Scroll down for the PDF file.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The Bulletin can be found in the United Nations Information System\u00a0<\/em>on the Question of Palestine (UNISPAL) at\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/data-collection\/monthly-bulletin\/<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Disclaimer: The texts cited in this Monthly Bulletin have been\u00a0reproduced in their original form<\/u>. The Division for Palestinian Rights is consequently not responsible for the views, positions or discrepancies contained in these texts.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n October 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n Volume XLVII, Bulletin No. X<\/strong><\/p>\n On 1 October, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese, presented a report to the Human Rights Council. The conclusions of the <\/em>report<\/em><\/a><\/strong> are reproduced below.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 2 October, Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres delivered the following <\/em>remarks<\/em><\/a><\/strong> at the Security Council.<\/em><\/p>\n The raging fires in the Middle East are fast becoming an inferno. Exactly one week ago, I briefed the Security Council about the alarming situation in Lebanon. Since then, things have gone from bad to much, much worse.<\/p>\n As I told the Council last week, the Blue Line has seen tensions for years.\u00a0But since October, exchanges of fire have expanded in scope, depth, and intensity. I stated that the almost daily exchanges of fire by Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups in Lebanon and the Israel Defense Forces are in repeated violation of Security Council resolution 1701.<\/p>\n I emphasized that the daily use of weapons by non-State armed groups is in violation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701. And I stressed that Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected and the Lebanese state must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanon.<\/p>\n In the few short days since then, we have seen a dramatic escalation, so dramatic that I wonder what remains of the framework this Council established with resolution 1701.<\/p>\n Israeli forces have conducted relentless air strikes across Lebanon, including Beirut. The United States and France, with the support of several other countries, have proposed a temporary ceasefire allowing for the restart of negotiations.<\/p>\n Israel refused that proposal and stepped up its strikes, including bombing the Hezbollah headquarters where its leader was killed. Hezbollah has continued rocket and missile attacks on Israel. And yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces conducted what it stated were \u201climited incursions\u201d into southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n UNIFIL peacekeepers remain in position, and the UN flag continues to fly despite Israel\u2019s request to relocate.<\/p>\n I reiterate our deep appreciation to the military and civilian members of our UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, and to troop contributing countries. The safety and security of all UN personnel must be ensured.<\/p>\n Civilians are paying a terrible price, which I utterly condemn. Since last October, more than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon, including over 100 children and 194 women. Over 346,000 people are confirmed to have been displaced from their homes. Government estimates put this number as high as one million. Another 128,000 people, both Syrian and Lebanese, have crossed into Syria.<\/p>\n The UN has mobilized all its capacities to provide urgent humanitarian aid in Lebanon and I ask the international community to fully fund our appeal. Since October 8th, Hezbollah attacks on Israel have killed 49 people – with over 60,000 people displaced from their homes. It is absolutely essential to avoid an all-out war in Lebanon which would have profound and devastating consequences.<\/p>\n Yesterday, Iran launched approximately 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel. It stated it was in response to the killings of Hassan Nasrallah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp commander Abbas Nilforoushan last week, as well as that of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.<\/p>\n Millions of people across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory were forced to seek shelter. One person was killed from the Iranian strikes, a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April, and as should have been obvious yesterday in the context of the condemnation I expressed, I again strongly condemn yesterday\u2019s massive missile attack by Iran on Israel. These attacks paradoxically do nothing to support the cause of the Palestinian people or reduce their suffering.<\/p>\n Almost one year has passed since the atrocious 7 October acts of terror by Hamas and the taking of hostages. Since last October, Israel has conducted in Gaza the most deadly and destructive military campaign in my years as Secretary-General.\u00a0The suffering endured by the Palestinian people in Gaza is beyond imagination.<\/p>\n At the same time, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continues to deteriorate with Israeli military operations, construction of settlements, evictions, land grabs, and intensification of settler attacks, progressively undermining any possibility of a two-state solution.<\/p>\n And, simultaneously, armed Palestinian groups have also used violence. Hamas has continued to launch rockets, and just yesterday 7 Israelis were killed in a terror attack in Jaffa.<\/p>\n The events of the past week, the past month, and indeed nearly the past year make it clear:<\/p>\n It is high time for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, with the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, the effective delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and irreversible progress to a two-state solution.