The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen (on screen), addresses the Security Council. Top news of the day | Tuesday: Syria, Gaza, Lebanon-Israel, Haiti UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the consequences of the regional conflict for Syria, the evacuation of a hospital in Gaza, escalation on the border between Lebanon and Israel, a humanitarian plan for Haiti.
UN Security Council on Syria
The situation in Syria is of grave concern, and in February the world community witnessed further “side effects” of the regional conflict. The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria, Geir Pedersen, stated this at a meeting of the UN Security Council. The Syrian conflict itself continues and is resulting in civilian casualties and displacement of civilians, Pedersen said. The special envoy emphasized the need to reduce tension in the region and, first of all, to immediately introduce a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Humanitarian operations in Gaza
UN humanitarian agencies in Gaza have expressed deep disappointment at the ongoing restrictions imposed by the Israeli military. In particular, ambulances carrying patients from Al-Amal Hospital were detained over the weekend. However, the UN and its partners were able to evacuate 24 people in critical condition from there, as well as deliver medicine, medical supplies and emergency supplies to the staff and patients remaining there. According to the UN, the hospital suffered 40 attacks in a month, killing at least 25 people.
Lebanese-Israeli border
Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro, said that in recent days the UN has continued to actively interact with the parties to the conflict in order to reduce tensions on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka also expressed concern about the escalation of gunfire across the so-called Blue Line, warning that such incidents violate Security Council Resolution 1701. In less than five months, nearly 90,000 people north of the border have fled their homes due to fighting, according to the UN.
Crisis in Haiti
The UN, in collaboration with the Government of Haiti and partner organizations, unveiled the country’s 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan on Tuesday. The plan aims to provide food, shelter, protection, health and education services to Haiti’s 3.6 million people at a cost of $674 million. According to recent data, almost every second Haitian is food insecure, and the public services sector is on the verge of collapse.