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 Stéphanie Tremblay, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
**Guest
I am delighted to be joined by Julien Harneis, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Republic of Yemen. Julien, without further ado, the floor is yours.
**Syria/Humanitarian
Thank you so much for your patience. I’m back. I will have a few notes for you and then I will take your questions. Let me start with Syria. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that cross-border aid deliveries continue from Türkiye into north-west Syria. Today, nine UN aid trucks crossed into Idlib using the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing. The convoy was carrying 200 metric tons of food assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP) — enough for some 80,000 people, as well as school supplies from UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund].
Meanwhile, the humanitarian community in Syria continues to provide vital support to people in eastern Aleppo. UNICEF reports that after months of tests and repair work, water is flowing again from the Ain al-Bayda station, which had been out of service since 2017. Some 300,000 people in Al Bab in north-eastern Aleppo — including displaced families and host communities — depend on this water station. Water is reaching part of Al Bab’s population, but urgent support is needed to restore the station to full capacity.
OCHA says that, as of today, some 664,000 people remain newly displaced across the country, mostly in Idlib and Aleppo, and that is since 27 November. This marks a decrease of about 64,000 people compared to a week ago. More than three-quarters of those who remain displaced are women and children. The UN and our partners continue to track population movements on a daily basis through a working group co-chaired by OCHA. Our colleagues say that returnee movements remain fluid, with nearly 486,000 people having returned to their areas of origin — mostly to Hama and Aleppo Governorates — over the past month.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Now turning to Gaza, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is alarmed by ongoing attacks across the Gaza Strip that have left scores of Palestinians dead. Our colleagues are telling us that an air strike near Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza Governorate last night reportedly killed dozens of people, including health workers. Today, we’re also told by our colleagues that staff, patients and their companions were forced out of the facility. Significant damage to the hospital has also been reported.
Our UN teams continue to face systematic denials of humanitarian access to North Gaza. Just today, another attempt by the UN to reach parts of North Gaza governorate were denied by the Israeli authorities. Since early October, most UN-coordinated attempts to access these areas have been denied. The few exceptions have faced significant impediments, which often prevent teams from accomplishing the work they set out to do.
Our humanitarian colleagues also noted that last night another attack was reported in the Sheikh Radwan area of Gaza city. OCHA visited the area and noted that overstretched health facilities were receiving mass casualties from the strike. OCHA’s team in Gaza city also assessed the needs of people displaced from North Gaza Governorate, which has been under siege, as we’ve mentioned here, for several weeks. The team in Gaza city said that few water wells are operating in areas where displaced people have gathered, and the sewage network has been damaged. There is no solid waste management, hospitals are overcrowded, and people are living in unsanitary conditions that are raising the risk of disease outbreaks. Our colleagues also tell us that people at displacement sites also face risks due to potential flooding.
Now, in the West Bank, our colleagues tell us that as of yesterday, Israeli forces had killed 20 Palestinians over a 10-day period, including at least 12 deaths due to air strikes. Our colleagues say that Israel’s military operation in Tulkarm’s refugee camp caused extensive damage to infrastructure. OCHA warns that lethal, war-like tactics are being applied repeatedly during these operations in the West Bank, raising concerns over use of force that exceeds law enforcement standards.
As this year draws to a close, our humanitarian colleagues report that 2024 marked the largest number of Palestinians displaced across the West Bank since OCHA’s records began nearly two decades ago. They tell that as of [Monday], a total of 4,706 Palestinians have been displaced across the West Bank this year, including 1,949 children. The majority were displaced in operations carried out by Israeli forces, primarily in refugee camps and other urban areas of the northern West Bank. Our colleagues also note that demolition of Palestinian property was among the other factors driving record displacement this year, which also included settler violence and access restrictions. Over the past year, Israeli authorities have demolished or forced the demolition of over 1,200 structures, citing lack of permits.
