Thank you for joining us here at the UN office at Geneva for this press briefing today, the 18th of March.
We'll start off the briefing with the statement that you should have received in your inbox just a short while ago on behalf of the Secretary General on the situation in Gaza.
We also have briefers who will speak to this, the situation in in Gaza as well as the OPT.
We have Tamim with us here.
We have Tomaso online from IFRC.
Just to mention, as you, as you well know, the Secretary General here is currently in Geneva here to convene the informal meeting on the site on Cyprus in these talks actually started last night.
We shared a note with you on those talks, which is being convened in the context of the Secretary General's good offices, good offices after it's on the situation in Cyprus, which was agreed by the two leaders, a Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders back in October.
So we shared a note with you on that.
But whilst here, the Secretary General issued a statement a short while ago on Gaza, which I will recite now.
Secretary General is shocked by the Israeli air strikes in Gaza in which a meaningful number of civilians have been killed.
He strongly appeals for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be re established and for the remaining hostages to be released unconditionally.
So with that, I'm going to turn 1st.
I'm going to turn to Tommaso of IFRC because Tamim from OSHA has two issues in fact.
But first we'll hear from Tommaso on the response in Gaza and then we'll hear from our colleague from OHGHR, Tamim.
Thank you very much, Rolando, and good morning, all.
So I would like to brief you on the latest updates from the devastating air strikes in Gaza overnight.
I'm sorry that I'm not there in person, but as you can imagine, it has been a very busy morning.
We therefore see have had some difficulties in reaching our colleagues at the Palestine Christian suicide in Gaza.
We have received some limited updates and will update when we can during the day.
The information I'm going to give you were shared with us at 7:00 AM Gaza time.
Palestine Crescent teams have been responding to the attacks overnight.
They have responded to 150 fatalities and 179 injured people.
Children were among the casualties.
Medical facilities are well whelmed by the number of patients and by the pressure on dwindling supplies.
We know there are shortages of food supplies and fuel.
Palace and Recursion teams are working to assess the impact of fuel shortages on ambulance services and the ability of first responders to reach those in need.
There are shortages of medical supplies and medicines in hospitals and clinics and this is making the provision of life saving treatment increasingly difficult.
As we all know, no fuel and no aid have entered Gaza since the beginning of March.
Fewer ambulances are able to operate and this morning's bombardment has seen ambulances responding across the entire Gaza Strip, which means fuel supplies have plummeted further.
Palestine Recurst and teams are working to better assess this impact.
The International Federation of Recross, Recurst and Societies takes no side other than the side of humanity.
And today we would like to reiterate our calls on all parties to maintain the ceasefire.
Protect civilians, humanitarians and healthcare workers and facilities that across RECURST and the red crystal emblems must be respected and protected.
And all parties must ensure the safety of those providing humanitarian aid.
Ensure safe and inner access for aid and essential, essential services everywhere in the Gaza Strip.
Open all available border crossing to ensure a continuous and expanding flow of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and food and fuel into Gaza.
Immediately and unconditionally release all the Ofsted.
Thank you very much to myself thrown out to Tamim, who we also have on the line.
We somebody you know well, Ajit Sungai, who's the head of the UN Human Rights Office, who is Speaking of with us from Amman.
But over to you for a sub to mean thank you, Rolando.
You will have seen the comment issued this morning by the **** Commissioner for Human Rights for Couture on the on last night's events in Gaza.
We are horrified by last night's Israeli air strikes and shelling in Gaza, which killed hundreds according to the Ministry of Health in the Strip.
This will add tragedy onto the tragedy.
The last 18 months of violence have made abundantly, abundantly clear that there is no military path out of this crisis.
The only way forward is a political settlement in line with international law.
Israel's resort to yet more military force will only heap further misery upon a Palestinian population already suffering catastrophic conditions.
This nightmare must end immediately.
The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.
Those arbitrarily detained must be released immediately and unconditionally.
