Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

**Guest today

The noon briefing guest is Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization's (WHO) representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, briefing from Deir Al-Balah in Gaza.

[briefing by Dr. Peeperkorn followed.]

**United Kingdom

I'll now read a few notes and take questions.

First off, the Secretary-General strongly condemns today's deadly terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester, in the United Kingdom.

Houses of worship are sacred places where people can go to find peace. Targeting a synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, is particularly heinous.

The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to the victims and their families and wishes a swift recovery to the injured. He stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and calls for those responsible to be brought to justice.

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the alarming rise in antisemitism worldwide and stresses the urgent need to confront hatred and intolerance in all their forms.

**Jane Goodall

The Secretary-General said in a social media post yesterday that he was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Jane Goodall, who had served as a UN Messenger of Peace since 2002.

The Secretary-General said that she has left an extraordinary legacy for humanity and for our planet. He said he is grateful for her lifelong environmental protection efforts and her strong support for the United Nations.

As a UN Messenger of Peace for over two decades, Dr. Goodall's voice brought global attention to the urgency of protecting our environment. Her legacy will continue to guide and inspire humanity's collective efforts for peace, sustainability, and harmony with nature.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said today that as fighting continues in Gaza City, getting aid to the north is difficult. He stressed the need for humanitarians to be able to work unimpeded, noting that many have been forced to suspend their work in the area. Mr. Fletcher stressed that issuing displacement orders does not take away the parties' obligations under international humanitarian law; many civilians remain in Gaza City and must be protected.

Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that people continue to be displaced from northern Gaza. In the span of just 10 hours yesterday, our colleagues tracking population movements counted 6,700 people fleeing from the north to the south. Since mid-August, more than 417,000 such displacements have been recorded.

But conditions in the south remain unsafe. OCHA has received reports of intense strikes in recent days in parts of Deir al Balah, one of the places where people have been told to move. Tents, houses and even a crowded market have been hit, with the UN Human Rights Office reporting that many of those killed appear to be civilians.

Between Saturday and Tuesday, some 127,000 people arrived in nearly 360 displacement sites that our partners have been able to monitor in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Altogether, those sites are hosting more than half a million people.

Families in southern Gaza are squeezed into these and other overcrowded shelters or makeshift tents along the coast. Many others are sleeping out in the open, often amid rubble. New arrivals in the south face poor sanitation, no privacy or safety, and a high risk of children being separated from their families - all while being exposed to explosive ordnance.

Our partners also warn of the financial burden of displacement, as families are selling their essential belongings to pay for transport. Those who can't afford it are forced to walk, which is especially hard for families with mobility challenges.

To support people in the south, the UN and our partners have expanded services. For example, in Khan Younis, the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, has recently rehabilitated nine medical points, alongside the Japanese Health Centre and Hamad Health Centre - more than doubling the number of functioning health facilities there. Work also continues to rehabilitate shelters and other medical facilities.

And, of course, the UN and our humanitarian partners continue to operate in the north, to the extent possible. Just today, humanitarians successfully transferred some fuel to that area to power critical facilities that people rely on for their survival.

**Ukraine

From Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that over the past two days, continued attacks across the country have struck large urban centres and damaged critical civilian infrastructure, disrupting the power supply as cold weather arrives. According to Ukrainian authorities, between 30 September and 2 October, at least 90 civilian casualties were reported nationwide. Dnipro City, one of Ukraine's most populated cities, suffered a massive attack during the busy afternoon hours of 30 September.

Several parts of the country - particularly the regions of Chernihiv, Kyiv and Sumy in the north and north-east experienced power outages, reportedly impacting nearly 300,000 people. Furthermore, the Ministry of Energy reported a temporary disruption of its power supply, critical for maintaining the non-functional Chornobyl Nuclear Plant in the Kyiv Region.

In the Odesa region, the impact of continued attacks was aggravated by heavy rains on 30 September, which resulted in widespread flooding, killing 10 people and causing widespread destruction, according to the authorities. Speaking on behalf of the humanitarian country team, Matthias Schmale, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, expressed condolences to all those who lost loved ones due to the floods and appreciation to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society for mounting a swift humanitarian response, working with local authorities.

In the wake of the flooding and attacks, more than a dozen national and international NGOs (non-governmental organizations) - with the support of UN agencies - delivered emergency assistance to the affected people, including in the Odesa Region. This included medical and psychological aid, emergency shelter materials and legal support.

OCHA stresses that with resumed attacks impacting Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure and worsening weather conditions, timely assistance is especially vital. The humanitarian community relies on sustainable support from donors to continue assisting the most vulnerable people in Ukraine.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports a continued uptick in violence in Ituri province, in the east of the country.

As of the end of August, local authorities estimate that the province hosts more than 1 million displaced people.

