Welcome to the press briefing of the Information Service at the UN here in Geneva.
Today is Friday, 25th of October
a few topics on the situation in the Middle East.
As you have seen from the agenda, we will start with UNHCR
from Amman and then we will go to Gaza with
we will have some announcement from other colleagues at the end.
So I would like to start now by giving the floor to Rula
Amin, the senior communications
the refugee agency, who is reaching us from Amman
for an update on the situation in Lebanon and Syria. Of the people on the move
Good morning and thanks for having me.
I'm going to try to highlight the displacement
crisis that's unfolding in Lebanon and beyond.
the intensified airstrikes had forced thousands and tens
of thousands of people to flee within Lebanon.
And this crisis is growing by the day.
this morning we also saw more Israeli airstrikes
at two border crossings between Lebanon and Syria.
And this is hindering and really putting at risk a main lifeline,
uh, where that people use to escape the conflict in Lebanon
As you know, Lebanon is surrounded by the sea, Syria and Israel.
So the escape to Syria is the only route these people have to escape Lebanon.
And now we have seen two Israeli airstrikes early this morning
on just, uh, JUC, a border crossing,
uh, in the northern part of the
less than 500 metres away from the
You can see the crater and UN HCR rub holes that we had established for
people to be able to stay there in the shade while they are being processed.
There was another airstrike at Al
and that is the main border crossing between Syria and Lebanon.
Uh, this has been hit twice before.
this is a border crossing that tens of thousands of Lebanese
and Syrians have used in the past to cross to Syria.
In the past two weeks, we have seen people determined and desperate to see
walk on foot around the rubble and the create and the craters created.
But today another struck. The Lebanese authorities are saying that Al
border crossing is no longer functional.
this is a major concern for UN HCR as it hinders people's ability to flee the violence
Uh, so back now to Lebanon.
we still have most of those displaced inside Lebanon are still inside the country.
It's about 1/5 of Lebanon's population so far that have been displaced.
People have been fleeing from one place to another
in, for example, in the city of Tyre.
This was considered a safe place where some of the people who escaped
the border villages in the past year had fled to, and now it's being attacked in
So many people have left.
Uh, we have seen a lot of destruction and devastation in border villages,
but also in towns and cities like Tyre
which means that people's ability, even to
go back to their homes once this conflict is is over, has been hindered.
And this is a major concern for those displaced who have been
waiting very anxiously for the conflict to end so that they go back to their
and homes. But now many of these homes are not
Major areas have been depopulated.
Our colleagues are on the ground in Lebanon, uh,
they are trying to support with shelter with co
with protection services.
But the needs are growing immensely by the day,
and the government established schools and colleges that were
established as collective shelters are almost at full capacity.
Uh, people's ability to rent
and and find other alternative shelters has also been hindered by
the fact that this has been going on for a month.
For some, it's been going on for a year.
People don't have the resources to pay for rent, especially vulnerable families,
Syrian refugees and others,
which means that many find themselves without any kind of shelter
staying in the open air, sleeping in the open air with their Children with their
Um, as I said, our colleagues are trying to help with this acute need.
We are helping with participants in the collective shelters with repairs, uh,
relief items, blankets, mattresses.
But it's not enough with the growing needs every single day.
And of course, we need more funding to be able to reach all those in need.
The fact that the security situation has been deteriorating means,
um, more challenges and obstacles,
even for us as humanitarian agencies to reach
all those who are in need of assistance.
Uh, our colleagues, along with other UN agencies, have been able to reach the
uh, area in southern Lebanon. They sent there a lot of, um,
relief items and other relief items
for many people who are displaced there and are
just stuck and trapped and they can't leave.
Uh, we have to also remember that the level of destruction and devastation
is taking its toll also on those displaced as
their their fears. Their worry, the mental
burden on this as they know that their whole villages
have been almost erased is is
bringing a lot of stress and a lot of challenges to these families.
And it's not just the displaced population,
because if you think about it, um,
around 1000 collective shelters that were established
in Lebanon are originally schools and colleges,
which means not only the Children of those displaced are not going to school,
but even other Children who had not been displaced.
Their schools are used as shelters so they can't go to school.
Most schools in Lebanon throughout are not, uh, functional anymore. And
also because of the security situation,
many of the schools, uh, have not reopened after the summer recess.
So this is just an example of how life has been disrupted
and the protection risks a lot of these families are facing
now when they are sleeping in the open air crowded,
their needs are growing. There is their own resources.
To be able to cope has also been hindered
with the loss of livelihood.
The fact that um, businesses throughout Lebanon has been impacted by this
The opportunities to work and find even any job to
be able to support their families has also been affected.
some of those who are fleeing are having no option but to cross to Lebanon.
So for now and up till yesterday, over 430,000 people have crossed from Lebanon
Um, about 70% are Syrians and 30% are Lebanese.
But other nationalities have crossed as well, including
Iraqis, Palestinian refugees, migrants, all kinds. So
the attacks on these border crossings is a major concern,
as this will block the way for people fleeing the conflict from seeking safety
Um, in Syria, our colleagues are at the five border crossings with Lebanon.
But of course, um, this these attacks are also
putting our presence there at risk and our ability to be at the border to provide
basic emergency relief such as water, food, items,
and to be able to follow up with those
who cross is being hindered with these security attacks.
it will mean that we have to think twice before our colleagues are at the borders.
just last week we started actually having colleagues there for night
shift because many people were also crossing during the night time.
But now we have to reassess
every time there is a mission to the border.
Um, it's also very important to remember the suffering of those people.
Crossing does not end at the border. Unfortunately,
there there is another emergency and a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding
at the final destinations. Where these people are crossing to
Syria is a country that has suffered from its own conflict.
Um, 13 years of crisis means that the infrastructure, health facilities,
livelihood opportunities, even homes and houses have been destroyed.
