21 May 2024<\/p>\n
(Excerpt<\/em>)<\/p>\n The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today\u2019s noon briefing by St\u00e9phane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.<\/p>\n **Occupied Palestinian Territory<\/u><\/p>\n Update on Gaza and the work of UNRWA [UN Relief and Works Agency].\u00a0Our colleagues at UNRWA report that today, the Agency\u2019s distribution centre, as well as the World Food Programme\u2019s (WFP) warehouse \u2014 both in Rafah \u2014 are now inaccessible due to ongoing military operation.<\/p>\n UNRWA says that its health centres have not received any medical supplies in the past 10\u00a0days.\u00a0 Despite this, health-care staff continue to provide thousands of medical consultations each day at health centres that are still operational.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr.\u00a0Tedros [Adhanom Ghebreyesus], expressed deep concern over the safety of patients and hospital staff remaining at Al Awda Hospital in northern Gaza.\u00a0 In a social media post, he said the facility has been under siege since Sunday, with no one allowed to leave or enter.<\/p>\n Yesterday afternoon, you will have heard from Tor Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, who\u00a0said the situation in Rafah is becoming increasingly desperate and dangerous<\/a><\/strong><\/em>\u00a0for the already besieged population.<\/p>\n He urged the parties to redouble all efforts and return to the negotiating table immediately and in good faith.\u00a0 Mr.\u00a0Wennesland expressed concern that the failure to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and a large-scale military operation in Rafah increases the risk of escalating regional tensions.<\/p>\n For her part, Edem Wosornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told Council members that\u00a0living conditions continue to deteriorate<\/a>\u00a0because of heavy fighting, particularly in the Jabalaya and eastern Rafah areas of Gaza, as well as Israeli bombardment from land, air and sea.<\/p>\n Among other things, she said that as of 18\u00a0May, just 10\u00a0bakeries are operational out of 16\u00a0that are supported by our humanitarian partners.\u00a0 However, it is expected that these will run out of stock and fuel within days if no additional supplies are received.\u00a0 An estimated 14,000\u00a0critical patients currently require medical evacuation out of the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n …<\/u><\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Edith?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you, Steph.\u00a0 Can you give us an update on aid coming in via the land crossings and also on the distribution of aid that came in from Cyprus via the US pier?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Sure.\u00a0 I mean, I can tell you, on terms of the number of the crossings, on Rafah, it remains closed.\u00a0 And I think, our colleagues at OCHA, in their briefing to the Security Council yesterday, said the closure prevented the entry of some 82,000\u00a0metric tons of supplies, including food and medicines.\u00a0 Kerem Shalom, which as you know had been a main entry point for critical aid, remains open in principle in the sense that materials are arriving from the Israeli side.\u00a0But as always, the challenge for us is accessing that area.\u00a0 The challenges to access remain because of the ongoing fighting, challenging logistics, and just the safety of our colleagues and the complexity of coordinating with all those involved.\u00a0 In terms of the north, Erez, was opened from the 1st<\/sup>\u00a0to 9th<\/sup>, but has remained closed since then.\u00a0 And the newly opened Erez West crossing is now being used for limited quantities of aid.\u00a0But now areas in the vicinity of the crossings are also under evacuation order.\u00a0 There\u2019s been no new arrival of trucks on the floating pier since Saturday.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And was the aid from those trucks actually delivered to the warehouse or to anybody on land?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 On Friday, there were about 10\u00a0trucks that made it.\u00a0 On Saturday, there were 16\u00a0trucks that left the floating pier.\u00a0 But 11\u00a0of those trucks never made it to the warehouse.\u00a0 Crowds had stopped the trucks at various points along the way.\u00a0 There was, you know, what I think I would refer to as self-distribution.\u00a0 These trucks were traveling through areas where there\u2019d been no aid.\u00a0 I think people feared that they would never see aid.\u00a0 They grabbed what they could.\u00a0 So, only 5\u00a0of the 16\u00a0trucks made it to the warehouse.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And has there been any distribution of any of that aid?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 The aid is then\u2026 basically, WFP drops off the aid at its warehouse, and its local partners then distribute the aid as they can.\u00a0 But I don\u2019t have that sort of granularity.\u00a0 I think, you know, the fact that the trucks didn\u2019t make it underscores the need for consistent delivery of aid and obviously for a ceasefire so we have access to aid that is needed \u2014 so people know that when they see a truck, there will be more trucks, that there is more aid in the pipeline, and it\u2019s not just a one off.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And just one final question.\u00a0 Who was responsible for security for those trucks?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 There is no\u2026 we don\u2019t have any armed security.\u00a0 We operate separately, obviously, from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).