jeremy.
We know that several opposition figures have been offered to
fight
in Ukraine and France, just like many prisoners in Russia.
Do you have any information that journalists who are imprisoned have been
offered the same
the same thing?
That's a good question, Jeremy.
I don't have specific information on journalists
who have been offered the same thing.
What is worrying, of course,
is the lack of transparency as well with regards to many of these moves and again,
the fact that independent journalism is being cracked down upon
people,
it just leads to a level of
uncertainty and facilitates a climate of misinformation,
disinformation,
chaos and panic for people who don't know
what their rights are in these circumstances.
But whether journalists have specifically targeted on this,
I'll check and get back to you if we have information.
Thank you very much.
Any other question to ravin on this particular subject on the room or online?
No. Uh oh, yes. Lisa. Lisa
sla.
Yeah, Thanks. Uh, Ravina,
how many of the imprisoned journalists are foreign journalists. And are they,
uh, specifically, um,
I imprisoned as, uh, for as political hostages having something to do with,
uh, the country like there are at least one who is very famous in the United States.
Uh, who is, uh, still being held there.
There is also someone from Radio Free Europe, I think,
who has been held there and so forth.
And then I was wondering, uh how,
uh, who are the journalists that are selected for imprisonment?
What I mean is that there are some,
uh, Western journalists from CNN from other agencies that somehow or other,
at least until now,
have been able to, uh, report there.
Um, So I'm wondering, you know how how these people are chosen,
uh, a as to who should be imprisoned and, uh, who is to be allowed there.
And is it your contention that,
uh, Russia in general is not a safe place in which to be a journalist? Thank you.
Thanks. Lisa. A few points in response to your questions.
Um, So as I mentioned, since March,
at least seven journalists have faced administrative or criminal charges.
Um, all seven of these are Russian journalists.
And they have faced these charges in relation to their reporting either,
um of the the the War on Ukraine or in relation to Alexei
Navalny, the
late opposition leader
um
on the international journalists.
According to recent reports,
12 of the 412 of the 17 foreign
national journalists detained worldwide are in Russia.
Um, so 12
foreign national journalists are currently detained in Russia
and on why certain journalists are targeted and others are not.
I mean,
that really is a question for the Russian authorities and
that I hope you will ask them that question.
Thank you very much. Any other questions in the room?
I don't see
any. I say sorry, Lisa, as a follow up pardon?
I asked whether, uh, Russia is simply not a safe place in which to be a journalist.
I mean, are you kind of playing Russian roulette when you go there?
Russia is a place where it is very risky to be a journalist these days.
Um, if you are reporting on issues that are
very sensitive to the authorities, um, if a narrative is being,
um
challenged, uh, an official narrative is being challenged,
particularly with regards to the war on Ukraine.
it
continuous attacks about effectively to a
criminalization of independent journalism in Russia.
Thank you very much. And before we close this issue
sorry,
Please let me remind you of an event
is taking place this afternoon at the Pale.
As you may have seen,
the world press Freedom Day this year was the decade has
been dedicated to the importance of journalism and freedom of expression
in the context of the current global environmental crisis.
The idea is to highlight the significant role that the press,
journalism and access to information play
to ensure and secure a sustainable future that respects the rights of individuals,
the diversity of their voices and gender equality.
In
this context,
the liaison office here in Geneva,
the Permanent Mission of Austria to Geneva,
the Permanent Mission of Chile to Geneva and the Geneva Press Club,
together with the UN Geneva
organises
an event today from 3 to 6
p.m. in room 23 of the PAC.
This event is
really meant to focus on science, communication
in shaping public understanding and
policy making regarding environmental issues.
There's a lot to say about
safeguarding journalists and scientists particularly women
against the specific challenges and threats they encounter
in the fields related to environmental reporting on environmental issues.
Independent journalists and scientists are crucial actors
in helping our society separate facts from fiction
and take informed decisions in the area of environmental policies,
which is particularly important at this time.
So we hope we will see you in
Room 23 this afternoon at three o'clock,
the director general
and Geneva will open
the meeting.
Quite a few speakers, I think of very interesting ones.
They will speak about combating climate disinformation,
also protecting environmental journalists and scientists.
So let's
see you in room 23 this afternoon.
And if there are no other questions on this subject, I thank
very much. I hope you
see you this afternoon
and let me just tell you that the Committee Against
Torture will conclude its 79th session next Friday at 10 a.m.
They have examined the reports of Austria, Honduras, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein,
North Macedonia and Finland,
and they will publish on Friday the concluding
observation of these countries on this country.
Sorry,
the Committee on the Rights of the Child
is concluding this morning The review of the report of Namibia.
And this afternoon we will begin consideration of the report of Guatemala.
The countries to be examined next are Georgia, Mali, Panama,
Egypt, Bhutan, Estonia and Paraguay.
And I think that's all I had for you.
I just wanted to say thank you very much to everyone
for the collaboration about the new operational hours at the parade.
I think this weekend we already have some colleagues who have been
contacting Unis
to have access. It worked. So let's hope that it continues
to work well.
And in this regard, let me remind you that as of now, as of last week, in fact,
with the information about the week ahead,
Solange will also send out the information on who is
the senior units officer on duty during the weekend.
Last weekend it was Rolando
and we will publish every weekend the information so that
you know whom you have to contact during the weekend.
If you have, if you need us,
thank you very much to everyone. And I'll see you on Friday. Thank you.