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 Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Guest

Good afternoon, everyone. I am very pleased to be joined by Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, or UNCITRAL. She is joining us virtually to brief on the new UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents. And as you can see, she is up on our screen now. Good afternoon, it's a pleasure to see you. Ms. Joubin-Bret; please, the floor is yours.

[Guest briefing not transcribed.]

We will now get started with the next part of our briefing.

**Security Council

Today, Ramiz Alakbarov, the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefed the Security Council and said that the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, as we have seen with continued attacks and strikes in Gaza. The UN is doing its part to support the ceasefire and meet the staggering needs of the population, he added.

He urged Israel and Hamas to fully implement the ceasefire, exercise maximum restraint and adhere to international law, including relevant UN resolutions. The ceasefire must be consolidated to enable recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, he added. The United Nations stands ready to support these efforts.

Mr. Alakbarov said that while hunger has improved due to increased aid and commercial foodstuffs, key protein sources remain out of reach for most of the population, alongside severe shortages of clean water, medical care and shelter. Humanitarian access remains restricted, with aid convoys facing logistical and security obstacles. He called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and allow the full, unimpeded entry of humanitarian assistance. The Deputy Special Coordinator also condemned rising settler violence across the West Bank, which intensified during the olive harvest. Attacks have become more frequent and violent, often with the presence or support of Israeli security forces.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that heavy rains are compounding the already dire conditions that families are enduring. Our partners report that the storm continued overnight and into today, causing severe flooding of more than 40 designated emergency shelters - mostly in Khan Younis and Gaza City.

Some displaced families sought shelter in bathrooms or temporary learning spaces after their tents were damaged. The latest estimates from our partners indicate that some 700 tents have been damaged or otherwise impacted by the flooding, with thousands of people affected. Teams helping manage displacement sites are clearing blocked drainage channels and pumping floodwater away from shelter yards. In recent days - and despite ongoing challenges to the humanitarian response - the UN and our humanitarian partners have been working to address the needs of families across the Strip, despite the harsh conditions on the ground.

Yesterday, the UN and our partners coordinated nine humanitarian movements inside Gaza with the Israeli authorities. Four were facilitated and three were impeded but eventually completed. These missions allowed us to collect critical supplies from the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings - including food, fuel, blankets, tents and winter clothing. The other two missions were impeded - and only one of them was able to be partially accomplished.

In Khan Younis, damage to the Bani Suhaila Mekorot water pipeline was repaired yesterday, after access to the facility was granted by the Israeli authorities. The UN and our partners continue to provide support to affected families through a system that was set up for a rapid, joint response to flooding alerts. It brings together UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, working side by side to distribute tents, tarps, warm clothes, blankets and dignity kits across Gaza.

Last Saturday, our partners providing nutrition support distributed 7.5 kilogrammes of high-energy biscuits per household to more than 1,000 families who were affected by the latest rainstorm in various areas. Also, our partners supporting agricultural services told us that the distribution of veterinary kits resumed on Sunday after being temporarily paused due to adverse weather. Since the start of the distribution on 9 December, approximately 400 herders have received these kits, along with animal fodder.

**Lebanon/Israel

Turning to the situation along the Blue Line. Our peacekeepers in southern Lebanon yesterday discovered several anti-tank mines, along with activators and fuses, in Sector West. In another discovery, peacekeepers found a mortar projectile, a grenade, grenade launchers and batteries in Sector East. As usual, these discoveries were referred to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers report continued Israel Defense Forces military activities in the area of operations, including air violations and direct fire across the Blue Line originating from an Israel Defense Forces position south of the Blue Line and impacting in Kfar Shouba in Sector East. Incidents of aggressive behaviour towards peacekeepers continue to take place. Yesterday, laser beams were pointed from an Israel Defense Forces position towards a UN position in Sector West. In two separate instances on Sunday, drones hovered over UN positions in Sector West. We reiterate that any intimidation or interference in the mission's Security Council-mandated tasks must stop.

**Sudan

Turning to developments following the attack of 13 December in Sudan: Our colleagues at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations tell us that on Saturday, three drone attacks impacted the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei's (UNISFA) Kadugli logistics Base, targeting a fuel storage area and an observation post. The attack killed six peacekeepers and the number of injured is nine members of the Bangladeshi peacekeeping contingent serving in UNISFA.

The injured personnel have been evacuated to the Mission headquarters in Abyei. Four of them have been since evacuated to Nairobi for further medical treatment. The wounded who underwent life-saving surgery in Kadugli were evacuated to the mission headquarters in Abyei on Tuesday morning. The remains of our six fallen soldiers have been transported to Entebbe, where further arrangements are underway for their dignified repatriation to Bangladesh.

We underscore that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law, and call for accountability. And we reiterate our condolences to the Government of Bangladesh and their families, wish the injured a swift recovery and reaffirm the UN's commitment to the safety and well-being of its personnel.

**Great Lakes Region

Since 10 December, the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia, has held several exchanges with officials in the region regarding the rapid deterioration of the situation in Uvira and its regional implications. He spoke to the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Burundi, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

In his interactions, the Special Envoy encouraged all parties to exercise restraint, cease hostilities, take all necessary steps to avert a regional conflagration and abide by Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025). He called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and on the AFC/M23 to uphold all commitments and agreements reached in the Washington, D.C., and Doha peace talks.

The Special Envoy has begun a regional tour, starting in Uganda, where he met with national authorities and other interlocutors to discuss immediate steps to deescalate the situation. The Special Envoy will also reach out to the leadership of the African Union Commission, the African Union mediator, the leaders of Angola and the State of Qatar, members of the International Contact Group on the Great Lakes region and other key interlocutors.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

Turning to the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, OCHA says that following clashes in several parts of South Kivu Province, all humanitarian activities remain suspended in the cities of Fizi and Baraka, which are some 90 kilometres from Uvira. The latest violence has sparked panic among civilians. Our partners also reported some looting by armed people.

Since 8 December, local authorities estimate that around 110,000 people have fled to other parts of South Kivu, while others have crossed into Burundi. There are also reports about people continuing towards the United Republic of Tanzania. Most displaced families are sheltering in public spaces with no access to humanitarian assistance. The territory of Walungu has seen a gradual resumption of socioeconomic activities, after clashes ended on 8 December in Kaziba locality.

Our partners have started to deliver emergency aid in the cities of Uvira and Bukavu, with more aid planned in the coming days. OCHA continues to engage with all parties to facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian teams and resume aid operations.

Meanwhile in Burundi, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 78,000 people - including asylum seekers, returnees and migrants - have crossed into the country from South Kivu since 5 December. Approximately 15,000 people have so far been transferred to the Bweru and Makombe displacement and transition sites. All refugee camps and hosting sites have reported a sharp increase in population as new arrivals continue. Despite considerable challenges, UNHCR and its partners have transported some 13,000 refugees to Bweru, installed tents, latrines and water tanks. They have also worked to improve road access while clearing land for additional shelters.

Health challenges are also emerging. Dozens of cases of cholera and two cases of Mpox have been reported in the Gatumba displacement site. Our partners working in health are trying to contain and manage the outbreaks. Our partners continue to scale up life-saving assistance, amid growing needs, limited resources and lack of fuel.

**Guest Tomorrow

Tomorrow, my guest will be Dennis Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. He will brief us virtually on the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

**Questions and Answers

Deputy Spokesman: Are there any questions for me? Going, going, gone. Alright. Have a good afternoon, everyone. Take care.