The war must end permanently.
We urge all states with influence to do all in their power to achieve peace and avoid further suffering of civilians.
Now, going to the report that has been released by our office on the settlements, the Government of Israel has ramped up settlement of the occupied West Bank, including E Jerusalem, transferring its own population into the territory and unlawfully demolishing Palestinian homes.
At the same time, settler violence has increased with continued impunity.
A report published by our office today also outlines the ongoing transfer of powers over the occupied Palestinian territory from the Israeli military to the government.
By doing that, the Israeli government is facilitating the advancement of settlements in the West Bank and the steady integration of this occupied territory into the State of Israel.
Israel's settlement policy, it's act of annexation and related discriminatory legislation and measures are in breach of international law and violates Palestinians right to self determination.
The transfer by Israel of parts of its own population into the territory it occupies amounts to a war crime.
Today's report, which covers the 12 month period up to the end of October last year, refers to plans to construct over 20,000 housing units in new or existing Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem alone, according to Israeli non governmental organisations.
In the meantime, 214 Palestinian properties and structures have been demolished in East Jerusalem, over 10,300 units within existing Israeli settlements in the rest of the West Bank are in the pipeline and an unprecedented 49 new Israeli outposts have been established.
The report also points to plans to increase the provision of Israeli government services in settlements.
This further institutionalises long standing patterns of systematic discrimination, segregation, oppression, domination, violence and other inhumane acts against the Palestinian people.
The current climate has empowered Israeli settlements Israeli settlers.
The current climate has empowered Israeli settlers to attack Palestinians, force them from their homes and seize their land.
During the reporting period, a total of 612 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including E Jerusalem, by Israeli security forces and settlers.
24 Israelis were also killed in alleged attacks or clashes with Palestinians.
The line between settler and state violence has blurred to a vanishing point, with steps taken by Israel to further militarise the settler movement, including by enlisting thousands of settlers into Israeli security forces operating in the West Bank.
We reiterate that Israel must immediately and completely seize all settlement activities and evacuate all settlers, stop the forcible transfer of the Palestinian population, and prevent and punish attacks by its security forces and settlers.
Now over to my colleague Ajit Sangay, the head of our office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, who's joining us from Oman.
Colleagues, before speaking to you today about our latest report on the occupied West Bank, I would like to start with the tragic developments overnight in Gaza, where we are hearing reports of hundreds being killed, many of them civilians, in a wave of Israeli strikes.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 326 Palestinians have been killed, including many women and children.
The Israeli military had already killed at least 106 Palestinians since the ceasefire started in January.
Up to last night, mostly in and around no go zones along the edges of Gaza, the Israeli military reportedly hit residential buildings, schools, IDP camps, a trend that has been documented extensively by our office since October 2023.
We're again seeing the scenes of mutilated bodies of children and bodies wrapped in shrouds.
The Israeli military also issued A displacement order from several parts of Gaza, indicating a return to a pattern which led to the forced displacement of 90% of the Palestinian population in Gaza, often several times.
It is unacceptable, even unimaginable at once again, to once again find ourselves talking about this, instead of supporting the path towards meaningful recovery and sustainable peace.
The situation is compounded by the blockade of Gaza.
For over 2 weeks now, Israel has closed all crossings and prevented the entry of humanitarian aid, fuel and other supplies.
We're also concerned about reported plans to cut off the little that remains of water supply.
With no fuel, no electricity and no aid, how can bakeries, water desalina, tion plants and other critical infrastructure operate?
How long before all food runs out and we are again facing hunger and starvation?
Once again, we remind Israel of its obligation to comply with international humanitarian law's fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in its attack.
Any targeting of civilians not directly participating in hostilities is a war crime and must stop immediately.
Blocking aid from reaching civilians is a collective punishment and must stop immediately.
And the use of starvation as a weapon of war is a crime under international law.
Simply this violence and the killing must stop immediately.
The hostages must be released.
