Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon, everyone.

**Gaza/Israel

I'll start off with the statement that we issued late last night on the second anniversary of the 7 October [2023] attack. The Secretary-General said that, two years ago today, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched an abhorrent large-scale terror attack on Israel. On this day, he said, let us remember all those who were killed and suffered horrific violence.

Two years later, Mr. [António] Guterres said, hostages remain captive in Gaza in deplorable conditions, adding that he has met with hostage families and survivors, who shared their unbearable pain with him. He said today, with even greater urgency: Release the hostages, unconditionally and immediately. End the suffering for all. Put an end to the hostilities in Gaza, in Israel and the region right now. He said that the recent proposal by US President Donald J. Trump presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end. A permanent ceasefire and a credible political process are essential to prevent further bloodshed and pave the way for peace.

His full statement is online, as are statements from the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher; the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov; and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and many others.

**Yemen

You will have seen that last night, we issued a statement on Yemen, regarding the most recent arbitrary detentions by the Houthis of nine additional UN personnel. Unfortunately, this morning our colleagues in Yemen told us of the detention of one more UN staff. This brings the total number of arbitrarily detained UN staff in Yemen to 54, and this goes back to 2021. The Secretary-General strongly condemns this arbitrary detention of UN personnel, as well as that of our partners, and the ongoing unlawful seizure of UN premises and assets in areas under Houthi control.

These actions hinder our ability to operate in Yemen and to deliver critical assistance to those who need it. And the Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the safety and security of our personnel in Yemen. As we have been telling you constantly, their whereabouts remain unknown and the Houthi de facto authorities have not permitted any physical access to any of them, despite repeated requests on our part.

The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel from the United Nations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations and diplomatic missions. They must be respected, and they must be protected in accordance with applicable international law. The premises and assets of the United Nations are inviolable and must be protected at all times, consistent with the Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

We assure our colleagues that we will continue to work tirelessly, and through all available channels, to secure their safe and immediate release, as well as the return of UN agency offices and other assets. The Secretary-General remains steadfast in our commitment to support the people of Yemen and their aspirations for a just and lasting peace.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the situation on the ground in Gaza, I can tell you that our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report that Israeli military operations - including air strikes and shelling - continued across multiple areas, causing more civilian casualties, widespread displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Earlier today, a rocket was reportedly launched from Gaza towards Israel; no casualties or damage was reported.

Civilians continue to bear the brunt of hostilities, destruction and mass displacement - with women and girls being the most at risk. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and its partners reported yesterday that incidents of gender-based violence in Gaza City surged by 26 per cent between July and August, with rising cases of sexual exploitation, domestic violence and economic abuse.

The renewed offensive in Gaza City has contributed to the collapse of referral systems for gender-based violence in the area, leaving women and girls without safe access to support. Despite the challenges, partners responding to gender-based violence in Gaza City - many of whom are displaced and impacted themselves - continue to deliver psychosocial support, case management and other services, whenever and wherever they can.

OCHA reminds us that humanitarian partners face severe physical and bureaucratic obstacles that prevent the delivery of life-saving assistance at the scale required. Inside Gaza, looting - including by armed actors - has further hampered humanitarian operations. Yesterday, 8 out of 20 missions coordinated by the UN with Israeli authorities were facilitated, and that included the collection of supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Four missions were cancelled by the organizers, and four missions were denied, which included the collection of food cargo that had entered Gaza. Four other missions were impeded on the ground - these included collections of food cargo from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Kissufim crossings, which were partially accomplished, as well as the collection of medical supplies, which was fully accomplished despite various impediments.

For a meaningful scale-up of humanitarian operations, additional crossing points must be opened, and restrictions on the entry and movement of humanitarian aid inside Gaza must be lifted immediately. Currently, a limited number of humanitarian organizations and UN agencies are authorized by Israeli authorities to bring in supplies - a limitation that continues to undermine the scale-up of our response efforts.

**Lebanon

Moving North to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). During the past few days, UNIFIL has found several unauthorized weapons and ammunition caches in Sector West of their area of operations. That includes mortar shells and a rocket in front of a tunnel. Peacekeepers also discovered sub-munitions and fuses in Sector East.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, a UNIFIL patrol reported that one individual had fired two shotgun rounds in the air in the vicinity of the patrol before driving away near Dibal in Sector West. On Friday, Israel Defense Forces personnel pointed a green laser several times towards UNIFIL patrol vehicles in Sector East. These incidents obviously jeopardize the safety and security of the peacekeepers, and they must stop.