\u00a0 So, part of it is the work that we do with various community groups and humanitarian partners so that people understand where these trucks are coming from and where they\u2019re going and what they\u2019re being used for.<\/p>\n Gabriel?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you, Steph.\u00a0 Today, the Israeli authorities confiscated the television equipment from the Associated Press, a camera that was being used\u2026 that was in Israel to show a live feed of this Gaza skyline.\u00a0 Does the Secretary-General have any reaction to that?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I saw the reports in the Israeli press, this morning, and frankly, it\u2019s quite shocking.\u00a0 I think journalists need to be able to do their work freely.\u00a0 The Associated Press, of all news organizations, should be allowed to do its work freely and free of any harassment.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And on UNRWA, regarding the suspension of food distribution, you said, if I heard you correctly, that the reason is because of ongoing military operations.\u00a0 Correct?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Are you referring to Israeli military operations?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I mean, I spoke to one of my UNRWA colleagues just before coming in here.\u00a0They\u2019re not sticking around to see who\u2019s doing the firing.\u00a0 It\u2019s an active combat zone.\u00a0 There are bullets flying, not to sound glib.\u00a0 So, they have no access to those areas, but it\u2019s clear that they are\u2026 that the parties who are in conflict are fighting.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And just one last follow-up, what is the\u2026 what are the ramifications to the fact that UNRWA has suspended food distribution?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 People don\u2019t eat.<\/p>\n Benny?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Since you update us in a very granular way every day about the situation\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 As much as I can.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Oh, since you\u2026 is that better?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 Yeah.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, every day, you update us in a very granular way about food distribution \u2014 you have OCHA, you have UNRWA, you have WFP, so on and so forth.\u00a0And just what you described now about the situation in Kerem Shalom, in Erez and on the pier; is it the UN determination that Israel is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I think we\u2019ve\u2026 I will not make a legal pronouncement here.\u00a0 We have been very, very vocal about the fact that not enough humanitarian aid has been let through.\u00a0 We\u2019ve told these to our Israeli counterparts.\u00a0 We have called for the reopening of all the crossings.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 I am not asking you to make legal determination; I am asking you\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 No, I know.\u00a0 But I understand also the legal debate that is ongoing right now in terms of what is going on with the International Criminal Court (ICC).\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah, but who would know better than the UN?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 But I\u2019m just saying, Benny, I think we\u2019ve been very, very clear in the fact that we don\u2019t think the Israeli authorities are allowing enough humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, it is their method of warfare?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 You\u2019ve asked me a question.\u00a0 I\u2019ve answered it.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 No.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Well, I\u2019ve answered it to the best of my ability, counsellor.\u00a0 [laughter] \u00a0I just don\u2019t want you to put words into my mouth.\u00a0 Thank you.<\/p>\n Yes, Jordan?\u00a0 And then, Benno.\u00a0 Sorry.\u00a0[cross talk]<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0 As you know, Gaza is a combination of refugees, 1.4\u00a0million people registered with United Nations\u2019 agency, which is UNRWA.\u00a0 And the other 800,000, they are the original Gazan citizens.\u00a0 Out of the 35,000\u00a0people who were killed, do you know how many of them are refugees?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 No, sir.\u00a0 That is a question you need to ask to the people who own those figures, and that is the Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Second question, if you, do you have any update on the investigation about the attack against the DSS (Department of Safety and Security) vehicle?\u00a0UN or other investigation?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 About the OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight Services) investigation?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 No, with the DSS?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 No.\u00a0 I do not.\u00a0I do not.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Okay.\u00a0 Two small and I go, if you allow me.\u00a0 The SG went to Middle East, and he went to Bahrain, to Oman, to Kuwait, and you issued some statements.\u00a0 Is there anything hidden about his meetings?\u00a0 Is he satisfied?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Is there anything hidden?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Is there any benefit from his visit that you did not tell us?