So these people are going to areas and towns and
villages that have been really battered throughout the past 13 years
that are being hosted by vulnerable families themselves. Um, more than 90%
The new arrivals are staying with these families
and they are being supported by these values.
So as U, NFC, R, we have been
rapidly scaling up our support in the final destinations.
We have a system in place where we have more than 114 community centres
throughout Syria. So we are reaching out to all these new arrivals.
But the need to support them and to support the host communities who are hosting them
including these vulnerable families, some of them displaced themselves,
is immense. And we really need funding and we need to be able to do this
and to be able to do it on the long run.
Um, more than 7.2 million people in Syria are still displaced
and not mentioning the new arrivals. So the
conflict in Lebanon is really spilling over to neighbouring countries,
Um in Syria, that is very clear. But we have also people going into Iraq.
About 19,000 Lebanese have arrived in Iraq.
We have Syrians who are crossing into government controlled areas and then
they make their way to northwest and northeast,
where the situation is also very challenging On the ground.
Uh, we are aware that last week another border crossing had been opened between
the Syrian government areas and northwest, where, uh,
non state actors are in patrol
and that will help those who decide to go to Northwest have an easier route.
But again, it's a catastrophic situation.
This displacement crisis is creating a major protection crisis and
a crisis on people who are trying to seek asylum
and now are being hindered and many obstacles are in their way.
Thank you very much indeed.
Um, it is a catastrophic situation,
and I would like also to call the attention of the journalist to all the
declaration and statements that were done yesterday by the UN High officials,
including the secretary general at the International Conference
in support of Lebanon's people and sovereignty.
So and you have received this on your email box.
OK, let's start from the room. Robin is our correspondent of
Yes, thank you. Three questions from me.
Firstly, the strikes on the border was any warning given.
what is the daily flow of people crossing the border now? Are you seeing more people?
Are you seeing fewer than you were in the
earlier stages? And thirdly,
when you spoke about the people who lost their homes
and now have no homes to go to Do you have any
idea at this stage what the scale of that might be?
regarding warnings. We are not aware of any warnings.
Uh, this happened overnight around very early in the morning, actually today.
So around 2 a.m. three M,
um, what we know are pictures. Colleagues at the
border crossing have shared pictures,
and you can see how the crater is so close to
the struggle that we had created for people to stand.
So this was a very close airstrike to where people usually are,
as they are in process to the immigration offices
on the daily flow, for example, um, this this to see a border crossing.
The numbers varies during the day between a few 100
maybe around four or 5000.
But of course it depends on what's happening on the other side of the border.
You see, um, it's good to remember that now, because the must not border crossing,
which is very close to Lebanon
and close to Damascus to Beirut, I mean and Damascus.
Since this border crossing was attacked,
many people have opted now to go through the longer route.
Sometimes a few extra uh, hours of driving, Um, and more, of course cost
to go through the northern borders to be to try to cross in a safer manner.
But now, as this border crossing had been hit,
it means people have to think twice before they attempt
to cross on how safe the route the route is.
Maa border crossing. Despite the two earlier airstrikes,
the craters that were created were really big. The rubble was a lot.
People were so desperate. I was at these border crossings. Less than 10 days ago,
you see people carrying all their belongings to their Children.
They're really going to through this tough terrain to
You're so exhausted you talk to them and
their voices are not almost,
uh, coming out. And they will tell you we're so tired. We don't want to talk.
We are exhausted. We have no energy to talk, even,
a border crossing. I was also there,
and there were people crossing and not just crossing into Syria.
But some people were crossing also to go,
for example to Iraq. So, um,
the daily flow really depends on how safe people feel. That it is OK to cross
and on what's happening with Lebanon. Because sometimes people
have not decided to flee and cross to Syria,
and airstrike happens very close to them.
And with very little notice, they run out of their homes,
sometimes without their documents and which is a
major problem because when they get to Syria,
they have to process their Children.
They need the birth certificates, they need the marriage certificates.
Uh, luckily, our teams have been on the ground at these borders for
since the beginning of this conflict, and we're helping,
helping them how to get their birth certificate for
their Children so that they can join the schools,
helping helping them with marriage certificates
and all kinds of legal issues that they will
face as they increase trying to restart their lives.
Many of them are Syrian refugees who fled Syria in the past 13 years,
thinking that they can find safety Lebanon to restart their lives in Lebanon.
And now they are on the run again,
and many of them. They crossed into Syria and you ask them
because I was there and you ask them, What's your plan? And they really have no plan.
All they're thinking about is they just want to run away from the bombings
and and that takes me again into Lebanon because now
we're hearing from our colleagues who I don't be around,
even those who are fleeing their homes.
Sometimes they find themselves forced to go back to these homes,
even if they deem it unsafe,
because they have no alternative shelter
and they want a roof on top of their Children's um
to protect them. Especially winter is coming, the weather is getting cold
and it's a major problem.
Thank you very much. Let's see if there are other questions. Uh uh,
Adachi Uh, the correspondent of the U
Uh, you talk about the situation in Syria,
But there are also reports
that the turkey also launched airstrikes in Syria and Iraq
following the attack of the, uh it's a defence company near Ankara. So
I'm wondering if you could talk about
the impact of it to the people on the ground.
Um, I don't have the specific right now with you,
but we can come back to you with the specifics,
but you bring in another very good point
and you know, you have these strikes
You have Israeli strikes inside Syria, like Homs, Damascus.
This has been happening almost on daily basis.
And this really illustrates
the difficult situation that all these people fleeing are facing.
Because even when they are fleeing the bombing in Lebanon
and they're crossing into Syria,
strikes continue it. It's not at the same level. It's not the same intensity,
but it is making the security situation very volatile
and it puts them at at a point where they
every day they have to think Is this place safe,
or do I need to run again?
