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

Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York

2 July 2025

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

**Cyprus

Alright, let me start off with an announcement on Cyprus. I can tell you that, following the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format that was held in Geneva on 17-18 March of this year, the Secretary-General will convene in New York, at the UN Headquarters on 16 and 17 July, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, as well as representatives of the guarantor powers of Greece, the United Kingdom and Türkiye, for another informal meeting on Cyprus.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to continue the dialogue and exchange views on the progress made since the meeting in March. And we will share this with you as a note.

**Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the increasingly dire situation in Gaza, our colleagues the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tell us that overnight, Israeli authorities issued a new displacement order for two neighbourhoods in Khan Younis, following reported Palestinian rocket fire. Up to 80,000 people were estimated to be living in these neighbourhoods. Approximately 85 per cent of Gaza's territory is currently either under displacement orders or located within military zones — which is severely hampering people's access to essential humanitarian support and the ability of aid workers to reach those in need.

Our colleagues on the ground who are working on water, sanitation and hygiene also tell us that Al Satar — a key water reservoir — has become inaccessible as a result of the order. The facility serves as the main water distribution hub for Khan Younis and a critical supply point for water coming through the Israeli pipeline in the area.

Any damage to the reservoir could lead to a collapse of the city's main distribution of the water system, with grave humanitarian consequences.

OCHA also warns that these displacement orders continue to strain vital services and push people into increasingly smaller swaths of Gaza's territory. Since the breakdown of the ceasefire in March and as of yesterday, some 714,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced once more across Gaza, with nearly 29,000 displaced in just 24 hours between Sunday and [Monday].

And as we've been telling you on an almost daily basis, many existing shelters are severely overcrowded, with poor hygiene conditions — which is posing severe risks for public health. Our partners working on health, water, sanitation and hygiene report that across Gaza, rates of acute watery diarrhoea have reached 39 per cent among patients receiving health consultations.

The increase is being driven by insufficient clean drinking water and domestic water reaching shelters, worsening the dire hygiene and sanitation conditions. The governorates of Gaza and Khan Younis have the worst levels of acute watery diarrhoea, due to severe overcrowding in sites and shelters.

You will recall that no shelter assistance has been allowed to enter Gaza in four months, despite the hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people. Our shelter partners say that 97 per cent of the sites surveyed reported displaced people sleeping in the open. OCHA reiterates that an unrestricted flow of supplies through multiple crossing points over a sustained period of time is critical to address people's needs and prevent the already desperate situation from worsening.

Meanwhile, the depletion of fuel stocks continues to wreak havoc on aid operations, constraining the UN and our humanitarian partners' ability to respond.

Yet again today, an attempt to deliver some of the remaining fuel stocks to the north was denied by Israeli authorities.

The denial follows a successful delivery yesterday of diesel from the World Health Organization's (WHO) remaining stock to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to prevent further shutdown of critical services. WHO says the facility is overwhelmed and severely under-resourced, its beds are full, its patients are once again being treated on the floor of the hospital.

Our partners stress that unless fuel stocks are replenished immediately, Gaza could face a complete communications blackout, severely hindering humanitarian access and coordination, and preventing affected communities from receiving critical information.

Critical water, sanitation, hygiene and healthcare facilities have already begun shutting down in some areas, including hospital equipment and services, water trucking, and water and sewage pumps. If the fuel crisis isn't addressed soon, humanitarian responders could be left without the systems and the tools that are necessary to operate safely, manage logistics and distribute humanitarian assistance. This would obviously endanger aid workers and escalate an already dire humanitarian crisis.

**Yemen

Meanwhile, Hans Grundberg was in Aden today; as you know, he is our Special Envoy for Yemen. There, he met with Yemeni officials, including the Prime Minister Salem Bin Buraik.

The discussions focused on the latest developments in Yemen and the urgent need to advance a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political path supported by the region.

He also raised the issue of our colleagues and NGO (non-governmental organization) staff who remain arbitrarily detained by Ansar Allah and reaffirmed our commitment to securing their release through continued diplomatic engagement.

While there, he also engaged in discussions with members of civil society and women leaders of political parties and various other components.