Since mid-September, and as we have mentioned here, attacks by local armed groups in Djugu territory have specifically targeted civilians, including people living in displacement sites.

Just this morning, local civil society groups reported that at least 10 displaced people living in the Rhoe displacement site in Djugu territory were killed by armed individuals while on their way to their fields.

On 27 and 28 September, armed groups attacked a displacement site and at least seven surrounding villages. These attacks resulted in four civilian deaths, multiple injuries, and the looting and burning of dozens of homes. More than 15,000 people were forced to flee to safer areas. Local sources report that these newly displaced people urgently need essential household items, shelter and food.

Our humanitarian partners are working hard to reach civilians affected by the violence, but they face acute access constraints, including the presence of numerous armed groups and funding shortfalls.

Despite these challenges, yesterday, our partners completed a round of cash transfers to nearly 6,000 vulnerable households, reaching more than 20,000 people. This marks the first cash-based food assistance for communities in the Mambasa territory of southern Ituri.

We call on all armed groups to respect international humanitarian law, including by ensuring the protection of civilians in all conflict-affected areas.

**Central African Republic

We have an update from our peacekeeping colleagues in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), who continue to support the peace process in the country, including through their support to the national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme.

In Sanguéré Lim, in the north-west of the country, the mission assisted the national authorities to disarm and demobilize 37 ex-combatants from the 3R (Retour, Réclamation et Réhabilitation) armed group. In total, 154 members from this group were demobilized.

Meanwhile on the political front, the mission is also assisting preparations for the upcoming elections, which are scheduled for 28 December. The Mission is facilitating the delivery of electoral lists and candidate forms from Bangui to the prefectures and supporting the operationalization of local branches of the electoral authorities (Autorité Nationale des Élections). Our colleagues in the Central African Republic welcome the Government's recent announcement of additional funding for the elections and remain fully committed to providing support, in line with the peacekeeping mandate.

Lastly, following recent clashes that we mentioned a few days ago near the Sudanese border, peacekeepers have reinforced their presence in the border town of Am Dafock to protect over 11,000 displaced civilians. Blue helmets intensified patrols and facilitated dialogue between local leaders and communities across the border to prevent further escalation and foster peaceful coexistence.

**Haiti

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that rising violence by gangs in Haiti's capital is restricting humanitarian access and pushing families deeper into hunger as extreme funding shortfalls force WFP to slash rations and suspend programmes.

WFP said that more farmers are cut off from markets, further straining already fragile food systems and pushing food prices even higher.

Funding shortfalls have forced WFP to suspend hot meals for newly displaced families and to slash food rations in half. And for the first time, the lack of resources has prevented WFP from prepositioning food stocks to respond to a natural disaster during the Atlantic hurricane season.

Despite restricted access and extreme insecurity, WFP has reached more than 2 million people with assistance since January. Efforts to support longer term food security and reduce dependence on aid are also continuing as WFP works with the Government to provide school meals for 600,000 Haitian students. Alongside this, WFP has also been able to launch targeted community infrastructure projects, including in areas controlled by gangs, to restore irrigation systems and boost local food production.

As a reminder, Haiti is the only country in the Americas, and one of only five countries globally, with people facing catastrophic (IPC5) levels of hunger, which is equivalent to famine-like conditions. It is also one of the world's most severe food crises with 5.7 million people facing acute food insecurity.

WFP requires $139 million for the next 12 months to reach the country's most vulnerable families.

And in Geneva this morning, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, briefed the Human Rights Council on the situation in Haiti.

The human rights situation in the country has reached a boiling point, he said, with more than 16,000 people killed and some 7,000 people injured in armed violence since January 2022, when monitoring by the human rights office on gang related violence began.

Mr. Turk urged States to support the Gang Suppression Force with sufficient funding and personnel. We can and must turn this situation around for the people of Haiti, he concluded.

**Myanmar

I wanted to flag a new analysis from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) that highlights the precarious learning situation facing Myanmar's young people, who make up more than one-third of the country's population.

Entitled A Generation on Hold: Youth Employment and Education in Myanmar, this is the second report in a UNDP Asia-Pacific series tracking the effects of prolonged conflict on young people in Myanmar.

UNDP calls for immediate, locally-driven actions to expand flexible learning and vocational training, especially for rural, displaced, and caregiving youth.

The full report is available online.

**International Day of Non-Violence

Today is the International Day of Non-Violence. On this Day, we honour the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, and his unwavering commitment to peace, truth and dignity for all.

In his message, the Secretary-General says currently we are witnessing a troubling erosion of our shared humanity. In these dangerous and divided times, he adds, let us find the strength to follow Gandhi-ji's lead.

**Guest Tomorrow

Tomorrow, our guest will be Denise Brown, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.

She will be joining us from Tawila in North Darfur to brief on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

That's it for me, if you have any questions. Yes, Dezhi?