And And that's why we also emphasise the need to end
the conflict in Lebanon as soon as possible and in Gaza,
because the spill over will mean further
dab destabilisation and further displacement and further
insecurities and further loss of lives.
It's literally cruel to see all these people trying to flee one time the second time,
and there's no spot that they get to that. They feel it's completely safe
now with this escalation that's happening in Lebanon,
even those who are fleeing to Syria.
Uh, you know, with the attacks near Damascus, near Homs, near other places,
they feel they're not so sure what to do
because they know the conflict could
could expand at any moment.
So the the the feeling of insecurity,
um, the lots of options on how to stay safe and how to protect their Children is just so
profound. It's sad, it's not right. It's it's It's unacceptable.
a situation. Any other questions, uh, for the refugee agency
don't see any hand up. So thank you very much,
Rula, for this update and good luck with your important work.
And let's stay in the region now
I would like to welcome Rick
porn. I don't need to introduce you Rick anymore.
Thank you very much for updating us once again on the
situation in Gaza on the point of view of health.
And then we'll hear from James
on the situation of the Children and open the floor to question
thank you very much. And and good morning. And greetings from, uh, Deba
I wanna focus on on two areas first, uh,
our missions to come out at one and then
which I think reflects a little bit, uh, health situation in north of Gaza.
And secondly, on, uh, polio.
yesterday, Uh, a WHO team and partners, Uh,
and I want really to mention the Palestinian repressive society ko
some of our UN colleagues from O
managed to reach Kamal and one hospital.
ongoing hostilities in the north.
It was a complex, uh, mission involving three U NAV S. Two trucks uh,
with supplies, uh, and and fuel
And it lasted for more than 20 hours. We only came back to our guest house.
And there about, uh, 3. 30 this morning,
WHO, uh, transferred 23 patients
and 26 caregivers from Kamala one to
we delivered, uh, you 100 and 80 units of blood trauma surgery,
alcohol supplies to cover 1600 intervention and
medicines to cover 5000 patients.
10,000 litres of fuel were delivered. We also wanted to take food.
We did not have been possible in the
current situation and adding another truck as well.
Uh, lab supplies, anaesthesia, medicines and antibiotics were also delivered to
Uh, for the health needs to cover 5 to 6000 people.
Another checkpoint is number of checkpoint close to Kamala one,
WHO and and and part as we witness, actually, a stream of
Initially, we sold about hundreds, but then they were passing us,
and there were actually thousands of women and Children,
uh, leaving the area walking, limping,
with a with a few belongings towards
Aladdin and actually towards Gaza City.
or adolescent, uh, adolescent boys. We saw men being screened.
we have indeed long delays at the checkpoints and and with military
vehicles in class, vicinity as well.
We saw the boundary walls of Indonesian hospitals having been demolished,
and and I think there was also an,
there's been a fire close to the in a school close to, um, the Indonesian Hospital,
which affect that hospital as well.
That hospital, by the way, is not in services
Arriving at Kamala one what we saw and what we
witnessed and discussing with the with the director or some,
and and just having been there a couple of days ago,
as well on the 20 21st of October,
75 patients, 100 75 to 100 patients and 15 on
uh, there were probably more than 200 patients.
The emergency uh uh, wards was overflowing,
and we saw numerous patients and being brought in and and horrific trauma, uh,
the and that I would say,
unequipped to deal with that. We also saw hundreds of people
in every corner of the hospital seeking shelter.
it it needs to be protected. It's the
currently what we There's two hospitals in the north of
which we call minimum functional. This Kamal
we don't know exactly what's happening and we we don't get the information.
We understand it's very isolated
and it is even less than minimal. Functional.
partly a minimal fun, uh, functional. It's absolutely needed.
And it should be, uh, protected.
well, first of all, maybe first, the good news Start with the good news and polio.
The campaign, the second round of the this campaign
I would say very much managed as supported. What we call the Technical Committee,
which, consisting of the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF
and many, many partners were part of the implementation.
The second round of this campaign started on the 14th of October
19, 91,000 Children under 10 years of age
with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type two
and also, uh, to and also to cover as many Children as possible between
the two and 10 years of age with vitamin A to boost their,
uh, to boost their immunity.
We all know we I mean, we brief you on the first round, which was an an,
I would say hugest achievement against many odds.
in the in the south, in, in both in the central zone,
we, uh the the coverage was 185,000 Children with polio
and 151,000 with vitamin A.
And that's the coverage close to more than 100% actually,
uh, the same coverage, um, of 266,000 polio and 213,000 with vitamin A.
uh, four and 51,000, uh, F four and 52,000.
Uh, Children are covered already with polio and
and three of the 64,000, Uh, with vitamin A
we have actually, uh, surpassed 90%. So we were really on the on the
The last lap is, of course, the North.
And due to the escalating violence, the the intense bombardment,
the mass displacement orders,
the lack of assured humanitarian pulses across most of the northern Gaza,
Committee, Ministry of Health, WHOU
have been unfortunately compelled to delay
the third phase of the polio cafe.
cover this 119,000 Children in the north as well as we did in the first round.
But, uh, the current conditions,
first of all, you need access. You need access to all Children wherever they are
that you get to this 90% coverage, this 90% coverage and we are almost there.
I want to make this point.
We're almost there is needed to stop the transmission of polio.
You don't want to get more polio cases in Gaza, but you also don't want to see an
AN and spread of the polio virus in surrounding countries.
we do this not only for the Gazan Children, but for Children all around.
that we can do this campaign.
And the technical committee is constantly reviewing, you know, when would be the
the the right moment. We have this window,
uh, between the 28th of october and fifth of November,
and and I'm confident that it will happen.
We need access to Children wherever they are.
Thank you very much, Rick. And yes, speaking about Children, James
before I start just a thanks as well to WHO colleagues for so much support on this.