<\/p>\n It is high time for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, real action towards full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701, paving the way for diplomatic efforts for sustainable peace.<\/p>\n It is high time to stop the sickening cycle of escalation after escalation that is leading the people of the Middle East straight over the cliff.<\/p>\n Each escalation has served as a pretext for the next. We must never lose sight of the tremendous toll that this growing conflict is taking on civilians. We cannot look away from systematic violations of international humanitarian law.<\/p>\n This deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop. Time is running out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 2 October, the Maldives, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, filed<\/a><\/strong> in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).\u00a0The ICJ press release is reproduced below.<\/em><\/p>\n Yesterday, the Maldives, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).<\/p>\n Pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute, whenever the construction of a convention to which States other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question, each of those States has the right to intervene in the proceedings. If they do so, the construction given by the judgment of the Court will be equally binding upon them.<\/p>\n In availing itself of the right of intervention conferred by Article 63, the Maldives relies on its status as a party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the \u201cGenocide Convention\u201d). The Maldives states in its declaration that its intervention focuses on \u201cthe proper construction of the provisions concerning the incitement to commit genocide and the duty to punish the incitement of genocide in Articles I, III, IV and VI of the Genocide Convention\u201d, as well as \u201cthe proper construction of Articles II and IX of the . . . Convention\u201d.<\/p>\n In accordance with Article 83 of the Rules of Court, South Africa and Israel have been invited to furnish written observations on the declaration of intervention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 3 October, Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights; Fernanda Hopenhaym (Chairperson), Lyra Jakulevi\u010dien\u0117 (Vice Chairperson), Pichamon Yeophantong, Damilola Olawuyi, and Robert McCorquodale, Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises; and Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance issued the following <\/em>press release<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n FIFA must respect and demand respect for international law from Israeli football clubs, UN experts said today.<\/p>\n Over the years, at least eight football clubs have developed or have been identified as playing in Israeli colonial settlements of the occupied West Bank. Israeli clubs, many of which have exhibited racism towards the Palestinian people and players over the years, are integrated in the Israeli Football Association (IFA). A ninth club, based inside Israel, plays some home games in a settlement.<\/p>\n \u201cSuch integration and conduct within the IFA amounts to recognising as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory. This is in stark violation of international law, as reiterated by the International Court of Justice in its\u00a0Advisory Opinion<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0of 19 July 2024, that stressed that the transfer of Israeli settlers to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel\u2019s maintenance of their presence, is in violation of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and Israel\u2019s obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Legally, this constitutes an act of aggression in violation of jus ad bellum. These are grave breaches of the Convention and amount to several crimes under the Rome Statute,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n In its Advisory Opinion, the International Court of Justice clearly stated that Israel\u2019s occupation of the Gaza strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful, along with the associated settlement and annexation. The ICJ noted that Israel\u2019s policies violate the prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid set out in article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. The Court mandates Israel to end its occupation, dismantle its colonies and separation wall, the entire associate regime, provide full reparations to Palestinian people and facilitate the return of Palestinian people displaced since 1967.<\/p>\n \u201cWe call on the FIFA Council, who will examine this matter during its meeting in October 2024, to ensure that its decisions are in conformity with non-derogable norms of international law,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe remind FIFA that international human rights law, which includes the right to self-determination, as well as the prohibition of racial discrimination and apartheid, applies to private international organisations, especially those that have global jurisdiction and mandates such as itself. FIFA must also fulfill its responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with the\u00a0UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights<\/strong><\/em><\/a>,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe autonomy and self-regulation in sport must not be detrimental to fundamental human rights,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n They urged FIFA to ensure implementation of its zero-tolerance policy against discriminatory conduct and racism when it comes to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 3 October, ten elected members of the Security Council (Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland) made a <\/em>statement<\/em><\/a><\/strong> summarized below<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, on behalf of the Security Council\u2019s ten elected members (E10), read a statement expressing concern about the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, condemning the current cycle of violence and calling for an immediate end to all hostilities.