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I was in most of those meetings.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t see anything that I couldn\u2019t see.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Is he happy?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Is the Secretary-General happy?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 That\u2026 yeah.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 He\u2019s not very happy these days.\u00a0 I\u2019ll come back to you.<\/p>\n Benno?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0 I actually think that I need some more explanation about the pier and the trucks that were, I would say looted, or you said\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I think, you know, to\u2026 listen.\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 But you didn\u2019t let anyone ask.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Sorry.\u00a0 You\u2019re right.\u00a0I\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 I\u2019m a little\u2026 too much coffee this morning.\u00a0 Go ahead, Benno.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, the trucks coming from the pier, they had some security, I guess.\u00a0Farhan [Haq] said we are working out some security details or whatever a few days ago.\u00a0 There was security that they had, or were they absolutely without anybody\u2026?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 There is no\u2026 as far as\u2026 I mean, we were working, I think what we\u2019ve been referring to about was about the safety and security of our colleagues who are picking up the aid and just kind of the handoff point in a sense.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 But there is no\u2026 we do not have UN armed security with these trucks.\u00a0 And we have seen, over and over again since the beginning of this conflict, issues with the safety of humanitarian workers.\u00a0 We\u2019ve had drivers that have been attacked, and it\u2019s\u2026 so.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Sorry.\u00a0 But, like\u2026 So, the truck drivers are Palestinians, maybe from UNRWA, even?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 They\u2019re Palestinian.\u00a0 I mean, this is a WFP operation.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Okay.\u00a0 Who provides the security to for them?\u00a0 You said, no, UN troops.\u00a0 Yes, of course not.\u00a0 But, like who\u2026?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I mean, there is no armed security.\u00a0 They are\u2026 the best security, the best safety comes from the community.\u00a0Right?\u00a0 When people understand and know that there will be a constant flow of aid, that there will be distribution that is well organized, that is timed.\u00a0 That is not possible in an active combat zone.\u00a0I cannot put myself in the shoes of people who may have been displaced once, twice, three times over, who do not know where their next meal comes from, who see a truck laden with food stop for whatever reason or not stop and decide to take things.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 So that is my understanding of what happened.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 No question about that.\u00a0 I asked myself just, like, I think you said the IDF can\u2019t protect the convoys because that would, like, kind of violate the neutrality of this\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Right.\u00a0 We do not operate with armed escort because we need to be\u2026 there\u2019s certain humanitarian principles, especially operational neutrality, that need to be respected.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And then very last one, just correct me if I\u2019m wrong, but, like, I had in, I thought I remembered that the IDF was actually providing some security for some deliveries that came in from land borders.\u00a0 Is that\u2026 do I\u2026 [cross talk] \u00a0Am I wrong about this?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 We have\u2026 There may be other\u2026 I\u2019m talking about UN operations.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 There also\u2026 there\u2019s private sector.\u00a0 There are other things going on.\u00a0 I can only speak about what we do.<\/p>\n Dezhi?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 First two follow-ups on the floating dock and the humanitarian aid in Gaza.\u00a0 Given the fact that you just said the constant aid delivery would be a solution to all those problems, but given the security and the safety issue, do you have plans for the future floating pier operations?\u00a0WFP has it?\u00a0 The plans?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Sorry.\u00a0 Do we what?\u00a0Say again.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Do you have any more plans for future deliveries from the floating pier?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah, I mean we are trying\u2026 WFP is in the business of delivering food.\u00a0And I can tell you from the conversations that I\u2019ve had, that\u2019s what they\u2019re focused on.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 They\u2019re speaking to all the parties to see how quickly we can get more trucks being delivered.\u00a0 But obviously, there are a lot of other things that need to be worked out on a daily basis.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Okay.\u00a0 My second follow-up, have the UN agencies in Gaza recently get any fuels?\u00a0 Because every day, I think last week, we heard about the fuel issue.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 On the fuel, and you\u2019ll\u2026 this is what I just received.