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 Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

**Secretary-General/COP30

Good afternoon.

Today, the Secretary-General is continuing to be in Belém, where as you know, he is attending the thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) summit. This morning, he participated in a European Union coordination meeting and also met with the ministers from a group of African nations.

Also, this morning, in a meeting with representatives of civil society, the Secretary-General thanked civil society for its leadership, vigilance and moral clarity, noting that their work is indispensable in driving ambition, as well as protecting communities and holding decision-makers to account.

Later on, in a meeting with Indigenous Peoples, the Secretary-General underscored that the ancestral wisdom, knowledge, and stewardship of Indigenous Peoples are vital for the planet's survival. He said their voices and effective participation must shape the global response to the climate crisis.

This afternoon and tomorrow morning, he will continue meeting with other negotiators and ministers and different groups. He is also expected to speak to the media tomorrow at 11 a.m. Belém time, which is about 9 a.m. in the morning here in New York, and that will be webcast.

Also to flag that, yesterday afternoon, apart from engaging with youth representatives, Mr. [António] Guterres met with the so-called Umbrella Group, which is formed by a diverse group of non-EU developed countries. He also had a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities of Denmark, Lars Aagaard Møller, and the European Union Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra.

**Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest overnight missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation on several Ukrainian regions, that reportedly killed at least 25 people, including children and injuring several dozen others in two residential areas in Ternopil in western Ukraine. Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law. They are unacceptable, wherever they occur, and they must end immediately.

Today's appalling attack — one of the deadliest against civilians since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago — once again underlines the urgency of a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in this country, as a first step towards a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, its independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in line with the United Nations Charter, international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations.

Our Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, is in Ukraine; she is in Kyiv today. She said that she herself was appalled by the overnight attacks. Ms. DiCarlo is wrapping up a three-day visit to Ukraine and today, she met with Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The discussions centred on how the United Nations can further support efforts towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and assist the country in addressing its complex needs amid the war. The Under-Secretary-General said that strengthening recovery, social cohesion and the role of women in public life remain shared priorities.

She also addressed the fourth International Food Summit in Kyiv today, highlighting the war’s devastating impact on the global food supply and our own efforts to advocate for safe navigation in the Black Sea. Her full remarks are available on the website of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. For his part, our Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, also strongly condemned the latest wave of attacks overnight, and his statement is online.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the situation in Gaza, our colleagues with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warn that the humanitarian situation remains extremely dire, despite ongoing efforts by ourselves and our partners to reach people in need wherever they may be.

We continue to carry out assessments and provide assistance to families impacted by the rainstorm that hit Gaza last week. According to the latest estimate, over 18,600 households were impacted, and thousands of people lost their shelters, had their belongings damaged or were displaced yet again. This number continues to increase as partners complete additional assessments to gauge the extent of the damage caused by the storm.

With winter drawing near, our partners working on shelter warn that the volume of items entering Gaza is not sufficient to meet the immense needs of the people there. Since the start of September — when shelter supplies were allowed to enter Gaza again following a six-month ban — we and our partners and Member States have been able to bring in fewer than 60,000 tents, 346,000 tarpaulins and 309,000 bedding items. This is at a time when hundreds of thousands of people require urgent shelter support, especially given the approaching winter.

As part of the ongoing winterization response, our partners focusing on child protection have distributed 48,000 children’s winter-clothing kits across Gaza since the ceasefire took effect.

Meanwhile, our partners leading on water and sanitation report that, in the past two days, they have managed to distribute diapers, towels, jerry cans and other critical items to meet the hygiene needs of some 400,000 people. However, they warn that sanitation and hygiene conditions in Gaza are deplorable, with no wastewater treatment capacity in the Strip due to widespread destruction of infrastructure after two years of conflict.

In northern Gaza, the Sheikh Radwan ponds in Jabalya are once again at risk of overflowing, with partners only able to provide short-term solutions by draining the sewage into the sea. The dilapidated state of Gaza’s sanitation systems puts public health at risk, including by raising the threat of bacterial infections spreading through contact with contaminated water or waste.

Meanwhile, our partners working on nutrition note a gradual decline in the number of patients admitted for malnutrition treatment over the past two months, with about 9,280 cases admitted in October, compared to over 11,740 in September. However, last month’s numbers are nearly four times higher than what they were in January, during the previous ceasefire.

OCHA continues to call for items that are currently restricted from entry into Gaza, including equipment to rehabilitate critical infrastructure, to be allowed into the Strip. They also reiterate the need for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to be permitted to bring in assistance into Gaza and for the opening of additional crossings into and routes inside Gaza to enable us and our partners to reach people in need faster and in a more efficient manner.

