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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY STÉPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

FRIDAY, 9 JANUARY 2026

UKRAINE 

The Spokesman said we expect a statement on Ukraine today.  We have seen that another large-scale overnight Russian attack struck Ukraine, causing civilian casualties and widespread disruption to electricity, heating and water supplies, all this as temperatures dropped to -10°C and below. We once again condemn these attacks against critical civilian infrastructure. 

In the capital Kyiv, a health worker was killed, and rescuers and other health workers were also injured while trying to help people impacted by the attacks, which also killed and injured several civilians. This is what local authorities are telling us. Since the start of the year, the World Health Organization reports that nine attacks on health care in Ukraine.  

Humanitarian organizations are continuing to support people in Kyiv and other impacted cities and towns, providing emergency assistance and monitoring urgent needs as conditions remain extremely challenging due to low temperatures.  

 SYRIA 

On Syria, we continue to be gravely alarmed by the hostilities in Aleppo. Despite ongoing efforts to try to calm the fighting, the dangers of renewed and further escalation and the impact on civilians are extremely concerning. 

We underscore that all parties are bound by international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all times and we urge all to avoid further escalation. We urge them to demonstrate restraint, and take concrete steps to prevent any additional civilian casualties. 

We call on all parties to show genuine flexibility and good faith and to swiftly return to negotiations to ensure the full implementation of the 10 March agreement. 

On the humanitarian front, our colleagues tell us that the heightened insecurity in parts of Aleppo has disrupted access to key roads, limiting the ability to move around and delaying humanitarian access. We are coordinating with relevant groups so we can continue to deliver humanitarian aid. 

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 

In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tells us that wthe UN and its humanitarian partners are continuing to provide critical assistance to families all across the Gaza Strip.  

Between Monday and Wednesday, our partners reached more than 5,000 families with emergency cash assistance so that they can purchase some items on the market. Last year, more than 340,000 families across the Strip received such assistance at least once.   

Turning to the West Bank, our OCHA colleagues report that at least 20 Palestinian families have been displaced from the Ras ‘Ein al ‘Auja herding community in Area C, and that is in Jericho governorate. This occurred after a series of settler attacks and intimidation, such as cutting off the water and electricity network that we have seen in recent months. 

In a call for action issued today, our partners in protection warned that several herding and Bedouin communities have been displaced under pressure from Israeli settlers. 

They called on Member States to support the remaining families, deter attacks and reduce the threat of forced displacement.    

Meanwhile, in the northern West Bank, OCHA reports that, yesterday, Israeli settlers set fire to property, including vehicles, a school and a nursery. This caused injury and property damage in the localities of Deir Sharaf, Jalud and Bizzariya, all in Nablus governorate.   

Overall in 2025, OCHA has documented over 1,800 settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in casualties or property damage in about 280 communities across the West Bank. This is the highest daily average since OCHA began recording such incidents in 2006. &²Ô²ú²õ±è; 

OCHA reiterates its call for the protection of civilians in the West Bank.  

SUDAN 

In Sudan, the humanitarian situation remains very grave and grim. As you know, today marks 1,000 days since the war began, and civilians are continuing to bear the brunt of the devastating consequences of a conflict that they did not choose. Families have lost their homes, they have lost their livelihoods and, all too often, they have lost loved ones. 

Our humanitarian colleagues report some heartbreaking statistics, saying that nearly 34 million human beings, that’s almost two-thirds of the population of Sudan, now need some sort of humanitarian assistance. This has turned Sudan into the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. It is also the largest displacement crisis globally, with 9.3 million people displaced inside their own country and more than 4.3 million refugees seeking safety in neighbouring countries. And I think the generosity of those countries neighnbouring Sudan needs to be underscored and reminded.

Food security is catastrophic.  

As you know, famine has been confirmed in El Fasher in North Darfur and in Kadugli in South Kordofan, with at least 20 other areas at risk. More than 21 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure nationwide. Ongoing sieges in Kordofan have cut off Kadugli and Dilling localities, limiting access to food, access to farmland and access to markets. 

The health system is also near collapse. Fewer than half of health facilities are fully functional, with access especially restricted for people living amid ongoing hostilities. Cholera has been reported in all 18 states of the country, with more than 72,000 suspected cases were recorded last year. 

Nearly 12 million people, mostly women and girls, are at risk of gender-based violence. Households headed by women are three times more likely to be food insecure, and three-quarters of those households report not having enough food to eat.    

Our humanitarian colleagues also report continued fighting in Darfur, along with drone attacks and long-range strikes targeting civilian infrastructure. 

Despite all of these challenges, our humanitarian partners reached nearly 19 million people last year, with local and women-led organizations often serving as the first, if not the only, responders in high-risk areas. Access remains dangerous and politically constrained, and more than 125 aid workers have been killed since April 2023. 

In 2026, our partners aim to assist 20 million people under a $2.9 billion Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. We continue to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, full respect for international humanitarian law, safe access for aid, protection of civilians and aid workers amidst renewed fighting.     

SOUTH SUDAN 

In South Sudan, the UN peacekeeping mission has released its latest quarterly human rights brief, which highlights a troubling security situation and a troubling civilian protection environment.  

While overall conflict-related incidents declined, serious abuses persist. Between July and September of last year, the Mission documented 295 incidents of conflict-related violence, impacting over 1,150 civilians, including killings, injuries and cases of conflict-related sexual violence, all of this underscoring the continued vulnerability of civilians, especially women and children in South Sudan. 

We call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to respect human rights law. For its part, the Mission remains committed to working with the authorities and partners to strengthen civilian protection, promote accountability and support efforts towards a lasting peace in South Sudan.