UNIFIL reports continued Israel Defense Forces military presence and activities in their area of operations. On Sunday, peacekeepers observed five [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers opening fire towards three individuals who were cutting iron rods from the rubble near Marwahin in Sector West. The peacekeepers saw the individuals leave the area subsequently.

**Security Council

This morning, the Security Council held a briefing on the cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the African Union, highlighted the strong collaboration between the two organizations, reiterating, as the Secretary-General has said, that "the UN and the African Union have developed a unique partnership, rooted in the principles of complementarity, respect and African ownership - a partnership that has become a cornerstone of multilateralism". Turning to peace and security challenges on the continent, he said security sector reform and governance remain a key element of the UN-AU partnership, particularly in addressing the root causes of conflict and consolidating peace.

For her part, Martha Pobee, the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, updated Council members on the implementation of resolution 2719 (2023), which was conceived as a means to address a longstanding gap in the African Union's peace and security architecture to better respond to conflict on the African continent. She said that as we reflect on the future of peace operations and seek efficiencies, it becomes even more evident that resolution 2719 (2023) meets the moment. The resolution seeks to ensure that we leverage our respective advantages in keeping with the Pact of the Future, the New Agenda for Peace and the Silencing the Guns initiative. Those remarks were shared with you

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

A couple of notes from Africa to share with you. Our colleagues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo report that between January and the end of September this year, joint efforts by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) led to the release of 410 children from armed groups in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces. Those 344 boys and 66 girls, who have all been referred to appropriate reintegration services.

During the same period, 165 cases of child recruitment and use were verified by the UN, including 30 girls and 135 boys. Our colleagues tell us these numbers underscore the continued vulnerability of children in areas impacted by conflict and also highlight the urgent need for sustained protection measures, including prevention, accountability and long-term reintegration support.

As part of its mandate under the Children and Armed Conflict framework, MONUSCO works to prevent and respond to grave violations against children, including their recruitment and use by armed actors. The Mission supports national authorities in implementing action plans, strengthening the capacity of security forces, and reporting violations through the UN's Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, all with the aim of promoting accountability and increasing child protection.

**Chad

Regarding Chad, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated $1 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for an urgent response to the deadly cholera outbreak in Chad. The new funding aims to contain the spread of the disease - mainly by improving access to water and sanitation, providing medical support, and strengthening community engagement to raise awareness of the risks and encourage proactive prevention. The outbreak is impacting the eastern Provinces of Ouaddaï and Sila - which are hosting large numbers of people displaced by the conflict in neighbouring Sudan - as well as the central province of Guéra.

As of Sunday, more than 2,600 suspected cases were reported and nearly 150 deaths, as well. These figures indicate a potential case fatality rate of 6 per cent - far higher than the emergency threshold of 1 per cent, as defined by World Health Organization (WHO). The new funding complements $3 million previously allocated for the cholera in Chad. So far this year, CERF has released $11 million to mitigate and respond to cholera outbreaks in five African countries, including Chad. OCHA remains deeply grateful to donors who support our Central Emergency Response Fund and other pooled funds, which allow us to fast-track response efforts.

**Mozambique

Turning to Mozambique, our colleagues at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said they are deeply concerned at the rapidly growing displacement in northern Mozambique as a conflict that is entering its eighth year appears to be intensifying again, with nearly 22,000 people forced to flee from their homes in a single week last month. The new wave of displacement is among the largest recorded this year, with over 100,000 people already forced to escape.

Since the conflict started in 2017, more than 1.3 million human beings have been displaced, caught between insecurity, loss and repeated upheaval. For the first time since the start of the conflict, all 17 districts in the Cabo Delgado Province have been directly affected, as simultaneous attacks across the province sow fear and instability.

**Briefings tomorrow

Tomorrow, at 11:15 a.m., there will be a briefing here by Karla Quintana, Head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic. She will brief on the Secretary General's Report to the General Assembly on the activities of her Institution.

Then, at noon, I will have a guest, and that is Olukemi Ibikunle, a Nigerian Corrections Expert serving with MONUSCO. She is the winner of the 2025 Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers. The award, which will be presented to her later that day by the Deputy Secretary-General, is an initiative established in 2022 by the Justice and Corrections Service of the Office for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions. It recognizes the outstanding contribution of women justice and corrections officers deployed as government-provided personnel to UN peace operations. Edie Lederer, Associated Press.

**Questions and Answers

Question: Thank you, Steph. Is there any update on UN humanitarian preparations in case of a Gaza ceasefire? And is any senior UN official in Cairo monitoring the talks?