<\/p>\n Speaking at the stakeout podium outside the Council, Rodrigues-Birkett said, \u201cwe also call on all parties to respect their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. We further emphasise that a diplomatic solution is the only appropriate way forward and urge all parties to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy and ensure the protection of civilians.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement also underscored their \u201cfull support to the United Nations Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres and the UN system.\u201d<\/p>\n On Wednesday, the Israeli Government declared the Secretary-General persona non grata<\/em>, barring him from entering Israeli territory.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 4 October, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, made the following <\/em>statement<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n After reviewing persistent allegations, and talking with around 150 people from 30 countries, including students and faculty members, I can conclude that the situation surrounding protests and international solidarity with the Palestinian people and victims within university environments, coupled with inadequate institutional responses, reveals a widespread hostile environment for the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.<\/p>\n Now that peaceful assemblies in universities worldwide have resumed after holidays, re-joining the growing global movement to safeguard Palestinian rights and lives, and anticipating commemoration mobilisations by both Israeli and Palestinian solidarity groups in October, I urge academic institutions to:<\/p>\n iii) Actively facilitate and protect peaceful assemblies, including by prioritising negotiation and mediation where necessary, and refrain from calling on law enforcement to disperse peaceful protests;<\/p>\n Universities and other educational institutions have an important window of opportunity to learn from the experiences of the university-based pro-Palestine solidarity movement and repair the harm. They must recognise that their responsibility extends beyond campus borders, their actions have the potential to shape political discourse, culture, civic education, and ultimately, the future sustainability of democracy, freedoms and human rights. Respecting and guaranteeing dissent is essential to ensure the universities remain spaces for free thought, speech and academic freedom, as well to guarantee freedom of expression, assembly and association.<\/p>\n The brutal repression of the university-based protest movement is posing a profound threat to democratic systems and institutions; it risks alienating an entire generation, damaging their participation and perception of their role in democratic processes, in addition to failing the responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes and to contribute to peace.<\/p>\n The full statement is available\u00a0here<\/em><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 5 October, the Secretary-General, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, issued the following <\/em>message<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Today marks one year since the horrific events of 7 October 2023 when Hamas launched a large-scale terror attack in Israel killing over 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals, including children and women. More than 250 people were abducted and taken to Gaza, including many women and children.<\/p>\n The 7 October 2023 attack scarred souls, and on this day, we remember all those who were brutally killed and suffered unspeakable violence, including sexual violence, as they were simply living their lives.<\/p>\n This is a day for the global community to repeat in the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, including the taking of hostages.<\/p>\n Over the course of the past year, I have met with the families of hostage, learned more about the lives, hopes and dreams of their loved ones, and shared in their anguish and pain.<\/p>\n I cannot imagine the torture they are forced to endure every day. I demand once again the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Until then, Hamas must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit those hostages.<\/p>\n The seventh of October is naturally a day to focus on the events of that awful day. I express my solidarity with all the victims and their loved ones.<\/p>\n Since 7 October, a wave of shocking violence and bloodshed has erupted. The war that has followed the terrible attacks of one year ago continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Palestinians in Gaza, and now the people of Lebanon. I have spoken out about this often and clearly.<\/p>\n It is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns. Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region. Time for peace, international law and justice. The United Nations is fully committed to achieving those goals. In the midst of so much bloodshed and division, we must hold on to hope.<\/p>\n Let us honour the memory of the victims, reunite families and end the suffering and violence in the whole Middle East. And let us never stop working for a lasting solution to the conflict where Israel, Palestine and all other countries of the region can finally live in peace and dignity and with respect for one another.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 6 October, marking one year since the attacks on 7 October 2023, the President of the General Assembly, Philemon Yang,\u202fissued the following <\/em>press statement<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n As we mark the one-year anniversary of the\u00a0brutal\u00a0attacks by Hamas\u00a0against Israel\u00a0on 7 October 2023, the Middle East region has been witnessing death, destruction and displacement for too long.