The UN and the crisis in the Middle East: What you need to know

20 October

Lebanon: The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has said that an Israeli army bulldozer demolished an observation tower and the perimeter fence of a UN position earlier on Sunday in Marwahin, in the southern part of the country. (UN News)

• Gaza: Message from Juliette Touma, UNRWA Director of Communications (UNRWA)
• Lebanon: UNIFIL Statement (UNIFIL)
• Middle East: Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, on the Situation in Gaza (UNSCO)
• Northern Gaza: UN Human Rights Office is concerned over the potential destruction of the Palestinian population in north Gaza (OHCHR)

19 October

• Northern Gaza: Attacks on hospitals in northern Gaza (OCHA)

18 October

• Gaza: A young Gazan footballer who says he feels like he is “dying every day,” is trying to keep his dream alive of one day playing the game professionally, despite living “under constant fire.’ (UN News)
• Gaza: Gaza’s children: “Trapped in a cycle of pain” (UNICEF)
• Northern Gaza: Statement by UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Ted Chaiban on the near-blockade of aid and access in North Gaza (UNICEF)

17 October

• Gaza: New Gaza food security assessment sees famine risk persisting amid ongoing fighting and restricted aid operations (WFP)
• Gaza: A Year of War in Gaza: Impacts on Employment and Livelihoods in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: Bulletin No. 5 [EN/AR] (ILO)
• Lebanon: Secretary-General’s solidarity message to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (OSSG)
• Lebanon: UN humanitarian aid convoy reaches Lebanon from Jordan (UNRWA)
• Lebanon: UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban’s remarks at UN media briefing on joint UNICEF/WFP mission to Lebanon (UNICEF)
• Lebanon: UNIFIL spokesperson comment on UAV (UNIFIL)
• Syria: Statement by David Carden, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, on the escalation of hostilities in north-west Syria (OCHA; UN RHC for the Syria Crisis)

16 October

In another serious security incident in southern Lebanon, a UN peacekeeping position has been “apparently deliberately” struck by incoming fire from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). (UN News)

• Gaza: Ms. Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator – Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Gaza (OCHA)
• Gaza: Reality is brutal in Gaza and gets worse every day, while essential humanitarian supplies and assistance are being blocked at every turn, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday. (UN News)
• Gaza: The United Nations Development Programme and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany Sign EUR 5M Agreement to Address Solid Waste Management Crisis in Gaza (UNDP)
• Lebanon: Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza: a call to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure amid escalating strikes (OCHA, UN RC/HC Lebanon)
• Lebanon: Vital that the UN flag keeps flying in the region (UN News – Audio Hub)
• Lebanon: Increasing bombardment damaging essential services and putting children in Lebanon at great risk (UNICEF)
• Lebanon: Attacks on hospitals and health workers jeopardize provision of health in Lebanon (WHO)
• Occupied Palestinion Territories: ILO to release new bulletin on the labour market situation (ILO)
• Syria: WFP calls for international support as the crisis deepens in Syria amid influx of families fleeing war in Lebanon (WFP)

15 October

• Gaza: Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza visited various areas in the central and southern Gaza on Tuesday to assess the needs of the Palestinian population and patients (UNifeed)
• Lebanon: crisis deepens as Israeli airstrikes intensify (UNHCR)
• Lebanon: Urgent humanitarian response needed amidst escalating conflict in Lebanon (WFP and UNICEF)
• Yemen: Yemen is at risk of being dragged further into the rising conflict in the Middle East, UN Special Envoy for the country Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council. (UN News)

14 October

• Gaza: A second round of polio vaccinations for thousands of children began in central Gaza on Monday despite reported strikes on a school-turned-shelter in Nuseirat and a hospital courtyard in Deir Al-Balah where “multiple tents” were set ablaze as people slept (UN News)
• Gaza: Only lack of access can stop vital polio campaign in Gaza (UNICEF)
• Gaza: Second round of polio vaccination begins in the Gaza Strip (UNRWA)
• Gaza: Statement on Gaza by Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA)
• Gaza: The second phase of the polio vaccination campaign launched in the Gaza Strip on Monday, starting from the central areas of the Strip, with the efforts of various United Nations organizations operating in the region (UNifeed)
• Lebanon: Security Council offers ‘unanimous support’ to UNIFIL peacekeepers (UN News)
• Lebanon: High Commissioner’s opening statement to the seventy-fifth plenary session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme (UNHCR)
• Northern Gaza: The UN Secretary-General on Monday condemned the large number of civilian casualties inflicted by Israeli forces amidst their intensifying military campaign in northern Gaza. (UN News)
• Northern Gaza: Two long weeks of intense Israeli Forces’ airstrikes and ground operations (UNRWA)
• Northern Gaza: UN Human Rights Office is appalled at the desperate situation in the North Gaza (OHCHR)

NEW: UNIFIL Press Kit

13 October

• Gaza: Second round of polio vaccination in the Gaza Strip aims to vaccinate over half a million children (WHO)
• Gaza: Civilians in northern Gaza cut off from supplies and services critical for survival (OCHA)
• Lebanon: IDF tanks force entry into UN peacekeeping position (UN News)
• Lebanon: UNIFIL Statement
• Lebanon: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (OSSG)

12 October

• Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative on a draft legislation that could stop UNRWA operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (European Union – non-UN source)
• Gaza: Critical food aid lifelines into northern Gaza severed (WFP)
• Middle East: Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on continued conflicts in the Middle East (UNICEF)

11 October

• Gaza: ‘The international order is breaking down in Gaza’: UN experts mark one year of genocidal attacks on Palestinians (OHCHR)
• Lebanon: UNIFIL Statement
• Lebanon: Joint Statement of UN Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro (UNIFIL/UNSCOL)
• Lebanon: United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, highlights urgent need for ceasefire, visits displacement shelters in Beirut (UNSCOL)