Children are being medically evacuated from Gaza at fewer than one child per day.
Now, if this lethally slow pace continues, it would take more than seven years
to evacuate the 2.5 1000 Children needing urgent medical care.
So as a result, Children in Gaza are dying
not just from the bombs and the bullets and the shells that strike them,
but because even when when miracles happen,
even when the bombs go off and the homes collapse and the casualty mounts.
They are then prevented from leaving Gaza to receive
the urgent medical care that would save their lives.
So this year, from the first of January to the seventh of May,
there was an average a monthly average of 296 Children medically evacuated.
crossing closed due to the ground offensive there,
the number of Children medically evacuated has collapsed to 22 per month.
suffering from head trauma, amputations, burns, cancer.
Severe malnutrition have been allowed to leave Gaza since Rafah closed.
one of the many tragedies of Gaza is that appalling numbers
have failed to stir those with the power to act.
Allow me, then, if you will,
to share you three stories of Children whose
futures are bound by these crushing constraints.
These are, sadly, by no means unique.
is 12. When two rockets struck her home, she was thought dead.
She had no pulse when she was found under the rubble. Her two siblings, Hallah, 13,
and Mohammed, 10, were both killed
sustained devastating injuries to her face. Her face was literally
torn off. Now surgeons have held the remaining structure together,
but she urgently requires a medivac for specialised care and bone surgery.
also has shrapnel in her neck. This is a 12 year old girl
She's incredibly brave. But of course she is in immense pain
and her condition is worsening.
The platinum that's been surgically used to
to rebuild her face is coming out,
and doctors have stated that she needs surgeries outside of Gaza to save her life.
has been denied medical evacuation four times.
Authorities suggested that the medevac may perhaps
proceed without her mother accompanying her.
This is her mother, who's had her other two Children killed.
OK, so her father then attempted to take the next steps.
is a four year old little girl,
Her parents and siblings were sleeping in their hou in the house in al Nusra
early last month when a shell hit the
neighbouring house and engulfed both houses in fire.
Ilya, has fourth degree burns. Her leg was amputated.
She's been in hospital for 43 days,
most recently given delays in medical evacuation.
Doctors had to amputate fingers from her little right hand.
When I met Ilya earlier this month, her mum, Eslam, was in the bed beside her,
also with fourth degree burns.
She also needs urgent medical evacuation,
both for her burns and now for severe blood poisoning.
Her wounds were covered in fungus.
was denied medical evacuation.
She died two days ago on Wednesday.
has received approval for medical evacuation, no date given Now,
noting the immense number of cases cases, it's unlikely to happen soon.
Doctors have said they may have to amputate this
little four year old's hand and her other leg
if she is not medically evacuated soon.
ATF, he's six months old.
He's battling muscle cancer and suffers from severe malnutrition.
He's also got a kidney tube inserted into into him to due to other complications.
But despite the severity of this little baby situation,
like so many thousands of Children in Gaza, surgical medical care is close by
Last month, ATF's mother,
Amal, was forced to evacuate from the north.
She carried ATF in her arms,
walking long distances under all the horrendous
conditions that Rick has been speaking to.
Despite his despite its size when they got to Al Aqsa
Aqsa doesn't have the necessary resources to treat her son.
Now, with no hope to return, Amal
has set up a tent in that Al Aqsa Hospital complex.
Every day, ATF's condition deteriorate,
and he urgently requires medical evacuation for specialised care.
She's been waiting for news on his medical evacuation for two months.
It is not known how many child patients have been rejected for medical evacuation.
approved patients is provided by Israel's
which controls Gaza's entry and exit points.
The status of others is not shared.
When a patient is denied, there is nothing that can be done.
Trapped in the grip of an indifferent bureaucracy,
Children's pain is brutally compounded,
her face shattered and siblings dead or
Amal and her news that her only child may
die from a treatable illness receive the unthinkable news.
no pain relief, no escape. Cogat
does not provide reasons for refusals.
All of this unfold. Folds, of course, are a.
Amid relentless bombings, Gaza's hospitals have been decimated,
leaving them despite the immense work of Gazan health staff.
Unable to care for the flood of child patients,
medical staff repeatedly report
shortages of things like burn cream, IV, fluids, needles, plasters,
along with critical items wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, even batteries.
After more than a year of attempting to shed
light on the atrocities being committed against Children,
Perhaps then this is the clearest and most damning reality.
Children are being denied the medical care that could save them in Gaza
and then prevented from leaving where help awaits.
Children are thus being denied medical care. That is a basic human right,
and those who barely survive the ruthless bombardments
are then condemned to die from their injuries.
This is not a logistical problem.
We have the ability to safely transport these Children out of Gaza.
It is not a capacity problem.
Indeed, we were evacuating Children at much higher numbers just a few months ago.
It is simply a pro problem that is being completely disregarded.
Heartbreaking James, really
but I think you are right.
It's important to remind us that behind all these numbers, there are people.
who are suffering while we are speaking.
So let me open the floor to questions. Now, Robin?
Yes? Hi, Rick. Just on, uh, on the polio vaccination in the north.
What gives you, um what gives you confidence that, uh,
that it might be able to happen in the in the window that you mentioned? Are you, um
are you hearing indications from the Israelis?
what would it mean for immunity if these
Children in the north don't get vaccinated soon?
Yeah. Thanks for the question. Um,
um, yeah, I think all let's say all partners want this to happen.
We started all these roads, all this, uh, polio campaign and and
you know, we we and I say all these parties, I just
mentioned this whole all these people in the in the Ministry of Health
seven and NNW and and and many partner,
with all the teams on the ground in every think about in every in every, uh,
uh, zone we talk about more than 400 teams fixed term, uh, mobile et cetera.
we managed to do that in the first round.