**Sudan
And now turning to Sudan. In the capital, Khartoum, the World Food Programme is scheduled to start distributing food on Sunday, 29 December, and this food is destined for approximately 78,000 people. The food assistance is currently being offloaded after a WFP-led convoy of 28 trucks arrived in Khartoum on 25 December. This, our colleagues say, is the largest convoy to reach the capital since the start of the conflict in April 2023. The convoy includes WFP food assistance, UNICEF supplies and aid for other partners. This convoy is also the first time since the start of the conflict that WFP food assistance has been delivered to Mayo and Alingaz in southern Khartoum. Both areas are at risk of famine, according to the IPC classification.
WFP has been working to gain access to all parts of Khartoum — taking advantage of brief lulls in fighting — to deliver food aid while also supporting the community efforts to deliver daily hot meals. In July, a WFP convoy delivered food and nutrition assistance to people in Bahri, Karrari, Um Bada and Omdurman localities of greater Khartoum. WFP is also working to expand the delivery of hot meals through the community-run projects in Jebel Awlia. WFP is already supporting community kitchens in Mayo and is working to expand hot meals to Alingaz, as well.
**Epidemic Preparedness Day
And finally, we have an international day today and it is the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. In his message, the Secretary-General says that COVID-19 was a wake-up call to the world. Millions of lives were lost, economies shattered, health systems pushed to the brink and daily life upended for all of humanity. On this Day, he calls on countries to heed the lessons of past health emergencies to help prepare for the next. And that is it from me. I will take your questions. Edie, go ahead.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Stephanie. First, on Yemen. Dr. Tedros tweeted that he's in Amman, Jordan. Is he staying there? Is he planning to fly back today to Geneva where WHO [World Health Organization] is headquartered?
Associate Spokesperson: My understanding is that he is on his way to Geneva. I don't have his exact schedule for the next flight he took, as Julien told us, the UN Humanitarian Air Assistance flight that took him to Amman, and I believe that they will make their way back to their headquarters soon.
Question: Thank you. And secondly, can you tell us on Gaza, is Kamal Adwan Hospital still operating after this attack?
Associate Spokesperson: We checked with our colleagues from the World Health Organization, just now, just before the briefing once again. What they're telling us is that right now, they don't really have access to the hospital. As I said in the note, you see, we noted once again how difficult it is for us to have access to these areas. So, they're continuing to check and to see what exactly is the state of this hospital. But, just as a reminder, we continue to call on all parties to comply with their obligation to respect and protect in all circumstances medical, personnel and medical units, including hospitals and health facilities. Kamal Adwan is one of the last, if not the last, hospitals that was operating in this part of Gaza. Sick and injured children are going into this hospital, were going into this hospital to get treatment. Sick and injured men, women were also going there with medical personnel risking their lives in some cases to continue to provide services to people who really need it. And this is why we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. We continue to call for the protection of all medical facilities in Gaza. Yes?
Question: I mean, you've been calling for that for a long time from this podium. The Secretary-General has been. And to be frank, it hasn't worked. I mean, Kamal Adwan Hospital was just seized by Israeli authorities in the last few hours. And by all accounts, all of the doctors and all of the patients inside have been forced out. Their whereabouts are unknown, and their safety is unknown at this point. So, with that said, what is the message from the Secretary-General on the protection of the patients and hospital staff and anyone else that is unaccounted for right now from Kamal Adwan Hospital?
Associate Spokesperson: These actions put the lives of all of these people in even more danger than what they faced before. And for us, you know, what we can do, we have colleagues on the ground who continue to try to get access. You know, we've been reporting in the past few weeks… several weeks now, how we've been making attempts to deliver assistance to this part of Gaza, to the hospital. In some cases, I think was it on Monday, that I think I was able to report that we were able, that WHO was able to bring some assistance to the hospital. Right now, I think what we can do is, of course, with our colleagues on the ground who continue to do all they can, to provide, to support the assistance, to support the people of Gaza, and we continue to call for these facilities to be protected.