Those arbitrarily detained must also be free.
Now, colleagues to the report we are putting before you today, which points to another deeply concerning trajectory taking place in the West Bank, including E Jerusalem.
Israelis taking serious and accelerated steps to annex more and more parts of the occupied Palestinian territory in violation of international law.
In the West Bank, settlements are expanding at an alarming rate.
This is coinciding with a series of legislative and policy steps that are increasingly allowing for land appropriation from Palestinians and further facilitating the extension of Israeli sovereignty and and laws over the West Bank.
The rampant forcible displacement of Palestinians from their homes and lands in the West Bank further exacerbates the situation.
We're witnessing a violent and ever expanding as Israeli operation that started last January in the northern parts of West Bank, particularly in Jenin, Tulkaram and Tubas.
This operation has so far killed 59 Palestinians, displaced 10s of thousands and emptied the entire refugee camps.
Displacement is further fuelled by continuous, continuously increasing home demolitions and evictions, settler violence that can no longer be separated from state violence, and daily appropriation of Palestinian land on alleged security grounds, only to be later relocated to serve settlers.
We have a clear legal pathway to follow here, confirmed last year by the International Court of Justice.
The occupation of the Palestinian territory must end as rapidly as possible.
All Israeli settlers must be evacuated and all settlements of this territory must cease immediately.
The international community has a strong mandate to take meaningful action to prevent annexation and ensure Palestinians right to self determination.
Member States must act now.
Thank you very much, Ajith.
If you allow me, colleagues, just refer briefly to statement as well on going back to Gaza, There was a statement issued by the statement by Muhammad Adi, who's the humanitarian coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, on the urgent need to reinstate a ceasefire.
In this statement, I won't read the entire statement.
Of course, he refers to these ways of air strike which occurred early in early hours of the morning.
He echoes what the SG says about the need for humanitarian assistance, the release of hostages and the restoration of basic services and people's livelihoods.
So this is a statement from Muhammad Hadi, Humanitarian Coordinator.
OK, colleagues, we'll take questions on.
We can take questions both on Gaza and on the settlements report, which we just heard about.
So over to you for questions starting in the room.
I don't see that's a case.
Christian of German news agency.
My question was to Tomaso.
You were mentioning 159 fatalities.
Can you, because the figures are all going in different directions, Could you give us a bit more context?
Where exactly was the Palestinian Red Crescent working?
Which part of the Gaza Strip?
And I assume there are other organisations who respond.
So the 159 would not be an indication of the total number of casualties, is that correct?
First, it's 150 fatalities and 179 injured people.
And, and this is what we got this early morning from Palestine Crescent colleagues.
I don't have the exact details of the, I mean where in the Gaza Strip, but then I mean, I'll, I'll try to ask to colleagues when I'm able to talk to them.
And of course, I mean, it's a team effort.
So it's not only one organisation responding, even if the emergency number of the emergency ambulance services is basically dealt with the Palestine Crescent teams.
Yeah, I mean, let me let me just be clear, colleagues, as you well know, and we've we've said it from this pulpit for for repeated crises situation is so fluid, it's really hard to to give a precise number of casualties, those killed, those injured, those affected by these types of strikes.
So we will certainly do our best to keep you updated on those statistics once we get them.
Emma, Reuters, good morning.
One question for Tomaso or or Tariq maybe.
And one question for the UN Rights office.
The first one, can you update us on the situation of the hospitals and the field hospitals?
What is your state of readiness right now to deal with this level of casualties given the supply constraints recently and for the UN human rights office?
There are some reports on the ground that the big 2000 LB bombs have been used in these latest air strikes.
These were the ones that were paused by the US under Biden and Trump lifted that pause since his presidency.
Do you have any evidence?
Have you been able to verify that they are part of the latest strikes?
So let's first take the questions on the health infrastructure.
We'll start maybe Tomasso, then Tarek I believe is connected.