I had a very good start in the in the second round.
So it's it is critically important to finish.
And I think everyone realised that and all the parties
and all the parts of this conflict as well,
at least a bit of hope. And I think also that I cannot,
uh, we first be owed to Children to finish this.
And not just the Gazan Children, but also the Children, Uh
the teams and everyone who is ready.
So I think over the coming days, it will be really important that the tech
Committee analyse this and we have constant discussions with whoever,
to make sure this is going to happen.
and, yes, it is important because we wanna make sure that we we have a coverage of, uh,
of 90% to stop this, uh, transmission.
for me over the over the coming week, uh,
we are a constant dialogue
technical committee with all the partners, et cetera.
And yes, I think we are. We are making plans that it will happen. And and
And I also want to be hopeful and convinced that it that it is going to, uh, to happen
Roby. Just to add that, yes.
If it doesn't happen, it means that they're not protected.
They can contract the virus, they can become paralysed,
and they can spread it to others.
it would mean that transmission is not interrupted and
the outbreak can continue and threaten Children in Gaza.
And as Rick says in the region
Musa, Uh, you have a follow. Sorry, Musa. Just a follow up from, uh,
Yes, just just a question for James.
you ever given reasons as to why medevac cannot happen?
And secondly, is everything
if the situation was ever to change?
the good news in this situation is that WHO is the lead,
so I'm gonna I will I will answer.
But I want to defer to Rick because he has the expertise on the ground.
I understand I have the answers, but I'd like to defer to Rick and WHO.
We agreed, Rick. Thank you.
uh. Let me start on that,
um before the rough crossing was closed.
I think approximately 4007, uh, patients,
mainly into Egypt and then from Egypt to other places,
And since rough crossing is closed, it is around sixth of May.
282 patients have been, uh, manac
again, Um, with support managed by WHO with our part of PR CS et cetera.
And they were mainly going to the UAE.
WHO is is completely we have been completely ready, and And we have been actually,
uh, horrific crisis of war, we've been, uh, raising the issues. We need a
And just to remind everyone that before this crisis, between 50
from Gaza to East Jerusalem
and those were 40% of their oncology.
I mean, Children with with with with cancer, women and men, et cetera.
But also cardiovascular, all kinds of diseases.
We currently I think we always talk about trauma because that is the and rightly so,
because that's a huge part.
and all these chronic patients.
that between 12 14,000 critical patients have to be
and we are constantly pushing for the,
for that we want medical corridors.
The first what would be needed to restore
the traditional medical corridor,
which is, of course, to the hospitals in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
And they are very much ready
the medical corridor to Egypt
and if possible, to Jordan
patients. Whenever countries are willing to receive them, they can go
somewhere else. We will continue. We are actually currently planning auto.
Matter of fact, Uh, very soon we continue, of course, with
what we call this this this approaches when
countries are ready to receive patients etcetera.
We will, as much as possible, go with the Ministry of Health priority, uh, list of,
the screening as and I think James referred to that the screening of course happens,
and the security screening from Israeli authorities lost patients and companions
from a receiving country.
show. We are not into that part.
with getting the patients together or getting them for the last time.
Uh, when we did one, that was more than 100 patients to the U uh, UAE and and
I remember I was also in Gaza and we got the last patients from the north.
I mean, like to be to be medevacs to the UAE,
and then we get them together on a place.
This time it was European Gaza Hospital and then a huge operation.
100 patients, one and almost 80 companions
We can do this more often
and much more if countries are willing and ready.
I agree very much what I hear from J
that it's really painful to see that many of these
patients which are on this list are not approved,
Overall, we are always trying to prioritise Children and in general,
they always at least one third of those patients.
We try to prioritise them.
But of course, that's not up to when we are not doing the security screen.
Before Robin asked it again,
he was asking whether you have had the explanation for the new.
explanations from the Israeli authorities on why not?
An evacuation is granted.
No, there's no explanation for that.
Except there is a security screening, uh,
being done by the by the Israeli authorities.
James. You have one. No. OK, same answer. So you've got your answer, Robin.
Uh, mao, uh, WHOAOC, uh, UNICEF.
Um this morning, Israeli forces stormed or invited Kamal
and, uh, I listen something some information about, uh,
the destruction of, um, Oxygen medical service.
Uh um, I think many, many injured, especially, uh, Children,
uh, in need of this, uh uh, oxygen.
And now there's in, in in, uh,
And I have another question for
Jens unfortunately, left us at 11 o'clock.
So if you have a question for him, just just send it to him directly. Musa
Rick, You want to take this one.
Yeah, it's a complex one because I said
We just come back from Kamala Guam,
and and And we were there
up to what was the time we left? Uh
up till midnight. We were there up till midnight. Actually, we we only arrived at
Shifa at 1. 30 in the morning
with the patients. So we live all the supplies, et cetera.
I described the situation we saw. I described the situation on the road.
the the what? We expect thousands of mainly women and Children.
We passed our vehicles on the way to,
so from the early morning, we get this very concerning, uh, information.
We need to confirm it. We get this, uh uh, confirmation. That's,
that currently so again not confirmed by us.
So I really wanna be also careful with that.
that that soldiers are close to the hospital
or enter the courtyard and and and and are
are telling the people by a loudspeaker that
that the displaced people have to come out
not the patient, not the staff, but the patient. We
and have to be moved and are being separated in groups of men,
men and women and Children.
we need more information.
If this is true, this is extremely, uh,
concerning actually shocking because first of all,
the hospital should not be attacked.
And people people who shelter there
there. There's no way to There's nowhere. Nowhere, nowhere to go.
They should be protected,
and they should be protected in a shelter.
is supposed to be a safe place.
A page where people find care, get treatment, et cetera, and get shelter.
So yeah, deeply, uh, concerning information and messages.