Question: Thank you, Stephanie. If Israel… if… I'm not there, you're not there, we're going off second-hand information. If Israel is holding any doctors, any patients, anyone associated with that hospital, including journalists right now, if Israel is holding them, detaining them against their will, what is the message from the Secretary-General to Israel about that?
Associate Spokesperson: I can just reiterate the message that we've been delivering from here several times that we call on all parties to comply with their obligation, to respect, to protect in all circumstances medical, personal, including hospitals, medical facilities in accordance with international humanitarian law. Yes.
Question: Thank you. I have a question about Syria, especially Syrian minorities. I don't know if you saw any footages, clips recently. The minorities have been under attack, especially Christians, Alawite Shias, other minorities. First of all, do you have any comment on that? And second, what UN is doing to protect these people recently? And also, what can you say to make these people feel safer? Because what we see, what we hear, they don't feel safe there.
Associate Spokesperson: Yeah. As you know, on this, just now earlier today, there were consultations at the Security Council, and we had our colleague, Geir Pedersen, who briefed and closed consultations. I have a few points from what the message that he delivered to the Security Council. So, he reiterated to members of the Security Council this morning, that the key principles of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) have wide consensus. The transition there should be Syrian led and owned, ensuring credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance, including also constitutional reform, the holding of free and fair election, and the meaningful participation of women. He stressed that the challenges ahead are immense, and they cannot be underestimated. I think that refers also to some situations that you're describing now. He also noted that the risk of escalation in several areas of Syria is concerning. Syria's sovereignty, its territorial unity and integrity must be restored, and all acts of aggression must cease immediately. I don't know if we have questions online. Dezhi?
Correspondent: I have a question.
Associate Spokesperson: Oh, and who is it? Go ahead.
Correspondent: This is Stefano. I have a question.
Associate Spokesperson: Oh, hi Stefano.
Question: Hello, Stephanie. An Italian journalist had been arrested in Tehran. Her name is, Cecilia Sala, and she's been arrested on 19 December. And the Italian Government is just releasing the news now. And, my question here is first, what the Secretary-General think about this arrest? She had a visa, as a journalist. She was doing her job. And now she has been in the prison in Tehran. And, also, did the Italian Government contact already the UN to try to have… maybe also help by the UN in this situation?
Associate Spokesperson: I don't have the specific information about that case, but I can find out if there's been contacts. I can just reiterate our standard position regarding journalists that they should be able to do their work freely, and they must be protected. But, I'll check to see if there are any additional details on your questions, Stefano. I think Mike also has a question, then I'll come to you, Dezhi.
Question: Hi, Stephanie. I hope you're doing well today. I stepped away for just a brief moment. Was there any mention about the ballistic missile fired overnight by the Houthis towards Israeli airspace?
Associate Spokesperson: Mhmm. We're very concerned that the Houthis continue to launch attacks targeting Israel, including missile fired earlier today that was intercepted. The Houthis, they've also claimed that they had targeted a vessel in the Arabian Sea. So, I can tell you that we reiterate that UN Security Council resolution 2722 (2024) must be fully respected in its entirety. In particular, we call on the Houthis to cease their attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and we remain deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region and continue to urge all to exercise the utmost restraint.
Question: In that vein, I know that the guest earlier didn't have probably access to all the conversations that were held with, Houthi authorities there in Yemen over the last few days. While the UN is trying to extract its own employees there, were there any conversations with the Houthis specifically about their targeting Israel and the potential as we saw, unfortunately the potential consequences of that? Was that part of any of the dialogue?
Associate Spokesperson: I don't want to extrapolate more on what he said, but as he described, these conversations were really focusing on humanitarian issues, on issues related to the release of the staff detained. You know, we would have to check on other details. But, as we've said very often, you know, we have the special envoy that continues his work in that regard, and his, you know, his engagement continues. Dezhi?
Question: Yes. Just want to ask, do we have a briefing next Monday?
Associate Spokesperson: I think so. But we will confirm that later this afternoon. You see, that's an easy question. But, we will confirm. Very good. Alright. Well, thank you so much to everyone. Have a good weekend.