**Questions and Answers

Question: On the latest situation of the flotilla, Israel Government now intercepts the vessels and escorts them to Ashdod Port. Do you consider this action again a violation of international law, given the fact it's being intercepted in the international waters?

Deputy Spokesman: Certainly, we believe that the laws applying to international waters must be respected. That's as much as I would have to say on that.

Question: So what's the reaction from the Secretary-General on those people who got detained?

Deputy Spokesman: We certainly hope that, again, our priority is avoiding any harm to come to those on board the vessels, and we hope that they will be treated fairly and with respect for their rights and their dignity. Ibtisam?

Question: A follow-up on that. Given the humanitarian nature of the flotilla, they were there to provide aid and break the siege. Do you believe that the Israelis should have let them reach the Gaza Coast and upload their humanitarian aid?

Deputy Spokesman: We want all efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza to be supported. Obviously, we're aware of the security concerns that they had raised, but we want to make sure that all civilians are treated fairly and are not harmed. Yes. You also had a question?

Question: Yes. Thank you, Farhan. I noticed today there was not a statement on the ongoing protests in Morocco. On Wednesday, just yesterday, security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators in the small town of Lqliaa, which killed three people, and the country is now bracing for a sixth night of demonstrations. What is the SG's reaction, particularly to the use of live fire against the civilians, and has there been any attempt by the UN to contact senior political figures in Morocco?

Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman: We're certainly aware of the violence that's happened in these demonstrations, and it's deplorable that, according to the reports that, at least three people have been killed. So from our side, we would urge transparent investigations and accountability for any people found responsible for violating the rights of people who are engaged in peaceful protest.

Question: An apology. Sorry. Just to follow-up on the second part of that, of what I asked. Was there any attempt by the UN to get in contact with any of those senior officials in Morocco?

Deputy Spokesman: I believe our colleagues on the ground in Morocco are aware of the matter and are reaching out to their counterparts. Islam?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. Israel threatened remaining population in Gaza City, asking them to move out and telling them that they would be considered militant supporting terrorism if they [don't] leave. What's the Secretary-General position on this?

Deputy Spokesman: The Secretary-General's position on this is that we believe that all civilians need to be kept safe wherever they are. And we've also made clear repeatedly that no place is safe in Gaza, so those who choose to stay in Gaza City must be kept safe there. Dezhi?

Question: Let me get back to the flotilla. There's something… help me understand this. This fleet of vessels, they are carrying humanitarian aids They're not carrying weapons. They're civilians. They are not soldiers. So why doesn't the US support this flotilla to finish its work? Given the fact that you are actually… this very Organization last year also mentioned about this, what they called the maritime humanitarian aid route, which has never been fulfilled.

Deputy Spokesman: We certainly encourage efforts to raise attention to the humanitarian problems in Gaza. We do this ourselves, and we support civilians who are trying to do the same. At the same time, what we're trying to do is find ways to avoid any escalation of the situation on the ground.

Question: You think this is an escalation, the flotilla?

Deputy Spokesman: No. We don't think that the flotilla is an escalation, but we're aware of how this has worked out on the ground and in the waters. And what we're trying to do is make sure that everything is resolved without, in particular, any harm to those who are participating in this nonviolent act.

First, we're going to go to some questions on the screens, and then I'll go back to you. I believe, there's a question from Denis from TASS.

Question: No. Before it was me, anyway.

Deputy Spokesman: No. The list I have has Denis from TASS.

Question: Hello, Farhan. Thank you so much. President [Vladimir] Putin stated today that the UN's structure must be reformed to reflect the reality of the global majority. Does the Secretary-General agree with this assessment, and does he view this call as supportive of his own initiatives to reform the organization?

Question: Sorry. Could you repeat the question, please?

Question: Yes. Does the Secretary-General agree with this assessment, and does he view this call as supportive of his own initiatives to reform the organization?

Deputy Spokesman: No, no… Which assessment are you referring to?

Question: Assessment made by the President Putin earlier today that the UN's structure must be reformed to reflect the reality of the global majority.

Deputy Spokesman: Certainly, the Secretary-General also believes that there is a need to reform the structure of the UN. I can't comment on the specifics of this, because I'm not aware of the specifics of what the Russian President was talking about. But, yes, the general thrust of what he's saying is exactly in line with what the Secretary-General is talking about. Stefano?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. I'm sorry. I have to follow up on the flotilla. I don't think your answer was satisfactory because… I repeat again the question. The question I think also my colleague is this. Can you clarify the UN's position on the interception of the flotilla by Israel in international waters? Was this action legal under international law? And are the arrests of those on board considered lawful? So we're asking if Israel could do this or not for international law. And you're just saying… you repeated the same, the Secretary-General wants everything goes on the international law. We want to know from you if the Secretary-General consider this legal or not.