But most of that, uh, says we still need it for us. It needs to be confirmed.
So we are checking out as good as possible, including with the staff, and come
and Chris is on the line.
So if there is any news, maybe he'll be able to share it with the journalist here.
Sir, please, can you introduce yourself?
My question is about the, uh, polio
uh, you mentioned And there is a time window.
So I wonder if there is a deadline
for administrator Uh, the second dose,
uh, to boost uh, a strong enough immunity.
Yeah, I can be sure of that because I think I tried. I tried to explain that.
I would say first, good news started very well
in the in the central and the southern zone
in the northern zone delayed. Because of the reason that describes
90% plus of the Children to to stop this transmission not just for the Gazan Children
stop polio, but also for Children in neighbouring countries and all around
for that you need access.
You need access to wherever Children are.
So the technical committee is constantly analysing and and And that
will be continuing because we have to We have to close this last lab.
it's a It's a request to to to all parties, et cetera, we have to finish this job.
I think me massive achievements against many O
and we will have to con, uh,
continue and And continue this and and finish the the campaign
in the north making sure that this 190,000 Children which our targets
are covered by polio and the others by vitamin A.
Maybe James wants to add something on that one
Thank you very much. Uh, let me go back to the platform. Nika,
Sorry. Can you hear me now?
Yeah. Cool. A couple of questions for
thank you for the briefing.
Uh, how many people are thought to be sheltering in came a
And who, you think are therefore being ordered to leave.
Secondly, on the question of medical evacuations you've talked
There is somebody speaking in the
I don't know if it's from our regime here or somebody else who has opened the mic.
Can you please repeat your question?
OK. Yeah. I think you got the question about people sheltering
in kaled one. The second question is in relation to medical evacuations.
Um, you've been asking for this for some time. I I'm not quite clear, are
you? You're asking for this on a on a weekly basis on a daily basis.
And have you had any diplomatic support
from the United States or other Western governments who are supposed
to have leverage with Israel to support your requests for,
And And what is your understanding of where
And then a question to James, could you please just run past again
the numbers of Children who have been evacuated?
Uh, this year at different time zones. Thank you.
uh, really quick. Continue.
Yeah. OK, so I'm a mutant. OK, so first on the on the
We saw them all over in including I What I say many, many, many trauma, uh,
your second question was about the
the medevac. I mean, how are we raising this first about, uh, the the figures.
We can be very clear. The figures
currently 4.4 0.9000 patients have been medevaced out of, uh,
when the rough across it closed, it was like four points,
4.700 et cetera. Since that time since early May, only 282 patients
heavy manac out of Gaza. All support of WHO mainly to the UE. So how does it work
reports itself like we are willing
a number of patients and the UN E did that very generously
then, uh, they approach the WHO they they also approach the Israeli authorities,
and and with the ministries health,
we try to work as good as possible through a priority list.
We talked about screening how it works as as as well
we know, for example, that the, uh,
the other countries also took Palestinian patient Turkey and Oman and Qatar
and and But the book has gone to Egypt. Let me say it this way
before the rough crossing. By far.
No, we understand that also, a number of European countries, uh,
they are willing to to and they're willing to receive some patients.
They have to be very clear,
And they will have to pressurise also the Israeli government et cetera.
And we are ready to assist
and facilitate and manage it to make sure that we collect the patients, et cetera.
Bring them to Karem, Shalom
or whatever exits, et cetera. And from there
What we really want is these medical corridors, because these are
is fantastic, that countries do that. But these are ad hoc.
There's need for a sustained and organised medevac because we are talking about
between 12 and 14,000, uh, critical patients
to be medevaced outside Gaza.
And if we continue like that, we will continue for years.
the traditional referral pathway to the east, Jerusalem
and West Bank needs to be restored and a proper, uh, pathway to Egypt
and maybe Jordan as well from their own wars
and and again WHO apart is already for, uh for for that So
yes, of course, we push this with every level
I hope also Now it's, uh, you heard some of the figures. I mean, from James.
They're all figures from WHO. We analyse them et cetera.
I hope that this will ring a bell
because much more is possible.
Just as much more as possible for delivery of your return supplies all over Gaza
Yeah, Nick I, I I've sent a briefing note, but to give you a couple of others to crunch.
since seventh of October, total number of Children medevaced is 2303
934 last year. 2023 since seventh of October, 1369 this year.
the key here is the number of Children medivac since the Rafa
And that's 100 and 27. 100 and 27 Children.
Again, full deference to WHO who crunch all these.
Um and so 100 and 27. And as that.
That's why I speak to now we are at this catastrophic point, um
of less than one a day. Um, the other way to look at that Nick, is, um, up
from the start of this year, 1 January until the rough
crossing closed, 296 Children were medevaced every month.
speaks to the immense work being done by those running medical evacuations,
It also very much speaks to the brutality and
the indiscriminate nature of the offensive for now,
However, that 296 on average changed dramatically.
And that's now 22 Children per month.
there has been absolutely no reduction in attacks on civilians.
The only reduction has been on hospitals Capacity
Absolutely clear. Last question. Sad
Yeah, go ahead. Ok, thank you very
Um, I have a question to Dr
on the situation in the north.
Do you think that the the ID F is implementing so called the generals plan
which is, um, demanding the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian
Rick, if you want to say something, I also have a few lines from
us. But I think the main thing is that what? What? What We see.
And I think we've seen the report on this over the last week.
This, uh, forced evacuations, uh, from the north and and and telling people to move
to the, uh, to the south, uh,
which is already very disconcerting. Uh,
that approximately 450,000 people,
remain in the north. So north of Adi Gaza,
it used to be 200,000 in Gaza City and 250,000 north of Gaza City in
Now, over the last weeks,
it's estimated we already saw between 5060.
70,000, uh, people moving from
the north of Gaza towards Gaza City.