So maybe we'll start with you, Tomasso, if you have anything to add on that.
And then field hospitals I think you mentioned and then Tarek.
Thank you very much for the question.
So I mean, what we heard from Palisades and colleague this morning is that many medical facilities are literally overwhelmed all across Gaza after the the recent developments of the recent bombardments.
Then I can add for the Palestine Crescent Field Hospital in Gaza City and the different and the other hospital in Canyonis and the different mobile clinic that of course the situation is rapidly deteriorating even before the recent developments, because since the beginning of March, we didn't get any other aid, any other medicine.
Of course, it was very positive to have six weeks of aid entering, including medicine and medical supplies.
But this was in not enough to replenish all the, all the stocks.
So the, the situation, it's really complicated.
I mean, we know that Palestinian, Palestinian Christian teams are very good in trying their best with limited capacity in their sadly in their history.
But of course, the more we go ahead, we know and trans obey, the, the less we'll be able to take care of people.
So, as as Tomaso has already explained, there is a issue and there is a shortage of medicines because nothing has been coming in since.
March 2, So there is a 20 out of 36 hospitals that are currently partially functional.
But unfortunately, because of this shortage of medicines, there is a risk of not of, of health workers not being able to provide treatment for, for different, for different medical conditions, not only for for trauma injuries.
We have managed before, but before the aid stopped coming in to bring in some supplies and we are providing it to the functional health health facilities.
But again, we receive reports that many of these supplies are, are running out.
We have some 16 trucks at Irish that are ready to get in.
So, so we just echoed the call from humanitarian coordinator and, and, and the UN, we need the access and we need obviously a ceasefire to, to, to, to get back because again, you know, it's, it's, it's just more suffering for Palestinian people as we have heard from from colleagues just this morning to her.
Tarek, over to you, Ajit on the second question.
Thanks, Emma for the important question.
Unfortunately, we don't have that information yet.
We're hoping that we'll get something on that in the coming days.
But if you recall, we had put out the report some months ago on the indiscriminate bombing.
We had raised concerns about the use of 2000 LB bombs.
But your specific question about whether it has been used this morning, last night, I don't have it yet, but we can come back to you in the next few days.
Let me, I'll take your question a second, Jeremy.
But just it was just shared a next post from Philip Lazarini of UNRWA.
As you know, Commissioner General for UNRWA just posted the following Gaza awful scenes of civilians killed, among them children, following waves of heavy bombardment from Israeli forces overnight.
Fuelling **** on earth by resuming the war will only bring more despair and suffering.
A return to the ceasefire is a must.
Again, this is Philip Lazzarini, Commissioner General of UNRWA.
Another way to put it is how long till the hospitals and the ambulances of the Red Cross run out of fuel.
Nothing has could could enter since March 2, you said.
So technically how long till the ambulance can, can actually function?
Thanks for Jeremy for for the question.
Actually, I don't have a timeline and I want I don't want to speculate on that.
What we know is that the situation is really rapidly deteriorating as I said.
So I, but then I'm not able to give you a timeline on that.
Yeah, certainly again, the situation as it is now very fluid.
We'll we'll certainly try to give you these types of responses as we receive them from our humanitarian colleagues on the ground chiefly.
So let's take other questions in the room before turning online.
I don't see any in the room.
So we'll take a question from Gabriella of El Processo or Processo Gabby.
Thank you very much, Orlando.
One just a thing to say and then a question that online we see the this the person that are speaking, but we don't see the names.
So if we didn't get the name, you know, when you mention we don't know who is speaking.
So it'll be nice if if you put some sign, you know, to them to, to know who is speaking.
And then my question is, do you think that Israel feels entitled to, you know, to do this kind of violations of human rights against the Palestinians after the attacks of the 7th of October?
Do you think that they feel like entitled to to do that to them?
I'm, I'm bursting to comment, but I'm going to turn to my colleague Ajit maybe to respond to that.