Deputy Spokesman: There are some disputes among different countries about what are the relevant parts of international law that apply to this situation. We believe that no harm should come to people in international waters, but we are aware of the different rationalizations that people have made. Obviously, it would be for courts to settle that.

Question: But I'm sorry. But we're asking what the Secretary-General think, not what other country dispute it. We know that a country that think it's illegal; other country thinks it's not illegal because they don't transport weapons. Because the fact is, it would have been illegal if they transported weapons, because they did not transport weapons. What we ask is simple. Does the Secretary-General think that this was legal or not? Not what other countries think. What he thinks.

Deputy Spokesman: Our belief is that people who are simply carrying humanitarian aid should be left alone. We're aware of the different countries and the different fleets and different ships who have been involved in this. Obviously, at the centre of it is the right of people to draw attention to humanitarian crisis, and we wanted them to be able to do that without harm. Yes, please? And then Abdelhamid.

Question: Yes. Thank you, Farhan. I'm sorry. Again, it's just another follow-up on the flotilla. You just mentioned how the reluctancy to comment on the matter as a violation of international law stems from the fact that the UN is waiting on a court ruling. Is that correct? Or not court ruling, but… [Cross talk]

Deputy Spokesman: There are many different internationals law on this, in terms of the laws applying to the seas are complex. I don't want to oversimplify them.

Question: Understood. So there was a court ruling already not on this matter specifically, but in 2024, the ICJ (International Court of Justice) again ruled that Israel's occupation of Gaza was illegal under international law, which, of course, means that the sail of the flotilla through international waters is not in Israel's jurisdiction. So there is a ruling, which again is what you commented on. So doesn't that mean that, again, this is a violation of international law? The reluctancy, I understand. But… [cross-talk]

Deputy Spokesman: The Secretary-General has repeatedly called on Israel to abide by the relevant International Court of Justice's ruling, the one that you've mentioned, and he continues to do that. Abdelhamid?

Question: Thank you, Farhan. You know, I always ask about a statement that shows me some kind of public standard on behalf of the spokesperson. Few days ago, you issued a strong statement condemning Ecuador for attacking demonstrators and killing one person. Now in Morocco, I raised the question to Mr. [Stéphane] Dujarric. Today, the demonstration in Morocco is expanded and there are three persons killed. Why there was no special statement? Not to tell me our position. No, why there was no statement condemning the killing of civilians in Morocco?

Deputy Spokesman: You're in luck, Abdelhamid. I have this just in, and I can read this out to you now.

The Secretary-General deplores the violence during recent demonstrations in Morocco, reportedly resulting in three people killed and several hundred injured. He underscores that protests must take place in a peaceful manner, respecting life, property, and the rule of law. He calls for a prompt and impartial investigation with a view to ensuring accountability. He welcomes the Moroccan Government's stated intention to enter into dialogue and to listen to the voices of Moroccan youth. Islam?

Question: Thank you. Can I continue? I have one more question.

Deputy Spokesman: Okay one more, and then we'll get go to Islam.

Question: Yes. Yes. one more. I promise one more. Yesterday, there was large number of settlers storming the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. However, I didn't see that in any of your briefing yesterday or today. What is your position on that?

Deputy Spokesman: We believe that all of the holy sites in Jerusalem, including Al Aqsa Mosque, must be respected and that the status quo with the holy sites must be respected. So we stand against any violation of that. Islam?

Question: Farhan, thank you again. This is not exactly comparison, but what comes to the mind, so I would like to bring that up. When there were attacks in Red Sea in the international waters to the shipping, Secretary-General was so quick to condemn, rightfully so. But now about the flotilla, he seems like hesitating, maybe to use some impartiality. At least, did he contact any other leaders in terms of what happened to Sumud Flotilla in terms of how international law was breached?

Deputy Spokesman: Well, I don't have any contacts regarding the flotilla to share with you. Obviously, he's been in touch with world leaders, including during General Assembly week, and has talked extensively about the situation in Gaza, including the sort of needs that were raised by the people on board the Sumud Flotilla. Dezhi?

Question: Again, the flotilla, since Stefano talking about the international law, I have some further references. According to Geneva… No. Sorry. According to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, article 87 and 89, international waters are international waters. They're not sovereign to any countries, so they cannot be intercepted there. There's a freedom of navigation, and according to Geneva Convention and guidelines on maritime humanitarian assistance operation, you cannot intercept humanitarian vessels. So these are international laws. So, clearly, if you're looking into the article, that's against international law.

Deputy Spokesman: Yes. We're aware of the Law of the Sea, and we believe that all countries need to abide by that. We're also aware of what Israel has said about its security corridor. Regarding that, again, for us, the priority has been to make sure that no one who is on these humanitarian vessels is put to any harm.

And with that, I wish you all a good afternoon.