**Haiti

Back here, Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča — from the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs — briefed the Security Council on Haiti this morning, saying that we have continued to witness a sharp erosion of state authority and the rule of law there, with brutal gang violence affecting every aspect of public and of private life.

Without increased action by the international community, he warned, the total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario.

Mr. Jenča said that the Secretary-General's recommendations that were contained in his letter of 24 February, proposing to establish a UN support office to provide logistic and operational support for the Multinational Security Support mission, are a realistic and practical proposal to address Haiti's immediate security needs. International action cannot come soon enough to ensure the gains made so far are not squandered, Mr. Jenča told Council members.

Also briefing was Ghada Waly, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). She told Council members that organized criminal groups have gained near-total control of the capital, with an estimated 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince under their grip, while they continue expanding across strategic routes and border regions.

She said that reports increasingly point to sexual exploitation targeting women and girls, particularly among those facing deportation or living in areas under gang control. And she added that even more disturbing are new allegations of trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal. Those remarks were all shared with you.

**South Sudan

And lastly, in South Sudan, I can tell you that we are extremely concerned and worried about the continuing impact of the conflict on civilians. In its quarterly report that was released by the peacekeeping mission today, UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) documented a surge in violence with a horrific impact especially on women and children.

Between January and March, 1,600 people were either killed, injured, abducted or subjected to conflict-related sexual violence. This is the highest number in any three-month period since the year 2020.

The mission is calling for concerted and collective action to end repeated conflict cycles and urged the Government to prioritize protection of civilians.

**Questions and Answers

Spokesman: Amelie?

Question: Sorry. Thanks, Steph. I have two question not related. First, any news about the conclusion of the strategic review about UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency] that was supposed to come by mid-June?

Spokesman: Nothing to share with you at this point, but hopefully soon. You know, I have to say that the team has done its work, and the Secretary-General has received it.

Question: Okay, and second question. About Iran, Iran announced this morning that they are suspending their cooperation with the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency]. Any reaction from the Secretary-General?

Spokesman: We've seen the official decision, which is obviously concerning. I think the Secretary-General has been very consistent in his call for Iran to cooperate with the IAEA, and frankly, for all countries to work closely with the IAEA on nuclear issues. Pam?

Question: That was my question. The follow-up on that is: What is happening right now with the IAEA inspectors in Iran? And are there any closed-door negotiations that are taking place?

Spokesman: Those are questions you need to address to Mr. [Rafael] Grossi's office and to the IAEA. Okay. Madame?

Question: Just another follow-up on Iran. So given this development and with the snapback coming back soon, like in the Security Council, does the SG have any position on the issue of the snapback, given this development?

Spokesman: We will leave the Security Council's actions to the wisdom of Security Council members. Edie, and then we'll go to the back.

Question: Thank you, Steph. On Gaza, were you able to get any information on how many bakeries are still operating and if so, where are there any in the North?

Spokesman: I admit failure on follow-up. I have the attention of a goldfish. So just please remind me right after the briefing. Because it's a very important matter, but I just... my brain's at capacity right now. [He later said that the World Food Programme says that none of its bakeries in Gaza are functioning now.]

Question: And on the displacement orders, is it is it possible to get any indication of how many Palestinians have actually been able to move from the displacement areas in the North, particularly that have been designated since the weekend? Because it's like tens of thousands.

Spokesman: Yeah. I mean, the numbers, I think, that I talked about are pretty staggering for an area that has normally a population of 2 million people. Since the breakdown in the ceasefire in March and as of yesterday, 714,000 people have been forcibly displaced once more across Gaza, and just 29,000 in the last 24 hours. We'll see if we have a bit more granularity on population movements in Gaza. Yvonne, Alex and Dezhi.

Question: Thanks, Steph. Sorry if you were asked about this already. It's about the interview that the head of the GHF [Gaza Humanitarian Fund] gave, his name is Johnny Moore, in which he said that he's been asking the UN from the very beginning to cooperate with us. Teach us. Let's find ways of solving problems together. And then he goes on to say that the UN has been trying to sabotage the GHF from the very beginning.