<\/p>\n Let me again reiterate that\u00a0the human suffering must end and it must end now. We need an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and a return to dialogue with a view to finding diplomatic solutions to the conflicts in the region.<\/p>\n No sustainable peace will be achieved militarily. Only a two-state solution, based on\u00a0the UN Charter, international law, and\u00a0relevant UN resolutions, can guarantee lasting peace and security for both the people of Israel and Palestine and indeed for the rest of the region.<\/p>\n I call for all parties, Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah, to abide by\u00a0their obligations under\u00a0international law, including international humanitarian law. I also urgently call for the protection of civilians and the unimpeded access to the much-needed humanitarian assistance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 7 October, Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; Ashwini K.P. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Fernanda Hopenhaym (Chairperson), Lyra Jakulevi\u010dien\u0117 (Vice-Chair), Pichamon Yeophantong, Damilola Olawuyi, Robert McCorquodale, Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; Olivier De Shutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), Gra\u017cyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Aua Bald\u00e9 and Ana Lorena Delgadillo P\u00e9rez, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Mama Fatima Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on sale the and sexual exploitation of children; Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development; Laura Nyirinkindi (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krsti\u0107 and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls; George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on the human rights on minority issues; Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights; Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Cecilia M. Bailliet, Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity; Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Heba Hagrass, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities; Astrid Puentes Ria\u00f1o, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; and Reem Alsalem Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences issued the following <\/em>press release<\/em><\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The past year has seen a devastating escalation in human suffering, with severe consequences for the Palestinian people, Israelis and the entire Middle East region. We express today, our heartfelt compassion to all victims and their families, especially the children, who should have been spared the scourge of war, and recall the heavy human cost of this conflict and immediate need for peace and accountability.<\/p>\n On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups killed approximately 1,200 persons in Israel, of whom at least 809 were civilians, including women, children and older persons. On this day, 252 people were abducted and taken to Gaza as hostages and of these nearly 100 remain in captivity.<\/p>\n The crimes committed on that day, including murder, hostage-taking, and sexual violence against women and girls, amount to serious violations of international law and constitute\u00a0war crimes<\/strong><\/em>,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and possibly\u00a0crimes against humanity<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n The ensuing military attack by Israel on Gaza has killed approximately 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including 17,000 children injured more than 97,000, many with lifelong injuries, as of 6 October 2024, and displaced nearly 2 million. The majority of those killed are\u00a0children<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0women<\/em><\/a><\/strong>, while an estimated 10,000 Palestinian bodies remain under the rubble with no possibility to retrieve and identify them to bring solace to grieving families. In the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, nearly 700 have been killed including 176 children. Israeli Forces also killed 986 healthcare workers, humanitarian workers, among them 225 UNRWA staff, and 126 journalists, as well as destroyed hospitals, schools, and refugee camps, leaving no safe place in Gaza.<\/p>\n The serious violations of international law such as,\u00a0murder<\/em><\/a>,<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0intentional targeting of civilian objects, disproportionate and indiscriminate attacks,\u00a0starvation<\/em><\/a>,<\/strong> forcible transfer, arbitrary displacement, sexual violence, persecution, and outrages against life and dignity, including disrespect for the dead, committed by Israeli Forces since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023 constitute war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity. As a result, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) warned there was a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to the right of Palestinians to be protected from genocide.<\/p>\n International judicial mechanisms, the UN and the international community should thoroughly, impartially, and independently investigate these grave violations, establish chain of command, prosecute and punish perpetrators, and ensure full reparation for victims and their families. Parties to the conflict must allow prompt and full access to evidence to establish facts and ensure accountability for perpetrators.<\/p>\n As the Secretary General stated nearly one year ago, the violence on 7 October did not happen in a vacuum. Obscured by false narratives, and years of discrimination, racial segregation and\/or apartheid perpetrated against the Palestinian people, as recognised by the ICJ on 19 July 2024, this war risks leading to the erasure of Palestinian presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and an endless reality of insecurity and enormous suffering for the Palestinian and Israeli people alike.