\u00a0 More\u2026 OCHA, I think this was yesterday.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 I\u2019m thinking to what Edem said.\u00a0 650,000\u00a0litres of fuel have entered Gaza since the start of the Rafah operation, but that\u2019s a quarter of the allocations we had prior to 6\u00a0May.\u00a0 So, there was a limited amount of fuel that came in on an exceptional basis only.\u00a0 So, we\u2019re not getting enough for the fuel that we need.\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 From where?\u00a0 From which border crossings?\u00a0 Do you have\u2026?\u00a0[cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I think it came in through Kerem Shalom.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Okay.\u00a0 My question now is, today the Special Adviser to Secretary-General on prevention of genocide in the Security Council meeting talked lengthy on Sudan, but she did not even mention the word Gaza.\u00a0 May I know why?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 You should\u2026 I mean, heard the remarks speak for themselves.\u00a0 You\u2019re welcome to contact her office.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 She said in her statement that early warning and her job is to make early warnings and make recommendations to Security Council by bringing to their attention potential situation that could result in genocide and actions to prevent or halt genocide.\u00a0 So\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 As I said, I think that her remarks were clear.\u00a0 If you have any questions about what was in and what was not in, I would suggest you contact her office.<\/p>\n Abdelhamid?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you, St\u00e9phane.\u00a0 Two senior UN officials gave briefings to the Security Council, and both did not mention Palestine.\u00a0 Virginia Gamba, when she spoke about children in armed conflict, and today, Ms.\u00a0Nderitu, when she spoke about protection of civilians in armed conflict.\u00a0 She did not mention one word about the genocidal war taking place in Gaza now.\u00a0 Can you explain that, please?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 As I said, UN officials\u2026 I mean, you\u2019re welcome to contact their offices.\u00a0Ms.\u00a0Gamba will present her report, her annual report, children and armed conflict, later in June and judge her for what she says or what she doesn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 My second question.\u00a0 Mr.\u00a0Tor Wennesland said this, just last week, a staff member of safety and security from India died and another staff injured.\u00a0 Is using the word \u201cdied\u201d correct now\u2026?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 But the person is no longer alive.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And instead of being killed.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I mean, Abdelhamid, with all due respect things are said.\u00a0 You\u2019re welcome to say they were well said.\u00a0 You\u2019re welcome to say they were not well said.\u00a0 That is your freedom as a journalist.\u00a0 But we\u2019ve\u2026 you and I have gone through this over and over again.\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 We can go again, because\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 The words used were those used.\u00a0 If you have another question, I\u2019ll\u2026<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 One more.\u00a0We haven\u2019t heard from Sigrid Kaag for some time now.\u00a0 Where is she and what is she\u2026?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Sigrid Kaag is based in Amman.\u00a0 I think every time she comes to New York, she speaks to you, but she\u2019s continuing her work.<\/p>\n Frank?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 I have a protocol question.\u00a0 The lowering\u2026<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 You can put your microphone a little louder\u2026 closer.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 I have a protocol question.\u00a0 The lowering of the flag, the UN flag for President [Ebrahim] Raisi, who orders that?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 It\u2019s not an order.\u00a0 It was done at the request of the Permanent Mission of Iran.\u00a0 Traditionally, when a sitting Head of State dies in office, the flags are lowered if the mission so requests.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 As a follow-up, why don\u2019t they do that for a UN security officer that was killed on 13th<\/sup>?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 This is a place of precedent.\u00a0 The national flags are lowered for certain reasons.\u00a0 They will be, I think, within the next, I think around 30\u00a0May, there will be the annual ceremony, which the Secretary-General honours all of those UN staffers who have been killed in the line of duty.\u00a0And sadly, if you look at the number of UN colleagues who have died in the last year, and the flags were lowered, the flags would not fly many days of the year.<\/p>\n Stefano, and then we\u2019ll go to that side.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you, St\u00e9phane.\u00a0 This is a question I wanted to ask before the press conference, but it was not possible.\u00a0So, I\u2019m going to ask to you.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I feel bad because I did ask you to be there.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 I know.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 And I\u2019m going to\u2026 after all the Secretary-General is the boss, so that\u2019s\u2026 this Organization should be, according to the\u00a0Washington Post<\/em>, the European Union and individual European countries are supporting and funding aggressive operation by North African Governments to detain tens of thousands of migrants every year, dump them in the remote areas, often in the desert.\u00a0We\u2019re talking about people starving here.\u00a0 Well, apparently, European funds were used to train personnel, purchase equipment for units involved in human rights violations.\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah. \u00a0We read the story.\u00a0 Yeah.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 So, yes, they say that there was, according to the\u00a0Washington Post<\/em>, [inaudible] in hospital\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I read the story at length.\u00a0 What is the question?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 What does the Secretary think?\u00a0 What does it do\u2026?\u00a0 I think\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 His reaction to reading the story was one of horror.\u00a0 It\u2019s a horrific story, and it is incumbent on all Member States, whether it\u2019s those that are doing these operations, those who are funding these types of operations, wherever they may be, that the human rights of each individual \u2014 migrant or refugee \u2014 whether they\u2019re a migrant or they\u2019re a refugee, they\u2019re a human being, be respected, and any violation be fully investigated and people be held accountable.\u00a0 It\u2019s a horrific\u2026 the story I mean, I encourage all of you to read.\u00a0 It appeared in many different places.\u00a0 It\u2019s a horrific story.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you for your answers, St\u00e9phane.\u00a0 But if I didn\u2019t ask the question because you didn\u2019t talk about it at the beginning, and before, we couldn\u2019t ask a question to people that should protect migrants.\u00a0 I mean, why the migrants are always left the last in this Organization?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Well, first of all, I think, listen, from our part and if you\u2026 the story also says the investigation done by these journalists confirms what has been said in UN reports.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0So, it\u2019s not as if we don\u2019t talk about it.\u00a0 I often talk about it from here.\u00a0 Again, whether it\u2019s on migration or any other issue, we talk about it; whether or not journalists write about it is beyond my own authority.<\/p>\n Biesan and then Ibtisam.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 I have two questions.\u00a0 Do you have any comment on the raid in Jenin this morning?\u00a0 I mean, a surgeon, a teacher, a student was killed.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Not at this point.\u00a0 I just, I hadn\u2019t seen any report on it at this point, but I think we have expressed our very deep concern at the ongoing violence that Palestinian civilians are subjected to in the occupied West Bank, and I think Mr.\u00a0Wennesland referred to it.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, a group of bipartisan Senators just put out a statement condemning the ICC.\u00a0 President [Joseph] Biden called it outrageous.\u00a0 Secretary [Antony] Blinken just now in a hearing said that the Administration would be willing to speak with Congress or, you know, discuss with Congress ways to respond.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it concerning, I mean, for international order that these statements are coming out of the US?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Look, we\u2019re not going to comment on every statement that comes out of every Member State.\u00a0 But what is clear is that Member States, every Member State has a responsibility to respect the international institutions.<\/p>\n Ibtisam Azem?<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Follow up on the American pier something that I\u2026 you said that there was no delivery since Sunday.\u00a0 Like, for the third day.\u00a0 And the delivery that happened before was\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah, there was Friday and Saturday.\u00a0 Yeah.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 And the delivery, what you mentioned is in average is about 10\u00a0trucks, more or less.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Well, I mean it\u2019s hard to do an average on two days.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Okay.\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 But American\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I think a good statistician would tell you that\u2019s not enough of a data point to do an average.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 You\u2019re the expert.\u00a0 So, I guess my question here, when the opening of that port was announced, the Americans, if I\u2019m not mistaken, were talking about that they are aiming 200\u00a0trucks and 100\u00a0to 150\u00a0trucks, the max capacity that they have; and we are seeing that not even 10\u00a0per cent of that, if we look at these two days.\u00a0So, my question here is, who is actually deciding about this?\u00a0 Like, how much comes to this port, and where does it go from there?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Well, I mean, there is a mechanism, and I think Sigrid Kaag has spoken to it.\u00a0 There\u2019s a framework that has been created, but there are also facts on the ground.\u00a0 And I think you would need to speak to WFP to get a little bit more detail about what the biggest stumbling block is.