**Syria

Turning to Syria, this morning, the Security Council held a meeting on Syria. They heard from Najat Rochdi, the Deputy Special Envoy [for Syria]. She briefed via videoconference from Oslo, where she is attending a senior officials meeting on Syria, hosted by the European Union and Norway. She said her recent visit to Damascus, including talks with Foreign Minister [As’ad] Shaibani, underscored the scale of challenges and the need for an inclusive political transition.

Noting that the Foreign Minister reaffirmed support for implementing the 10 March agreement between the authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), she stressed the need for concrete mechanisms to advance military and political integration of the SDF. Ms. Rochdi urged all parties to take tangible steps forward, particularly confidence-building measures on detainees and abductees and restoring state services throughout Syria.

For her part, Lisa Doughten, the Director of the Financing and Outreach division at OCHA, told Council members that more than 1.2 million refugees have now returned from neighbouring countries since last December. More than 1.9 million people who were still displaced internally have also returned. But these people still need support to reestablish their lives. She said we and our partners reach 3.4 million people monthly, but the Syria appeal is only 26 per cent funded, forcing gaps and cuts in essential assistance.

**Yemen

Quick update from our friend Hans Grundberg, our Special Envoy for Yemen, who is in Muscat today to review recent developments and advance progress in the UN-led mediation efforts in Yemen. He held discussions with Sheikh Khalifa Ali Issa al-Harthy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs for Oman, and other senior Omani officials. Mr. Grundberg also met with Mohamed Abdel Salam, the Houthis’ Chief Negotiator. Talks focused on the need for a conducive environment for a meaningful and inclusive political process. During his meetings, the Special Envoy reiterated our continued efforts to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all of our colleagues; that is, about 59 of them who remain arbitrarily detained by the Houthis in Yemen.

**Abyei

And a quick update from our peacekeeping colleagues in UNISFA, the peacekeeping mission in Abyei. They are reporting that, over the past two months, there has been an escalation in drone attacks and sightings in and around Kadugli. One attack struck a site for displaced people in Kulpa and resulted in six fatalities. This site is located about 25 kilometres from the logistics base of the peacekeeping mission’s Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism in Kadugli. Drone strikes were also reported in the Heglig oil producing area North of Abyei.

These attacks, which have resulted in deaths, injuries, civilian displacement as well as destruction of property, are likely to further isolate Kadugli, escalating the humanitarian crisis and threatening the delivery of humanitarian aid to the area. Our peacekeepers are concerned and call on all those responsible to cease hostilities, ensure the safety of civilians and adhere to international law.

**Libya

Almost lastly, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) welcomes the agreement on the Unified Development Programme announced yesterday by the Central Bank Governor. The agreement, signed by delegates of the House Representatives and the High Council of State, is intended to strengthen financial stability through implementing expenditure controls and advancing unified development. UNSMIL also welcomes the role of the Central Bank of Libya in supporting the implementation of the agreement to ensure that development funding is guided by sound financial planning and transparent fiscal procedures.

This agreement should be considered a first step. Continued dialogue is needed to achieve a unified national budget and advance efforts to unify State institutions. The Mission emphasizes that progress on financial governance must be anchored in institutional cooperation.

**World Toilet Day

Finally, today is World Toilet Day. This year’s theme is "Sanitation in a changing world". Today, billions of people still lack safe toilets, with the poorest people most affected. In his message, the Secretary-General says that access to a toilet is a matter of rights and survival, and for millions of women and girls, the lack of secure toilets means missed work and school. This World Toilet Day, we call for faster progress toward future-ready sanitation systems that are accessible, climate-resilient, low-emission and well-funded.

**Questions and Answers

Question: Thank you, Steph. I wonder if the Secretary General has any response to the visit by Israel's Prime Minister to the buffer zone between Israel and Syria, and in particular, the words he used about maintaining both a "defensive and offensive capability"?

Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, I think this very public visit is concerning, to say the least. We call on Israel to respect the disengagement, 1974 Disengagement Agreement. As you'll recall, in the recently passed resolution 2799 (2025), the Security Council called for the full sovereignty, unity, and independence and territorial integrity of Syria. This is also an issue that was raised during recent meeting between Najat Rochdi and the foreign minister of Syria. Benny?

Correspondent: Yep. Stop me if you heard this before.

Spokesman: Yeah. I’ve heard it before. Sorry. Go ahead.

Question: So, this week, the Security Council passed a resolution that for the first time in my memory, at least since possibly... established two bodies, the Board of Peace and the International Stabilization Force, none of which the UN has any role in. Does do you feel slighted? Does Secretary-General feel like being pushed aside?