Look, I mean, I think one thing is very clear and the office has constantly mentioned this violations that happened on 7th and 8th of October was unacceptable.
And the **** Commissioner has stated this repeatedly.
But that does not allow Israel to float international human rights and humanitarian law the way it has done in Gaza for the last 18 months, with serious concerns about atrocity crimes and in many cases, war crimes is not acceptable either.
And that has been underlined on several occasions.
And unfortunately, we see that kind of operations and that kind of military tactics continue.
Thank you very much, Ajit Satoko, Yomiyodi.
Thank you very much for doing doing this.
I have a question to Ajit on Gaza.
How do you describe the situation in Gaza in terms of ceasefire?
Do you think the ceasefire has ended now?
I think that's a very tricky question.
It's for the parties to the conflict to say whether ceasefire pulled out of ceasefire or not.
But the fact remains that there have been strikes, there have been killings, there have been orders of displacement for the people.
And we are seeing what we have seen over the past 18 months, which is misery, suffering, killing, death, injuries again, blockade for humanitarian aid to enter in, cutting off electricity, water.
This is what we had seen even before the ceasefire came into being in January.
So whether the ceasefire is continuing or not, in these circumstances, for me it becomes a little superfluous.
We focus not on the on the ceasefire monitoring, but we still focus on human rights monitoring and IHL monitoring.
And on that basis, I can say we have somehow gone backwards to say the least.
Thank you very much for that.
I mean, of course, maybe just add my my comments on behalf of the UN broadly just to say what we've been saying repeatedly for 17 months now.
I mean, you know, the ceasefire, well, in terms of the ceasefire which was agreed to, you know, in January, December, in December, sorry, it provided A crucial humanitarian lifeline.
You know, it allowed the delivery of aid which hadn't been getting in food, medical supplies and and so much more.
And it created this relief for those caught up in this 17 month conflict.
So let's just let's be mindful of that.
Further questions, Antonio Effet.
And my question is for Mr Sungai.
I, I want to know if Israel notify the your office or any other UN agencies about its will to, to break the ceasefire this night.
And also if you have comments on the way the the ceasefire has been broken, do you think it it has respected the international law?
No, at least I can speak on behalf of Office of the **** Commissioner for Human Rights.
We have not been informed about any intentions of striking Gaza that I can say.
I cannot speak on behalf of other UN entities, but this is what I can say from our perspective or it's each other has not been informed and this is not their practise either.
The second thing is on breaking of ceasefire, look, I mean constantly the **** Commissioner for Human Rights, the SG himself as well and a number of other principals have asked all parties to make sure that they stick to ceasefire agreement, you know, to to the maximum.
And they've also called on member states to make sure that the ceasefire agreement is abided by.
And we have also encouraged the parties to the conflict to move forward with the next phase of ceasefire and make sure that the the war is finally ended.
So this is where it remains.
Now whether it breaks international law or not, I think what is important is what we've seen this morning or last night is already an indication that international human rights and IHL have already started being disregarded.
And we talk about disproportionate use of force.
We talk about, you know, the the lack of distinction and technology that the IHL requires.
Thank you very much, Ajit.
Do we have further questions on either?
OK, we do, Emma, if I may, for Ajit, please.
Even before these latest bombardments, Gaza was already such a toxic place with millions and millions of tonnes of rubble, toxins, unexploded bombs.
What do these latest bombardments mean for you, for the for the future of Gaza?
Can any of these big grandiose plans that Trump has that the Arab group have ever be realised or is this turning into a sort of almost an unlivable place?
I think the focus should obviously be on ending the work that we've basically said repeatedly moving on to early recovery phase.
It's also something we have again and again, stress and reconstruction.
Now, that is possible, in my humble opinion, but that requires cooperation of a number of parties.
You know, we have constantly mentioned that our colleagues from en masse have been unable to take the required apparatus, the equipment to de mine, so on and so forth.
Rubble removal is a huge issue.