Yeah, What can I say? Incredibly, uh, disconcerting. And and and And
and And we have seen it. Now we've witnessed this now as well ourselves.
Yesterday on this mission to Kamala one where I
hundreds, actually thousands, mainly women and Children
struggling, limping, walking with their belonging past us towards Gaza City.
has a few more lines on this.
is not here, I can read you what
just said yesterday. That's the latest I have
turning to the situation in Gaza.
Reports that intense fighting continues to kill and
injure civilians and damage civilian infrastructure in northern Gaza
says that widespread devastation and deprivation
brought on by the siege in north Gaza is indicative of a war being waged with little,
if any regard for the requirements of international
Received reports that families in Tel
as well as west of the camp in al Fallujah, remain trapped and unable to move.
They estimate between 120,000 people to remain in
Since the Israeli ground offensive in the north began on 6 October,
some 63,000 people have been newly displaced from north Gaza governorate
to Gaza City, where, of course, the important word is newly.
As we have heard, this is not the first
follow the move order that they had to follow. So
should never say last question because there's always another one after.
And it's Lisa. Lisa. Welcome. Lisa Schlein, boss of America.
Yes, thank you. And, uh, it's just a very quick question to Rick, please. And this is,
um what do you base your hope that the,
uh, second round of polio,
uh, vaccinations will go ahead in the north? I'm not clear on that.
You did say earlier that,
uh, that you are in constant dialogue with the partners. Does that include Cogat?
yeah. What? What do I make my home?
First of all, I think, and I try to make the point,
the Ministry of Health WHO, UNICEF, Enro
and the many NGO parties and these hundreds of teams we've gone from really far
as a massive achievement in the third round
and an incredible start in the second round.
I everybody notices that and I I'm I'm
sure also the member state notice that everybody would
like to see this polio campaign to complete and
be complete it and as good as possible.
So we want to go for this 90%
and I think we can do it.
And this is again I mean something. What I think is so special that
you want to make that point still that we can do a polio campaign amidst
incredibly complex circumstances,
and have hundreds of teams
have a cold chain operational, have, uh, uh, intra and post campaign monitoring,
And if we struggle still as humanitarian, doing something simple,
simple as delivering few medical supplies, uh, food,
that is an issue which you change. If you can do this, we can do much better there
now, going back to where I believe I
I would, uh I would think, though, and and and yes,
we are in constant discussion with our part has also include Congress
that everybody wants this campaign
to finish because it's not just for the Children of Gaza.
It's also for the Children all around,
and so that's where we not hope
it's it. We should finish this
just the last, uh, the last line.
I want to come back also,
if I may for one second also what I heard from the former speaker
and and talking about actually you raised that where all these people came from
and also something that James referred to
to the enormous number of trauma cases.
And also yesterday that hospital come out of one.
So we had time to move around because took everything takes way more time
and and we talked to this whole family from
three kids and and and the moderate father,
the youngest kids. Four year old boy Adam,
uh, amputated underarm and amputation, et cetera.
The other one has a a massive, uh uh, trauma orthopaedic trauma on his shoulder,
et cetera, and needs orthopaedic services, which
he cannot get. Come out one now and the third one something similar.
And their only daughter died
of these bombardments. So these are just many of those,
uh, cases, Uh, and case I don't want to say people we constantly,
uh, see and and meet, which
also contributes to the whole
which needs additional operational support and which need assistive technology.
The HO made this assessment
that from the 100,000 injured,
will need lifelong assistive technology
It means 25,000 people. Currently,
that's shocking. We and already this was a problem before this crisis.
We need to assist them now in a better way. But also for
a long, long time to come
over to you. James, you wanted to add something.
Thanks so much, Lisa. It was just simply to to add,
um, that I I do think it's important that I mean,
obviously there There is no doubting the criticality of
what everyone is seeking to do around polio.
But I think it's also very important to realise,
as exhausted as everyone is on this crisis
that we like, we seem to have hit
a a new phase in the crisis. We seem to have hit
new level of devastation, and that is because, as Rick is so perfectly
the attacks continue in civilian areas en masse.
The difference now, of course,
is that these people have endured this for 12 or 13 months, so it is a as
It is for those who are exhausted by reporting on this and listening to this. No
one is more exhausted than Children and families on the ground,
and what we really need is peace in Gaza with an immediate ceasefire,
the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,
the effective delivery of humanitarian aid without obstacles,
and we need to make irreversible progress to end
the occupation and establish the two state solutions.
At the Secretary General yesterday at
as you said, I think we are all exhausted,
but nobody is more exhausted than the victim of this terrible conflict.
And we really need to see the end of it.
Thank you very much. Thanks, Rick, For for coming again to brief our journalist.
And as difficult as it is to get out of this,
we need also to hear from other agencies work. And it's an important work.
So I give the floor now to Zain awa
You have an announcement, Tina. Thank you. Thank you very much.
And thank you for being here.
Uh, just to let you know, uh, that, uh,
the governing body of the International Labour Organisation, uh,
will be holding its sessions starting next Monday.
The GB is the executive body of the I.
It oversees policy and agenda
and sets the agenda of the International Labour Conference
It meets three times a year,
and the next round of meetings are going to take place here in Geneva at HQ.
Starting on the 28th and ending on the seventh of November.
There are a number of issues on the agenda.
There are the work related topics and country
level issues that they will be going through.
They will also be discussing the strategic plan of the ILO from 2026 to 2029
and also the Global Coalition for Social Justice,
which of course has over 300 members.
they will also be looking at efforts and ways to promote democratisation of the
and look forward to the Second World Summit for Social Development,
which will be taking place in 2025.
In terms of specifics, the GB will be looking at Palestine's status within the
as well as the war in Ukraine, the Russia Ukraine conflict.