Spokesman: No. I'm not aware of any colleague in Egypt to monitor the talks. We obviously remain in touch with various parties. We've been calling for a ceasefire, calling for the reopening of the crossings, calling for the release of hostages for quite some time now. So, we've been ready to go for quite some time, but we're obviously following the latest developments very closely.

Question: And is there any update, more granular, from particularly Gaza City and the North on Israeli operations and the impact on humanitarian aid?

Spokesman: No. I mean, no more than I've given you. As I said, we've reported that there's been continued Israeli shelling and some military activity. Dezhi?

Question: Last year, in June, before the peace deal [was] reached, the Security Council adopted a resolution to endorse the US-backed ceasefire deal during the Biden Administration. Does the Secretary-General… would he support such action for the Security Council to have another draft to support the current ceasefire?

Spokesman: Look. I don't want to say anything that would impact the delicate discussions, but I would say, obviously, any full-throated backing from the Security Council to peace initiatives carries a positive impact.

Correspondent: Sorry. I have several other questions. I'm sorry.

Spokesman: Don't apologize.

Question: It's the second anniversary since 7 October [2023]. Today, Brown University released a report suggesting that, after 7 October 2023, US gave military aid [of] $21.7 billion to Israel, and the spending for US military operation in greater Middle East region now is $33.7 billion. What is the reaction from the Secretary-General on these numbers?

Spokesman: I haven't seen the report, but I will refer you back to the report that the Secretary-General came here himself to launch on global military spending and the negative impact it's having on all sorts of other needs that we need around the world. And as we've always said, I think any Member State, any country that exports weapons has a responsibility on how those weapons are used. That's it? Oh, okay. Benny?

Correspondent: Well, two questions. Actually, one is you mentioned shelling in Gaza. There were a couple of rockets fired from Gaza.

Spokesman: I mentioned that as well, Benny.

Question: Oh, I missed that. Damn. And for drones from Yemen…?

Spokesman: I think we have been very consistent in calling out and condemning the launching of drones and other missiles by the Houthis towards Israel.

Question: To my real question: So, this is the season of the Nobel. And as you know, President Trump has been nominated by some Heads of State, as well as others. Other people have been nominated, including Greta Thunberg. Has anyone nominated the Secretary-General for the Nobel?

Spokesman: I don't know. I don't work for the Nobel Committee, and I don't have the list of people who've been nominated. But, I'm sure you can find that using the Google machine, Benny.

Question: Has anyone nominated the guy you speak for?

Spokesman: I know the guy who I speak for. This is not an issue that he has been focused on or paid any attention to.

Correspondent: Because past Secretary-Generals have won the Nobel, so…

Spokesman: I'm fully aware of that, Benny. But, I mean, it was… sorry, was there a question mark?

Question: Yeah. I was wondering if everybody is anticipating the announcement, if we should anticipate the head of the United Nations…?

Spokesman: The announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize on a Friday in October always carries a lot of interest in this building.

Question: So, you don't expect the SG…?

Spokesman: I'm not, you know, I'm to get putting money down on FanDuel about this. Please go ahead.

Question: I'm Leticia, Dag Hammarskjöld Fellow representing O Globo from Brazil, so on another topic. Yesterday, following a conversation with President Lula, President Trump was asked whether he would attend COP30 [thirtieth Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). And he replied that he would go to Brazil at some point. So, do you have any comment on that and on the exchange between the two of them and on the possibility of President Trump engaging with COP30?

Spokesman: Well, on COP30, obviously all Heads of State and Government have been invited. Participation by the major economies is critical. Obviously, we will see what happens. On the issue between President Lula and President Trump, it's not for us to comment, but we did note that they had a brief and what was described as a good meeting here at the United Nations, which we were happy to host, no matter how brief. Islam, please.

Correspondent: Thank you, Stéphane. I might have two, three questions, as well. First question is…

Spokesman: I see you've gotten the hang of this briefing pretty well.

Correspondent: Well, trying to…

Spokesman: Yes, exactly. Welcome. Go ahead.

Question: Thank you. You mentioned about gender-based violence in Gaza surged 26 per cent between July and August. Can you clarify this more? Does this have anything to do with occupation forces or only for Palestinian among Palestinians? And also, what is the reason? Any assessment on that?

Spokesman: Well, the reason for increased [sexual] and gender-based violence is the breakdown of society, right? And whenever there are moments where people, especially women and girls, are increasingly vulnerable, sadly, we see a rise in gender-based violence. Your second question?

Question: My second question is - partially it was asked but I will follow up - regarding cost of war at Brown University report, almost US spent $22 billion actually as financial aid past two years. Now, I just would like to make a comparison as a journalist. Do you know how much UN and partners spent as humanitarian aid in past two years in Gaza?

