A sixth child has died in the Gaza Strip this month due to harsh living conditions caused by heavy rains. Top news of the day | Wednesday: UN Budget, Gaza, COVID‑19 UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: approval of the UN budget for 2026, heavy rains and a ban on the work of a number of humanitarian organizations in Gaza, a new WHO study on coronavirus in Europe.
Approval of the UN budget
After several weeks of intense negotiations and the launch of one of the most important reforms – the UN 80 initiative – the General Assembly approved the UN regular budget for 2026 in the amount of $3.45 billion. The budget, approved by 193 UN member states on Tuesday, covers three key areas of the organization’s work: peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. Although the approved budget is approximately $200 million higher than that proposed by the Secretary-General as part of the UN-80 reform, it is approximately seven percent lower than the 2025 budget.UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called the Israeli authorities’ decision to suspend the activities of numerous humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip “outrageous.” According to reports, 37 non-governmental organizations may lose their licenses to operate in Gaza as of January 1. According to Turk, this is another illegal restriction on the population’s access to humanitarian assistance. He called on all countries to take urgent action and ensure that Israel immediately allows the unimpeded delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip.
Deaths of Palestinian children due to heavy rains
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that due to the harsh living conditions associated with heavy rains this month A sixth child has died in the Gaza Strip. A UNICEF statement said the latest victim was seven-year-old Ata Mai. He drowned on December 27 during a flood in a makeshift camp for internally displaced people in Sudan, northwest of Gaza City. The Children’s Fund notes that extreme winter conditions are aggravated by the lack of safe shelters. COVID‑19. In May 2023, after more than 6.9 million deaths had been confirmed, the WHO declared the end of the emergency. However, the virus itself has not disappeared. Recent research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe and partners from seven countries shows that coronavirus continues to cause hospitalization and death in the European region. However, the latest vaccines are the most effective way to prevent severe disease.