Temporary housing provided by the UN and partners to displaced people in northwestern Syria. Top news of the day | Thursday: Syria, Srebrenica, Gaza, population UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: extension of permission for cross-border humanitarian supplies to Syria, Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, restrictions on humanitarian operations in Gaza, World Population Day.
Cross-border supplies to Syria
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the day before the Syrian government extended its agreement to deliver humanitarian aid from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for another six months, until January 13, 2025. Cross-border humanitarian assistance remains vital for the population in northwestern Syria. Permission to use the other two border crossings expires on August 13, and discussions are underway to extend their operation. The UN also reminds that the Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria for the current year is less than 20 percent funded.
Genocide in Srebrenica
Twenty-nine years ago, the UN and the world failed the people of Srebrenica. More than eight thousand Bosnian Muslims were systematically exterminated and their remains were buried in mass graves. This is stated in the message of the head of the UN on the occasion of the Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica. By adopting a resolution on Srebrenica earlier this year, the General Assembly made these tragic events the subject of international monitoring, says UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu. She recalled that genocide is always preceded by campaigns of hatred, which is why the UN pays so much attention to combating hate speech.
Gaza Strip
New evacuation orders in Gaza further threaten the health of the enclave’s population, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday. Last week, only five WHO trucks were allowed into the enclave. The head of the organization noted that more than 34 trucks of humanitarian aid are parked in El-Arish in Egypt, another 40 trucks in Ismailia in the same country, and 850 pallets of supplies are waiting to be picked up. The WHO director general called for an immediate lifting of supply restrictions, saying that “the people of Gaza, who had nothing to do with this conflict, should not pay for it.”
Population Day
In the 21st century, about 800 women die every day during pregnancy and childbirth, the vast majority of them in developing countries. The UN Secretary-General cited such figures in his message on the occasion of World Population Day. According to the UN chief, progress has been made in recent decades. Since 2000, maternal deaths have fallen by 34 percent. However, progress is uneven and unstable. The Secretary General called on countries to make the most of this year’s Future Summit to free up available capital for sustainable development.