<\/p>\n We continue to urge the international community to ensure an end to\u00a0transfers of arms<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0by States and companies to Israel, including through proxies, to avoid responsibility in war crimes and crimes against humanity by complicity.<\/p>\n We are alarmed by the expansion of the violence and hostilities in other countries in the region, in particular the escalation in Lebanon, which has so far resulted in the death of more than 2,000 persons, including women and children, the injury of more than 9,500 persons, and displacement of hundreds of thousands. This spillover of hostilities blatantly undermines international law and the UN Charter and endangers peace and stability of a region that has suffered decades of conflicts.<\/p>\n All parties to the conflict with the support of the international community must:<\/p>\n The experts reiterated their availability to assist in genuine efforts to establish truth, justice and reparation for violations of international law in the context of this conflict.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 9 October, Bolivia, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, <\/em>filed<\/em><\/a><\/strong> in the Registry of the Court a Declaration of intervention in the case concerning the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel). The press release from ICJ is reproduced below.<\/em><\/p>\n Yesterday, Bolivia, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a Declaration of intervention in the case concerning the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).<\/p>\n Pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute, whenever the construction of a convention to which States other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question, each of those States has the right to intervene in the proceedings. If they do so, the construction given by the judgment of the Court will be equally binding upon them.<\/p>\n In availing itself of the right of intervention conferred by Article 63, Bolivia relies on its status as a party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the \u201cGenocide Convention\u201d). Bolivia considers that the construction of Articles I, II, III, IV, V, VI and IX of the Genocide Convention is in question in the present case. In its Declaration, Bolivia sets out its interpretation of these provisions.<\/p>\n In accordance with Article 83 of the Rules of Court, South Africa and Israel have been invited to furnish written observations on the Declaration of intervention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On 9 October, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini <\/em>briefed <\/em><\/a><\/strong>the UN Security Council.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n I deeply regret that one year after the abhorrent attacks against Israel, and the catastrophic war on Gaza, no end is in sight to the brutal violence engulfing the region.<\/p>\n It has been a year of profound loss and suffering. A year of dehumanization and barbarism. Hostages taken from Israel remain captive, their families left in deep and prolonged distress.<\/p>\n Gaza is unrecognizable. A sea of rubble. A graveyard for tens of thousands of people, including far too many children. Almost the entire population is displaced. People have been forced to flee multiple times, searching for safety that does not exist.<\/p>\n The latest developments in the north are especially alarming. Hundreds of thousands of people are again being pushed to move to the south, where living conditions are intolerable. And yet again, Gazans are teetering on the edge of a man-made famine.<\/p>\n Children in Gaza have not been spared. They are killed, injured and orphaned in shocking numbers. More than 650,000 children are out of school, deeply traumatized and living in the rubble. They have already lost two years of learning.<\/p>\n Palestinians are no strangers to loss. But to be dispossessed from education, which has always been a source of pride, is new. We cannot afford to lose an entire generation and sow the seeds for future hatred and extremism. That is why UNRWA, beyond its lifesaving operations, has resumed some learning activities in Gaza.<\/p>\n Every day, we provide psychosocial services to thousands of children. We build on these activities to help them read, write, and do some basic arithmetic. Bringing children back to learning should be a collective and urgent priority.<\/p>\n UNRWA has also played a critical role in an emergency vaccination campaign against polio, which has returned to Gaza, 25 years after eradication.<\/p>\n Together with WHO and UNICEF, UNRWA vaccinated more than half a million children during short pauses in military activities.<\/p>\n The second round of the campaign is planned for mid-October. We hope to succeed again. For this we need sufficient political will.<\/p>\n Beyond Gaza, the West Bank is gripped by escalating violence. Nearly 700 people have been killed in the past year. Among them, more than 160 children. Civilian life is increasingly militarized, and settlement activity is expanding aggressively. The Israeli Security Forces routinely destroy public infrastructure during military operations, inflicting collective punishment on Palestinians.<\/p>\n Lebanon is the latest casualty of this widening conflict. Civilians are paying a heavy price. Air strikes by Israeli forces are killing and injuring thousands, and displacing hundreds of thousands, while Hezbollah continues to attack Israel with rockets.<\/p>\n UNRWA has opened 11 shelters in Lebanon, hosting more than 4,500 Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian displaced persons. The need for the Agency\u2019s services in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Lebanon has never been greater. And we have never been under fiercer attack.