\u00a0 But I think all of this reaffirms what we\u2019ve been saying for a while is that we welcome additional routes into Gaza.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 We welcome this arrival of the US-built pier and the efforts of Cyprus, but it is not and cannot be a substitute to open massive delivery via land.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thanks, Steph.\u00a0 It\u2019s actually a follow-up on Ibtisam\u2019s question.\u00a0 I apologize if I missed it, but just simply why haven\u2019t there been more trucks since\u2026 any trucks since Sunday coming off the pier?\u00a0 Do you have any detail on where things aren\u2019t working?\u00a0Or\u2026<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Well, beyond the fact that there remains an active conflict, no.\u00a0 I do not have any more details at this point.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 Okay.\u00a0 Thanks.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Edith and Benny.\u00a0 Oh, Benno.\u00a0Sorry.\u00a0 Then Benny.\u00a0 I just get confused.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you, Steph.\u00a0 Yesterday, we heard that the number of displacements since the beginning of the\u2026 Well, the past two weeks had been over 900,000.\u00a0 Are there any new figures?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I did not get any new ones.\u00a0 Not today.\u00a0[cross talk]<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 And on the issue of the AP camera, does the Secretary-General urge the Israeli Government to return the AP equipment that is confiscated and to restore the AP position in southern Israel near the Gaza border?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 On all those questions.<\/p>\n Benno?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 One more follow-up to the pier, and then I have other question.\u00a0 Given that the pier basically is just a workaround for existing routes, do you consider it a giant waste of money, as well?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 No.\u00a0 There were trucks that got in.\u00a0 There was aid that got in.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0That was good.\u00a0 All we\u2019re saying is that it\u2019s not enough.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Second question on, Ms.\u00a0Sigrid Kaag, is she in any way in charge, or does she have any staff in Gaza currently working with\u2026?\u00a0 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I mean, she has a role to play in Gaza because her role is senior.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Staff.\u00a0 Staff?\u00a0[cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I don\u2019t know where every one of her staff members is at this point.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 What is the relationship between your office and her communication officer?\u00a0 Because that\u2019s like the\u2026 [cross talk]<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 What exactly does that mean?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 That\u2019s like\u2026 the\u2026 like, OCHA sends you like daily, WFP.\u00a0 Does, like, Ms.\u00a0Sigrid Kaag office send you updates on what\u2019s happening in Gaza?\u00a0 Since she\u2019s in charge?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure where you\u2019re going with that question.\u00a0 I have\u2026 the beauty of this job is I get to call whoever I want and ask him whatever I want.\u00a0 Sometimes they tell me what\u2019s going on.\u00a0 Sometimes they don\u2019t.\u00a0 And when they tell me what\u2019s going on, I share it with you most of the time.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 You and\u2026 when the last time you spoke to the office of Ms.\u00a0Kaag?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 You know, and as much as I would like to be as transparent with you, my call logs and my WhatsApp logs, my signal logs, my SMS logs, my Facebook Messenger logs, my Twitter messages logs, will not be shared.<\/p>\n On that note, bon app\u00e9tit<\/em>.<\/p>\n …\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 21 May 2024 (Excerpt) The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today\u2019s noon briefing by St\u00e9phane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. **Occupied Palestinian Territory Update on Gaza and the work of UNRWA [UN Relief and Works Agency].\u00a0Our colleagues at UNRWA report that today, the Agency\u2019s distribution centre, as well as the World Food Programme\u2019s (WFP) […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2573,2565],"document-source":[5352],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,1945,2005,1741,1745],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-296225","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-highlights-of-the-noon-briefing","document-category-press-briefing","document-source-secretary-general","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/296225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/299"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/296225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":296229,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/296225\/revisions\/296229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=296225"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=296225"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=296225"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=296225"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=296225"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=296225"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=296225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}