Country cases include the countries of Belarussia, Nicaragua, Venezuela,
Bangladesh, Guatemala and Myanmar.
Of course, each has its own dynamic
and, um last but not least,
journalists can follow the proceedings from the public gallery, uh,
Uh, but, uh, but are not won't be able to take photos or videos.
If you've got any questions or would like more information,
you can always reach out to us on our newsroom at ilo.org.
Uh, email. Thank you very much.
or online? I don't see any. So thanks very much. Good luck with the with the meeting.
for WMO. Claire, you have, uh, uh,
You are unmuted. We can hear you. Oh, OK. I'm unmuted
sorry. Sorry about that. Uh, yes. Good morning, everybody. Um,
the World Meteorological Organisation, uh,
is producing a number of reports in the run up to the UN climate change negotiations,
1st up is, uh, on Monday the 28th. So,
coincides with the, uh, with the i
we will be releasing the WMO greenhouse gas bulletin.
This reports on concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. So it's
different, but complementary to UN Environment's Emissions gap report,
which was released yesterday.
We're having a press conference, um,
with WMO se Deputy Secretary General Co Barrett, uh, on monday at 10 a.m.
unfortunately, our secretary General, Celeste
is busy, so couldn't attend. So, um,
Doctor Barrett will be speaking to you,
uh, instead, along with, uh,
Okano Tarasova. Who's the the coordinator of this report.
We've sent you the materials under embargo this morning.
We hope to get the press releases in the different languages. Um
uh, late later today and they will all be on the trello board,
and the link of that is provided in the press release.
Uh, looking ahead a little bit further on the seventh of November,
state of Climate Services report what climate services are. It's sort of basically
information products to help inform, you know, climate adaptation.
A good example is, um, seasonal outlooks on El Nino, la Nina, which, um, inform,
uh, decision making agriculture health, et cetera, et cetera.
So this is a report which will be reporting on
five years of progress in the provision of climate services.
Um, we're not planning a press conference on on that,
but there will be an embargoed press release, which we will send you,
the report, which obviously a lot of journalists, uh, wait for equally.
Um, we plan to release it on the 11th of November. This is the state of the climate 2024
provisional report. We're not yet at the end of the year, obviously, Um,
that will be figures on, you know, global temperatures.
Uh, till the end of September. I think the data, the data is
now the main launch of that will be, um, by our Secretary General in In Baku,
The report's coordinator, Doctor Bado.
So certainly if you have questions,
interview requests and you don't have colleagues in in
Um, please feel free to, you know, to contact me or pre
Barin. We can set something up with Doctor Bado
Um, and especially from Francophone journalists, we can, you know,
we can even organise a press conference.
11th, Uh, the the 11th of November.
So, please, uh you know, feel free to to reach out with me.
And I'll also discuss with my colleagues here as to you know, whether we'll have a
a parallel press conference in Geneva compared to, uh, to Azerbaijan.
So that's and we will send you again information on that under embargo.
So that's everything from me for today. Thank you.
Thank you, Claire. Any questions to WMO?
don't see any hand. Oh, yes. Paula. Paula
Um just wanted to know, uh,
when you will when you expect to be sending us under embargo.
Uh, that last report that you mentioned the, uh, state of the climate,
It we always compile it, you know,
quite close to the deadline just because we're
getting the data until the very last minute.
share it with you by, um,
uh, by Thursday, the seventh, or at the latest Friday, the eighth of November.
a lot of the data does come in, um,
you know, quite quite quite late.
And so for it to be as relevant and as up to date possible, you know, we it is a
You know, it's, um, a bit of last minute number crunching,
but But it will be hopefully the the Thursday or the Friday
But you said the embargo was on the 11th, right? The day in December.
we will send out the information under embargo
or Friday. Friday, eight.
it will be embargoed until Monday.
well, noted Claire, I don't see other questions for you,
I've got a few announcements on my side first of all to remind you
on Friday, the first of November, starting at 10
we have invited you to the United Nations International
Media Seminar on peace in the Middle East.
We have been discussing that
This is the seminar that the Department for Global Communication
organises every year as part of its special information programme.
On the question of Palestine,
we have heard that the alarmingly escalated crisis going on in this region.
So we will bring together journalists, media professionals, scholars,
diplomats from Israel, the state of Palestine,
Switzerland and other parts of the world
to discuss two pertinent themes.
Freedom of the press and safety of journalists in a time of war
and behind the headlines of Gaza media challenges and perspective. And
of course, you are all invited to this event which will be opened by
our director general here at YOG,
and Melissa Fleming, the under secretary General for
Communication, who will be in person here in Geneva.
Another press conference that we want to remind you about is the one organised by
that's on Tuesday, 29 October, just after the press briefing at 12.
It's the one that had been postponed
and it's the launch of the publication of the Trade and Development Report. 2024.
Rethinking development In the age of discontent,
Rebecca Greenspan, the UN Trade and Development secretary general,
will brief you together with Anastasia
Macroeconomic and Development Policy Branch.
And please remember that the report and the press conferences
embargo until Tuesday 29 October at 230 Geneva time.
the committees on human rights.
So the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
is having this morning an informal public meeting with state
parties for the launch of General Recommendation Number 40.
This is on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision making
then they will close. The session is the 89th session at 5 p.m.
The Human Rights Committee will begin next Monday afternoon at
5 p.m. The review of the Report of Ecuador,
which will be the last one on their agenda.
The Committee Against Torture will open the
next next Monday will open its 81st session
that will last until the 22nd of November. As you know, the meet at Pale
The countries that will come on the report
of the committee This session will be Kuwait,
they will hold a high level event for
the 40th anniversary on the Convention Against Torture.
And this is what I had for you. I see Gorky as a question for me. Bourgeois,
thank you very much to everyone who has followed this long briefing and
weekend. And we'll see you next week. Thank you.