<\/p>\n The blatant disregard for international humanitarian law, and a near total breakdown of civil order, is crippling the humanitarian response in Gaza.<\/p>\n Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world for aid workers, 226 UNRWA personnel have been killed in 12 months. United Nations premises, including two-thirds of UNRWA\u2019s buildings, have been damaged or destroyed. Our premises have also been used for military purposes by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, and the Israeli Security Forces.<\/p>\n Humanitarian aid convoys are looted by armed gangs and obstructed by Israeli soldiers defying their own chain of command. Without a lasting ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and unfettered humanitarian access, the aid operation will collapse, plunging two million people into chaos.<\/p>\n In the broader occupied Palestinian territory, the Agency\u2019s operational space is shrinking. Senior Israeli officials have described destroying UNRWA as a war goal.<\/p>\n Legislation to end our operations is ready for final adoption by the Israeli Knesset. It seeks to ban UNRWA\u2019s presence and operations in the territory of Israel, revoking its privileges and immunities, in violation of international law. If the bills are adopted, the consequences will be severe.<\/p>\n Operationally, the entire humanitarian response in Gaza, which rests on UNRWA\u2019s infrastructure, may disintegrate.<\/p>\n Coordination with Israel would cease, further disrupting the provision of shelter, food, and healthcare to people in desperate need as winter approaches.<\/p>\n More than 650,000 children would lose any hope of resuming their education and an entire generation would be sacrificed.<\/p>\n In the West Bank, the delivery of education, primary healthcare and emergency aid to hundreds of thousands of Palestine Refugees would grind to a halt.<\/p>\n Legally, the Knesset legislation violates Israel\u2019s obligations under the United Nations Charter and international law. It defies the will of the international community expressed through General Assembly resolution 302 on UNRWA, and deepens violations recognized by the International Court of Justice.<\/p>\n Politically, the anti-UNRWA legislation, which is part of a broader campaign to dismantle the Agency, seeks to strip Palestinians from their refugee status, and change, unilaterally, the parameters for a future political solution.<\/p>\n These attacks set a grave precedent for other conflict situations where governments may wish to eliminate an inconvenient United Nations presence.<\/p>\n They target not just UNRWA, but any individual or entity calling for compliance with international law and a peaceful political solution. Failing to push back against attempts to intimidate and undermine the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territory will eventually compromise humanitarian and human rights work worldwide.<\/p>\n This Council must decide to which extent it will tolerate acts that strike at the heart of multilateralism and compromise international peace and security. The climate of impunity that prevails will not dissipate without decisive action.<\/p>\n We can uphold the UN Charter and enforce international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the decisions of international courts, without exception. Or we can concede that the post-World War II rules-based international order is at an end.<\/p>\n The devastation of the past year should pull us back from the brink of creating dangerous new norms of warfare and reneging on our decades-long commitment to Palestine Refugees.<\/p>\n UNRWA is an integral part of the United Nations, which anchors the multilateral system. I urge you to shield this UN agency from efforts to end its mandate, arbitrarily and prematurely, in the absence of a long-promised political solution. Thank you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nContents<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
\n<\/a>I. UN Special Rapporteur warns that statements and actions by Israeli leaders reflect genocidal intent and conduct<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>VII. Conclusions:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a>II. Secretary-General appeals to Security Council for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>III. The Maldives files a declaration of intervention in the ICJ genocide case (South Africa v. Israel)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>IV. UN human rights experts urge FIFA to respect international law regarding Israeli football clubs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>V. Security Council\u2019s ten elected members (E10) reaffirm strong support for the Secretary-General, as Israeli Government declared him persona non grata<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>VI. UN Special Rapporteur: universities must respect peaceful activism and revise repressive policies targeting pro-Palestine solidarity movement<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>VII. Marking one year since 7 October attacks, Secretary-General urges \u2018It is time for the release of the hostages, time to silence the guns\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>VIII. President of the General Assembly emphasizes that human suffering must end now<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>IX. 35 UN human rights experts call for end of violence and for accountability after year of human suffering and blatant disregard for international law<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>X. Bolivia files a declaration of intervention in the ICJ Gaza genocide case (South Africa v. Israel)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>XI. UNRWA Commissioner General briefs Security Council on Gaza war, Israeli legislation against UNRWA<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>XII. OCHA appeals to the Security Council to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza<\/strong><\/h2>\n