And the UN has actually given a rough estimate of these, you know, efforts and will.
It will take years, but it cannot happen without the support and push of the international community and the will.
So that's where it stands.
But in my opinion, yes, that is it is possible.
Ajit, we have another question from Gabby Processel.
Yes, thank you very much.
Well, I don't know if it's a very silly question, but how do you qualify this because you it's a war or it's an invasion, just to clarify.
Ajit, do you want to take that?
Look, I mean the offices always use the word escalation in conflict because there's been not not been a full peace between Israel and Hamas and Palestine.
So what we use is escalation every time there is an increased activity of attacks, raids, so on and so forth.
So this we have constantly sort of referred to the word escalation of conflict or escalation in conflict.
Thank you very much for that, Ajit.
And I think that concludes our questions on the OPT.
So thank you very much for joining us as always, Ajit.
And certainly we'll be hearing a lot from from you and your colleagues at OHGHR as well as the other agencies working on the ground and elsewhere.
So we'll we'll certainly keep you up to speed on all the developments as we receive those.
Thank you very much for your attention and thank you again, Tommy.
OK, we have shifting to the Global Climate Report 2024.
We have Claire Nollis on the line with us from World Meteorological Organisation who will announce this, the launch of this report.
Yes, and good morning everybody.
The World Meteorological Organisation tomorrow, the 19th of March issues it's State of the Global Climate 2024 report.
This is one of our flagship publications to inform policy making decision making on the state of the climate.
We already confirmed earlier on this year that 2024 was the hottest year on record.
Temperatures obviously only part of much bigger pictures, so this report will give details of climate indicators such as CIS, glacier retreat, ocean heat, ocean acidification, and we'll obviously look at the the impact of extreme weather on our economies, on communities, on society worldwide.
We sent it out under embargo yesterday in English.
If you haven't received the assets, please let me know.
We do have a, a Trello board with all the assets on, including the full report.
Again, if you haven't got it, because I think, I think we forgot to include the link in the press release.
So just contact me and I can send it to you.
I know you're very busy with Human Rights, Human Rights Council at the moment.
There's a lot of press conferences, a lot of debates.
We are having an embargoed technical briefing this afternoon at 3:00 PM and the link and the registration it was given in the press release.
It is hosted by the UK Science Media Centre, but it is open to all journalists.
Again, if you need the registration link and you haven't had it already, please just let me know and I can send it to you.
Looking ahead, Friday is World Glaciers Day, the first World Glaciers Day.
We had the embargoed press conference last week on that.
Again, if you need any additional information from our experts, please, please, please just let me know.
And Monday of next week, we will be marking World Meteorological Day at WMO headquarters.
The day itself is Sunday the 23rd.
We will be having the ceremony on the 24th.
I will be sending out a press release later this week and again, all the details are on our website.
Just a word on the press releases which we have sent out.
Our translation departments do have a bit of a backlog, so they're not yet available in all languages.
We hope to have the press release on glaciers in all languages by the close of play tomorrow.
And the state of the climate, which I know it's after the embargo, that will be by by by Thursday.
And finally looking ahead to next week and just for your planning purposes, on Friday the 28th of March, we move on to the first of our regional state of the climate reports.
And the first one in that series is the state of the climate for Latin America and the Caribbean that will be released during a regional meeting we're having in El Salvador.
And again, I will send you that material under under embargo.
There is no there's no plans for press conference and the meeting itself.
I don't think is is accessible to journalists, but I can I can check on that.
But in any event, you will get the, you know, the report and the press release in advance.
Lots of important information there.
We do Gabby Proceso, thank you.
Claire, just just one question.
The, the report that you mentioned in Latin America, does that include Mexico?
Because some people say it's North America, Mexico, some people it's not Latin America.
So just to to know, let me check on that, Gabby.
I think from memory from last year, it it does, but I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll check and I'll, I'll check and get get back to you.