Spokesman: Look, the Secretary-General is a big boy. He's not one to feel slighted. I do think, as we said, the resolution is an important step in consolidating the gains achieved through the proposal put forward by President [Donald J.] Trump and the leaders of Qatar and Egypt. For us, it's very important that we get to phase two. It's also very important that we see more humanitarian aid get in.

Question: But, does the UN want or feels that it needs to be involved more than it is in that resolution?

Spokesman: Look, we will be... it also depends what UN you are speaking about. I mean, the UN in terms of the Security Council spoke clearly. The vote was what it was, but it was a clear message. For the Secretary-General's part, he is willing to do whatever he can to bring peace to the region, to bring more humanitarian aid in and to help push the parties back on a political path leading to a two-State solution.

Question: Thank you, Steph. Let me steer away from the political headaches of every day and get back to something close to the home base. What's the latest updates with regard to the Secretary-General UN80 initiative? We haven't heard any new developments. We just heard great ideas.

Spokesman: I mean, it's... the process on all three tracks is continuing. I think the Secretary-General updated you about the membership about a month ago, but I can tell you everybody is hard at work on the three separate tracks.

Question: Are there any parameters that can be released with regard to the fulfilment of each track?

Spokesman: We will update of each you as it becomes useful. Islam?

Question: Thank you, Stéphane. On aid to Gaza, what is the latest situation with the Zikim Crossing? Has the aid started to enter?

Spokesman: We've currently using three crossings, Zikim, Karim Shalom/Karem Abu Salem, and... oh my God. I forgot the third one, but we're using... I'm having a brain freeze. We're using all three, and I would encourage you to look at the 2720 dashboard, which has a lot of data about what is being picked up, what is being what is being dropped off, and it's very useful. Kissufim is the third crossing.

Question: And the aid trucks number increased? What is the average number?

Spokesman: Yes. Listen, things are increasing, but not at the rate that we would like them to see increase.

Question: And also, I would like to ask about the Yellow Line in Gaza, if I may say, inside the Yellow Line, with the seashore, where the Israeli forces withdrawn from. What is the situation outside the Yellow Line? Are there any Gazans over there? Any, you know, humanitarian...?

Spokesman: You mean in between the border of the... inside the Yellow Line or outside the Yellow Line?

Question: Outside the Yellow Line. What's the situation...?

Spokesman: I mean, that's where most Gazans are. That's where they are. Most of them remain outside of the Yellow Line. We are we try to reach Gazans wherever they are. Yes. And I'll go back.

Question: Thank you, Steph. Does the SG have any comment on the latest wave of Israeli air strikes today in Lebanon? And has there any been any contact with UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] peacekeeping forces?

Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, we're obviously very concerned by the reported Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, including in the Ein el Hilweh refugee camp in Sidon. We urge the parties to uphold the cessation of hostilities, refrain from any activities that may endanger civilians, urge all concerned to avoid any further escalation. For ourselves, through UNIFIL, we're trying to do whatever we can to sustain the cessation of hostilities and advance the full implementation of [resolution] 1701 (2006). That's through the contacts that our peacekeeping colleagues have, as well as the contacts that our Special Coordinator for Lebanon has constantly.

Question: And then sorry, Steph, just one follow-up. To your knowledge, there hasn't been any UNIFIL peacekeeping casualties or anything since the attacks?

Spokesman: No.

Question: You have mentioned that your envoy to with Houthis, Grunberg, to Yemen. He was negotiating the release of your detainees, the UN...?

Spokesman: I didn't say he was meeting with the... I didn't say he was negotiating the release. He met with the Houthis’ Chief Negotiator, who is our main point of political contact on issues in Yemen. We continue to focus on both... on the political track, but also keep advocating for the release of our colleagues.

Question: Was there any news that they will get released?

Spokesman: You know, anytime there is a release, we will announce it.

Question: Another question related to Sudan. Yesterday, [Tom] Fletcher was not allowed to enter to El Fasher. And today, there was an escalation in Bab el Moussa, as well. Do you have any updates on that?

Spokesman: I don't have any updates on that.

Question: Follow-up on Yemen?

Spokesman: Please, Benny.

Question: You said that he wasn't negotiating, he just met with the Chief Negotiator?

Spokesman: No. I think if I understood your colleague's question is, was the meeting about negotiating for the release of our colleagues? That's not what I had said in the note. I said he met with the Chief Negotiator of the Houthis, who is our main point of contact on all issues having to do with Yemen. Okay. On that note, unless I hear or see a question online, I will withdraw. I'm withdrawing.