Spokesman: Last two years in Gaza, I don't have it off the top of my head, but what I can tell you is whatever we spent was not enough.

Question: But, any number?

Spokesman: I don't have… I'm bad at numbers to start with, so I don't want to estimate, but we can come up with a number of how much money we've spent on the humanitarian aid. Yes, please. Go ahead.

Question: I'm reading the Secretary-General's message to mark two years since the attack of 7 October [2023]; the message begins with a strong focus on the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. And while the reference to the humanitarian catastrophe and the suffering in Gaza come much later and in broader and in a very broader term. How does the Secretary-General decide on this balance of emphasis and while we are marking this second anniversary?

Spokesman: I will leave the, as we would say in French, the analyse du texte, right - the dissecting of the text - to analysts and journalists. This was a message to mark the anniversary of a horrific terrorist attack, which led to the killing, the maiming, and suffering of people in Israel. This is what the Secretary-General was marking. We have also, at the same time and in parallel, been consistent in calling out what is happening in Gaza and the suffering of civilians. And we are against the suffering of civilians, whether they be Palestinians, Israelis or anyone else. Yes, please?

Question: Thank you, Steph. The same question. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the fourth World Conference on Women, which is held in Beijing in 1995. And China will hold another global summit of women later this month. I wonder if SG has any plan to attend the summit and what's his expectation for this summit?

Spokesman: No. My expectation is that the Deputy Secretary-General will be attending that summit. Yes, please? We'll go first round, then we'll come back, and then we'll go online.

Question: Hi, I'm Asim. I'm a Dag Fellow and journalist from Pakistan. My question is about Iran. Iran's foreign office has released a statement that it will not hold any further talks with the US regarding the nuclear [deal]. So, what is your response on that?

Spokesman: From our standpoint, we think the door to diplomacy is never truly closed. Alright. Let's go online. I'll go on… Abdelhamid, I feel a question.

Question: Yes. I have a few. First, I want to commend my colleague who saw that this statement is very, very unbalanced. It's not analysis. It's fact. Now my question, Steph, he saw the hostages, the Israeli hostages, and he shed tears on them. Didn't he see that the Palestinian people as a whole is a hostage by a brutal occupation for 58 years?

Spokesman: Abdelhamid, have you not read anything the Secretary-General has said about what is going on in Gaza? I think his message could not be more clear. Your next question?

Question: My next question, again, he mentioned the 1,250 Israeli victims, rightly so. But, didn't he or wasn't it more appropriate to mention the 67,000 Palestinian killed since 7 October [2023]?

Spokesman: The Secretary-General has a place in his heart for all victims, and he has been very clear on that. And I think… Abdelhamid, and I think we have been we have not been shy either from this podium or the Secretary-General himself in speaking out loudly about the atrocities that we see on a daily basis in Gaza. Do you have another question?

Question: No. I ask if that statement indicates what you just said.

Spokesman: Everything should be seen as a whole. Okay. Dezhi. And then, Evelyn, go ahead. Whoever. It doesn't really matter.

Question: Alright. I'll go first. So, on Venezuela, it's been reported yesterday by The New York Times that Trump Administration now has cut off its diplomatic engagement with the Venezuelan authorities. Does the Secretary-General worry about an escalation?

Spokesman: Yeah. We, of course, are worried about an escalation. Evelyn?

Question: In the reports from Africa, was there anything about West Africa and any kind of a follow-up to the Wagner Group?

Spokesman: In which report?

Correspondent: Sorry. In the discussions today on Africa.

Spokesman: I mean, we've shared with you both speeches.

Correspondent: Well, it wasn't there. Okay.

Spokesman: Islam, then we'll close it.

Question: I'm sorry if it's going to get a little controversial, but I would like to follow up Benny's question the other day about the flotilla, just out of curiosity. He asked if the interception of flotilla was legal or not. My question is: Is the blockade of Gaza legal or not from the UN point?

Spokesman: Look, we have been very clear in the answers that we've given to you on the flotilla. You may not like them, and you and Benny can debate them. And as Tevye would say in Fiddler on the Roof, "you both have interesting points".

Correspondent: That's not the quote.

Spokesman: No, you also have a point. Exactly. We'll check. I have Farhan as my Fiddler on the Roof quote master. We'll check with him. But, in all seriousness, we've said what we've had to say. We've been very clear on the violations of international law. We've been clear on the fact that on the issues regarding the occupation, and I won't be dragged into it anymore. Enjoy the rest of the day.