Israel

In Ecuador, a UN team arrived on 24 March to support authorities to respond to the environmental emergency caused by a major oil spill. The spill in the Esmeraldas Province, in the country’s north-west, has contaminated key water sources, leaving half a million people without access to safe water and sanitation.

Speakers in the Security Council today warned of the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and its “Gazafication” amid Israel’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, which its representative described as efforts to dismantle Iran’s terror networks.

In Sudan, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned in the strongest terms the looting of vital humanitarian supplies from Al Bashair Hospital in Jabal Awlia in Khartoum. These supplies are intended to support malnourished children and provide critical healthcare to mothers and newborns.

The Security Council today heard harrowing testimony from a former Israeli hostage amid urgent calls for the immediate, unconditional and dignified release of hostages held in Gaza, as well as the swift restoration of the ceasefire, while Israel pledged to fight until all the captives are freed.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that a surge in violence in Ituri province is harming civilians and hindering relief efforts.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a report today stating that human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, with some consequences irreversible over hundreds — if not thousands — of years. The report also noted that 2024 was the warmest year in the 175-year observational record.

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and its partners continue to deliver aid across the country. This includes restoring water supplies, providing food and nutrition assistance, distributing winter aid and supporting vulnerable mothers and children.

As Israel resumes airstrikes over Gaza and blocks entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, the modest gains made during the ceasefire are being destroyed, Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the Security Council today.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: