Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, told ministers and ambassadors that ongoing talks must lead to a permanent end to hostilities, the release of all hostages, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, and for recovery and reconstruction to begin.

He painted a grim picture of conditions on the ground, citing expanded Israeli military operations, particularly in Deir Al-Balah, which have led to further mass displacement.

UN premises were also struck, hampering humanitarian operations and exacerbating the already dire situation.

Humanitarian toll deepens

At least 1,891 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 30 June, according to figures from Gazan health authorities, including 294 people reportedly killed while attempting to collect aid near militarised distribution points.  

Evacuation orders continue to force repeated displacement, while food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening despite a limited uptick in the entry of humanitarian supplies.

On the Israeli side, 13 soldiers have been killed in the same period. Palestinian armed groups have continued sporadic rocket attacks into Israel. According to Israeli sources, 50 hostages – including 28 believed to be dead – are still being held by Hamas and other groups.

“The Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned the continued holding of hostages by Hamas and other armed groups,” Mr. Khiari stressed. “Hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally.”

Places of worship struck

The briefing also highlighted growing concerns about civilian casualties and attacks on protected sites.  

Mr. Khiari condemned a 17 July strike on the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which killed three and injured several others. The strike forced the evacuation of roughly 600 Palestinians, including children and persons with special needs, who had been sheltering there.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office expressed regret, describing the strike as the result of “stray ammunition,” and said an investigation was underway, Mr. Khiari reported.

Dire fuel shortages

Since 9 July, Israel has allowed limited fuel deliveries through the Kerem Shalom/Karim Abu Salem crossing, after 130 days of a full blockade.

However, the amount is “a fraction of what is required to run essential life-saving services in Gaza, where nearly every aspect of life depends on fuel,” Mr. Khiari warned.

Occupied West Bank

Turning to the occupied West Bank, Mr. Khiari reported high levels of violence, including deadly Israeli military operations, attacks by settlers on Palestinians and retaliatory attacks by Palestinians against Israelis.

He noted that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is facing a severe fiscal crisis, with $2.7 billion in withheld clearance revenues, crippling its ability to pay salaries and provide basic services.

“Unless urgently addressed, the deterioration of the PA’s fiscal and institutional situation could have catastrophic consequences, undermining the significant progress made over many years to build up Palestinian institutions,” he warned, urging immediate international support.

A wide view of the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Tensions in the wider region

Mr. Khiari also highlighted continued tensions along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, as well as renewed violence in Syria’s Sweida region and Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory.

He urged both Israel and Syria to adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and to avoid any actions that risk escalating the conflict.

Call for a political horizon

Mr. Khiari concluded by reiterating that only a revived political process towards the two-State solution can deliver a sustainable solution.

“Our goal is clear: realizing the vision of two States – Israel and a viable and sovereign Palestinian State of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States,” he said.

More than 93,000 Syrians have been displaced across Sweida, neighbouring Dar’a governorate and Rural Damascus due to escalating violence in the city,  UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said at Monday’s daily press briefing in New York.

Most displaced people in Sweida are staying with local communities or in one of 15 reception centres, while around 30 collective shelters have opened in Dar’a.

Infrastructure and services are suffering in the area. Some hospitals and health centres in Sweida are out of service, water infrastructure has been critically damaged, significant cuts to electricity have been reported, and access to food is disrupted.

Initial aid delivery

On Sunday, the first aid convoy deployed by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent reached Sweida and the Salkhad district within the city, where most displaced people are seeking safety.  

The convoy of 32 trucks carried food, water, medical supplies and fuel provided by the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher welcomed this initial delivery on social media, saying it was a “desperately needed first step, but much more relief is needed.”  

Mr. Dujarric stressed that as the UN engages with relevant parties to facilitate humanitarian access and ensure the protection of civilians, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is working with authorities to facilitate a direct visit to Sweida to deliver assistance when security conditions allow.  

Mr. Fletcher echoed this sentiment, saying OCHA teams “are mobilised to move as much as we can.”

“We continue to urge all parties to protect people who have been caught up in the violence, including by allowing them to move freely to seek safety and medical assistance,” concluded Mr. Dujarric.

These strikes occurred while the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement – established in 2018 to support the ceasefire between the Government of Yemen and the Houthis – was patrolling at locations to the northern parts of the Port. 

The Secretary-General also expressed deep concern about the continuing missile and drone strikes conducted by the Houthis against Israel. 

Risk of further escalation

Concerned about the risk of further escalation, the UN recalled that international law, together with international humanitarian law, must be respected by all parties at all times, including the obligations to respect and protect civilian infrastructure. 

“The Secretary-General remains profoundly concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region,” said Mr. Dujarric. 

As the UN Chief reiterated his call for “all involved to cease all military actions and exercise maximum restraint,” he also renewed his call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN and other personnel arbitrarily detained by the Houthi authorities. 

Sudan: Crisis worsens as cholera and floods drive needs higher  

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to deepen as cholera spreads, flooding displaces communities, and thousands of people return to areas with little to no support, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In the locality of Tawila, in North Darfur State, over 1,300 confirmed cases of cholera in just one week were reported on Sunday by an association of Sudanese doctors. 

While local and international partners have set up cholera treatment centres, the current capacity is far from sufficient to cope with the rising caseload.  

As Tawila hosts several hundred thousand displaced people, partners on the ground have been struggling to keep pace with the growing needs, notably as such needs are set to increase as the upcoming rainy season sets in. 

Vulnerable returnees 

Across Sudan, people returning to their communities face serious challenges, including the lack of essential services and the threat posed by explosive remnants of war. 

In White Nile State, some residents have begun returning after being displaced for a year. Yet, an assessment by OCHA and its partners last week found that health, water, sanitation and hygiene support is urgently needed, even more so ahead of the rainy season.

Similarly, in eastern Sudan, OCHA warns that many families returning to Kassala State are struggling to cope with the impact of heavy rains and flooding, as heavy rains destroyed more than 280 homes in the village of Tirik earlier in July. 

Additionally, as insecurity continues to impede the work of humanitarians, challenges faced by returnee families often lead them to return to displacement sites, undermining the sustainability of return efforts. 

In this context, OCHA called for increased international support to meet soaring needs across Sudan. 

Ukraine: At least 20 civilians reportedly killed in recent attacks  

In Ukraine, attacks over the weekend and into Monday reportedly killed over 20 civilians and injured more than 100 others, including several children, according to authorities.

The strikes affected the capital Kyiv, as well as western and front-line regions, damaging homes, schools, and a health facility.

In Kyiv, a kindergarten, metro stations, shops and residential buildings were hit. 

The Ivano-Frankivsk region in western Ukraine which hosts many displaced people and had previously been less affected by hostilities, suffered the largest attack since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.  

Frontline regions  

Meanwhile, in areas near the frontlines in the Donetsk, Dnipro and Kherson regions, hostilities caused civilian casualties and further damage to schools, a health facility, and apartment buildings. Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy and other regions also reported that homes and shops were destroyed.  

With support from UN agencies, and coordinating with local authorities and first respondents, humanitarian organizations on the ground continue to provide shelter materials, non-food items, legal aid, psychosocial support and assistance for children across the country.