Spokesman: I've been asked repeatedly about this issue. You know, the GHF wrote to us. Tom Fletcher wrote back. I mean, you know, I'll admit English is not my native language, but I don't know how many times I can say this to all of you. We are not asking nor do we have a monopoly on humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza. There is enough work for everyone. Other international NGOs, Member States — all that we ask is that people operate with the minimum standards, that are globally accepted on humanitarian aid: impartiality, independence, that operate in a way that doesn't put the recipients at risk of being shot at. Right? That doesn't put aid workers at greater risk. We are willing to work with anyone, and we have worked with many different partners. All that we're asking is for them to meet a minimum standard. They're operating a food distribution system with the risks that the Palestinians have had to face. We've engaged with them in the past. We've exchanged letters. They know our position. It is just a matter of basic principles where no one should risk their lives more than they have to when it comes to trying to get food to survive.

Question: Sorry. Could I just have a comment specifically on that accusation against the UN that the UN has been trying to sabotage the GHF from the very beginning?

Spokesman: No. I mean, we've never told people not to go to their sites. I mean, who are we that are fed to say to people who are hungry, don't do this, right? All we're asking is for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to operate within internationally accepted norms. Alex?

Question: Thanks, Steph. Firstly, quick follow-up on Iran. Has Iran formally notified the UN Secretariat on this decision?

Spokesman: I'm not aware of the formal letter to the Secretary-General. I think that would probably go first to IAEA, but we'll keep an eye out.

Correspondent: Oh, thank you. Secondly, on the question I asked you yesterday on the memorandum between Russia and the UN.

Spokesman: I will give you, sadly, the same answer I gave Edie. Literally, you tell me something, and I walk off the podium and I forget.

Correspondent: One more on the same topic as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. [Sergey] Vershinin, said today that Moscow and the UN will hold the final round of consultations in Geneva on 11 July.

Spokesman: I'll check with our friends in Ms. [Rebeca] Grynspan's office. Thank you. Dezhi?

Question: Yes. Also on Gaza, for the past few days, when you're mentioning the humanitarian delivery, you mentioned, I think, mostly on fuel, but what about other things?

Spokesman: I've not been given any information.

Question: For first of all, we know that there are tons of foods or humanitarian aids. They are living at the border crossing area. Have them been picked up?

Spokesman: I've not gotten any updates of us being able to pick up material.

Question: So what, in general speaking, we know that it's difficult for UN staff to operate in such an environment. But to what extent do you still have the capacity to operate there?

Spokesman: Let me put it this way. We have the potential to operate. Right? We are not limiting our own capacity. There are constraints imposed on us that are limiting our capacity, but we have the potential to operate at a much, much higher volume.

Question: Oh, I haven't finished. Sorry. Which means the food delivery and everything, actually, now it's more... how do you say that? Really based on the Gaza Humanitarian Fund rather than UN operation now for those people to get food.

Spokesman: We don't have direct data from the GHF. I mean, they've putting out statements, so we'll let you look at those and analyse those. But I mean, I'm reading as many updates as I can every day. I'm really not talking about our success in delivering food because of the constraints put on us.

Question: One more thing is yesterday, President [Donald] Trump announced a possible ceasefire deal. We know that for the past few times, when there's a ceasefire, you have a very huge volume of humanitarian aid get into Gaza. What about this time? Do you have any?

Spokesman: There's stuff at the border. There's stuff in the pipeline. I mean, we've seen the reports about a potential ceasefire. I mean, we very much hope that the work of the mediators of the US [United States], of Qatar and Egypt will be successful and that all the parties involved will find the political courage to stop the fighting.

Question: But you have the plan now?

Spokesman: We have the plan. We have the know-how. We just need the green light. Abdelhamid?

Question: Thank you. I apologize if I missed some of your briefing. But did you mention that the director of the Indonesian hospital, Marwan Sultan, was assassinated, was killed with his family all together today?

Spokesman: I have not seen that report.

Question: Okay. My second question, on the peace agreement between Rwanda and DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo]: What role the UN played in reaching that agreement?

Spokesman: We've been very supportive of these efforts. They also inscribed themselves in a broader effort to find peace in the Eastern DRC. We were not involved in the direct negotiations in Washington, D.C. Okay. On that note, I bid you all, I kind of want to say have a great weekend, but I can't say that yet. And I will follow up on Alex, and I'll follow up on Edie.