Middle East

A Palestinian girl inside her family’s partially destroyed home, looks at the destruction outside, in the Shejaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City.
UNICEF

Living conditions in Gaza 'more and more wretched' over past decade, UN finds

11 July 2017
A decade after Hamas seized the Gaza Strip, the living conditions for two million people in the Palestinian enclave are deteriorating “further and faster” than the prediction made in 2012 that the enclave would become “unlivable” by 2020, a new United Nations report has found.
Iraqi IDP's, mainly from Gogjali on the Eastern outskirst of Mosul, arrive at the UNHCR run Hasansham camp.
UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

Guterres pledges UN support to Iraqi Government, people in Mosul; $562M needed in aid

10 July 2017
Following Iraqi Government’s declaration that its forces have liberated the northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters, Secretary-General António Guterres today paid tribute to the country’s people and Government and vowed United Nations’ support to aid the displaced communities and restore rule of law in the freed areas.
Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria briefs the press on the first day of the Seventh round of the Intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin

Ceasefire, fresh political developments may help intra-Syrian talks – UN negotiator

10 July 2017
A deal to set up a ceasefire zone in Syria along with other political developments could help boost a new round of talks aimed at ending more than six years of conflict in the country, United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura said today.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré (file)

UN condemns terrorist attack in Rafah, Egypt

8 July 2017
Condemning yesterday's terrorist attack against a checkpoint in Rafah, Egypt, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council have underscored the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Press briefing by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Michael Lynk (right).
UN Photo/Mark Garten

Reconsider charges against Palestinian human rights defender, UN experts urge Israel

7 July 2017
Voicing concern over the reactivation of charges – some of which date back a number of years – against a Palestinian human rights defender, two independent United Nations experts have called on Israel to strictly abide by international law in its dealings with rights defenders.
Edmond Mulet, Head of the Security Council Joint Investigative Mechanism on Chemical Weapon Use in Syria.
UN Photo/Mark Garten

At UN, panel probing chemical weapons use in Syria urges independence

6 July 2017
Noting that its members are working in a highly politicized environment, the panel investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria today appealed to the international community to allow it to complete its work in an independent, impartial and professional manner.
A child's plush toy lies in the rubble of a destroyed building in rural Damascus, Syria. (File)
UNICEF/Al Shami

UN 'appalled' by terrorist attacks in the Syrian capital, Damascus

4 July 2017
The United Nations has condemned the terrorist attacks in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and underscored the need to bring those responsible to justice, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said today.
Electrical power transmission lines in Gaza City.
World Bank/Natalia Cieslik (file)

UN, partners seek $25 million to stabilize Gaza's worsening humanitarian conditions

3 July 2017
United Nations relief agencies and their partners in the occupied Palestinian territory are calling on the international community to provide $25 million in new funding to stabilize the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, including the effects of deep power cuts and lack of fuel for generators for hospitals.
The United Nations flag flies at UN Headquarters in New York. (file)
UN Photo/Mark Garten

UN chief appoints head of panel laying groundwork for possible war crimes probe in Syria

3 July 2017
Human Rights

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Catherine Marchi-Uhel of France as the head of the independent panel to assist in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for most serious violations of international law in Syria.