But I I, I think it does, but I can, I can, I can confirm it.
I haven't had a chance yet to to look at the report, but I think it does.
We do Antonio FA can you remind us, Claire?
There is some events organised with this first world racist day, something that we can take pictures or video yes in not in Geneva.
So we you know, we had our press conference last week under embargo, partly to accommodate, you know your schedules, but also because our experts will be travelling to the various events.
So UNESCO in Paris will be hosting events, as far as I'm aware, tomorrow.
And then the main ceremony is on Friday.
I can give you the contact details in case your colleagues in Paris want to cover it.
And it will be World Glaciers Day and also the release of the World Water Development Report, which this year covers, covers glaciers because World Water Day is the 22nd of, of March.
So we have a lot of international days at taking place at the moment.
So you have that activity in Paris that's and the auspices of UNESCO.
And then in New York there will be a ceremony also on Friday for World Glaciers Day.
I think that is definitely open to journalists, but I can, I can find out for you.
And that is, I know the government of Tajikistan is, is heavily involved in it, but it, you know, it is, it is an event organised by the, by the secretariat in New York.
But I can, I can send you, I can send you details of that, of that separately.
Antonio, is that a follow up or is that a legacy hand?
Yes, just to ask Claire if you can send us some pictures or videos of these events as they are not here.
I'm not sure actually that I will get pictures or videos because I won't be there either, but I will listen.
I will check with my colleagues in New York and with the UN in New York and also with UNESCO in Paris.
Because I think from what I understand, I think there will be quite a big visual component on.
On this it won't just be the ceremony, but let me let me double check with you and I'll I'll revert to you on that on that sounds good.
Thank you very much Claire further questions no.
So thanks for joining us as always Claire and good luck with this next few days and we're nearly done with this briefing.
I just wanted once again just going back to my earlier comment on the SGS travel.
Of course, he's here in in at the Palais.
He is convening this informal meeting on Cyprus.
As I mentioned, we will share information with you.
Some of you have asked whether the Secretary General is planning to do a press encounter.
We don't have any confirmation of that.
Should that be the case, we will certainly let you know as early as possible.
We do have a few other events surrounding the the talk going on here, including a press conference by the Turkish Cypriot leader.
If you just give me a moment here.
Yes, Mr Ursin Tatar, a Turkish separate leader will brief you here in this room at 3:30 today.
And this is the one press encounter that I can announce in the context of the Cyprus talks.
I will before going to the other press conferences.
Let me just continue with some other plans from the Secretary General.
After leaving Geneva this evening, the Secretary General is headed to Brussels where he will meet with European Union leaders.
This was already announced by the spokesperson in New York, but I'll just repeat a few elements for your information.
This is the meeting with the European Union leaders is something, as you know, he's been doing for the past several months and years.
In fact, tomorrow he's scheduled to meet with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, as well as Roberta Mezzola, the President of the European Parliament.
And on Thursday, at the invitation of Mr Costa, the Secretary General will take part in a working lunch with heads of State and Government of the European Union and at the opening of the European Council.
There's more information that we shared with you previously about the SGS plans in Brussels.
Just wanted to put on your radars.
You've received yesterday a note to correspondence on Yemen concerning the recent developments in Yemen through which the UN expresses its concern about the continued threats by Houthis to resume their attacks targeting merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, as well as about their reported attacks against military vessels in the area.
The SG calls for the full freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
And now in this statement, we also reiterated our concern at the launching of multiple strikes on Houthi controlled areas in Yemen by the United States in recent days, which according to Houthis, the air strikes resulted in 53 deaths and 101 injuries.
So this is a statement that we shared with you yesterday.
We also shared a statement on behalf of Tom Fletcher, the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs on Syria concerning at the Brussels conference, which is titled Standing with Syria Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition.
This is a statement that we shared with you yesterday.
And almost lastly, we have just a couple of, I have for you a couple of meetings to make sure you keep you on track here.
The Human Rights Committee is still a meeting.
They conclude their 143rd session this Friday, the no, sorry, next Friday, next Friday, the 28th of March.
Excuse me, what are the issuing concluding observations of the five countries reviewed?
OK, so next Friday they will conclude and they will issue their observations from Montenegro, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mongolia and Albania.
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
That meeting will next Thursday, the 21st of March.
There will be a general discussion on Article 29 of the Convention, which concerns the participation of political and public life of persons with disabilities, very important angle, of course.
And then the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, another concurrence human rights treaty body is holding its session, which started yesterday, the 17th of March, and will be over the course of these three weeks.
We'll be reviewing the situations in Serbia and Gambia, Central African Republic, Peru, Belgium and Malta.
You have all the background notes on these treaty body sessions.
And lastly, but not least of course, is the Human Rights Council, which has been dominating much of your agendas for the last few weeks.
We have the beginning of country situations being starting today.
This is Item 4, otherwise referred to as country situations.
We have this morning a dialogue with a special Rapporteur on the Islamic Republic of Iran, May Sato.
And this is a first appearance before the Council, followed by the report of the independent international fact finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran, who spoke with you at a press conference last week, as you know.
And then we'll have the independent Commission of inquiry on Syria later in the morning.
And then this afternoon, time permitting, we'll have the international fact finding missions on Venezuela and the Commission of inquiry on Ukraine.
So lots, lots of hard news there, all contained in the update that Pascal shared with you earlier or last night.
In fact, Emma Rolando, I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss something.
Has Gutierrez, who is here in our time zone, right, maybe in this building, has he reacted at all to the Gaza, the latest?
I just read out the statement that we shared this morning with you just before the commencement of this, OK?
Should we have anything else on behalf of the SG or any other principal, of course, we'll share that with you.
But that statement is what we have for the moment, OK?
And we did share that we shouldn't, we sent it if you haven't received it to contact maybe Solange, we sent it out I think around 10:00 this morning.
It's been a deluge, but OK, it's been a deluge.
You're right, you're right.
And on, on the Cyprus talks, just one press conference confirmed it.
Just that's what we can confirm for the moment.
As I mentioned earlier, if the SG decides to do something or if any other guarantor, we have the Greek Cypriot leader, we have Greece, Turkey, European Union, we have the UK minister here.
If anyone else decides to speak, we have photo OPS and we, we've shared the information with you on those photo OPS, those who are Privy to them.
If there's anything more to that, we'll certainly let you know in the course of the day.
But that's all we can for the moment.
I have a question online Gabby.
My question is why there is no press conference with Mr Guterres again?
Yeah, no, it's, listen, it's a valid question.
If I was in your seat, I'd probably be asking the same honestly.
You know, we, we don't have anything to confirm at this point.
If something changes, you know, the SG is always very amenable and and happy to speak with you.
He has a tight agenda of course.
And should there be that opportunity, we'll let you know as soon as possible.
Sarah Costas, yes, good morning.
Just on the, on the talks hosted by the Secretary General in the Palais who will be along with the SG for the UN, will it be Mr Colin Stewart and Mr Carlo, Mr Dicarlo and anyone else from the UN team?
And secondly, you mentioned the EU representative.
They were not on the official list of participants that you mentioned.
Have they been added as observers?
I was thinking of Miss Bertozello.
I'm sorry, I think I may have misspoke.
No, you're, you're absolutely right.
It's, it's the UK minister.
We, I, I don't have it on in my papers here in terms of that, if there are represented and, and who else is representing the UN?
The SG, of course, I mean, the ultimate presence within the UN is here, which, which obviously speaks volumes.
But I'll, I'll need to get back to you and, and see who else is accompanying the Secretary General on behalf of the UN.
Stewart is here, but let me, let me get back to you on that one.
Sorry, I can't answer that right on the spot.
Have a good afternoon and see you here Friday.
