Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York
21 July 2025
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Guests
Good afternoon. In just a few minutes, we will be joined virtually by Ross Smith, who, as you know, is the World Food Programme's (WFP) Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
He will brief you on the situation in Gaza and the incidents around the WFP convoy that happened over the weekend, and he will be connected from Rome.
And tomorrow, we will be joined by the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Máximo Torero. He will brief you on food price inflation and what to expect from the upcoming State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report 2025.
**Clean Energy Age
Also, tomorrow is going to be a busy day, I'm telling you that. Tomorrow, at 9 a.m., here at UN Headquarters, the Secretary-General will deliver a special address entitled "Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age". This is a follow-up to his Moment of Truth speech last year on climate.
In his address, Mr. [António] Guterres will highlight that the clean energy future is no longer a promise, it's a fact, and no government, no industry, and no special interest can stop it. Although unstoppable, the energy transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough, as he is expected to tell you.
He will also share new data from a specialized technical report prepared by his Climate Action Team with the support of various UN agencies, funds and programmes, as well as leading international institutions.
The report, which will be released tomorrow, shows the latest available science and evidence on the progress, opportunities, and benefits of the emerging clean energy economy.
If you can't join in person, I think you have all received RSVPs on how to connect; the speech will be broadcast live on UN Web TV.
**Security Council
At 10 a.m., tomorrow, the Secretary-General will deliver remarks at the Security Council's open debate on "Maintenance of international peace and security: Promoting international peace and security through multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes". He is expected to note that around the world, we can see an utter disregard for — if not outright violations of — international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter itself, and all of this without any accountability. The Secretary-General is expected to highlight that diplomacy may not have always succeeded in preventing conflicts, violence and instability, but it still holds the power to stop them.
I also expect him to speak to the situation in Gaza in his remarks tomorrow.
**High-Level Political Forum
This morning, in the General Assembly Hall, the Secretary-General spoke to the High-level Political Forum (HLPF). He underscored that this year, the Forum arrives at a time of profound challenges, but also real possibility. Mentioning the Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), government commitments at the Third UN Ocean Conference and also the Fourth International Financing for Development Conference, where countries agreed to a new vision for global finance, he noted that these are not isolated wins.
The Secretary-General also highlighted that they are signs of momentum, signs that multilateralism can deliver, and that transformation is not only necessary, it is possible.
Those remarks were all shared with you.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to situation in Gaza, and you heard in his remarks this morning, the Secretary-General said that the mass shootings and killings of people seeking United Nations aid for their families in Gaza is an atrocious and inhumane act, which he utterly condemns.
You will also have seen that on Sunday, a World Food Programme convoy carrying vital food assistance crossed from Israel into Gaza and encountered large crowds of desperately hungry civilians. You'll hear more about that from our guest, Mr. Ross.
As for our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), they tell us that amid ongoing shelling, displacement and destruction, it continues to receive deeply concerning reports of severely malnourished people who are arriving at medical points and hospitals in extremely poor health. Yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported that more than a dozen people, including children, have reportedly died from hunger in the last 24 hours.
Our agencies on the ground warn that the conditions in Gaza are nearly impossible there. Civilians must be protected, and the consistent and safe delivery of aid at scale must be facilitated to reach more than 2 million people on the brink of famine.
As you are well aware, over the weekend, the Israeli military issued another displacement order in Deir al Balah spanning four neighbourhoods. Our humanitarian affairs colleagues warn that this mass displacement order has dealt yet another devastating blow to the already fragile lifelines keeping people alive across the Gaza Strip.
This directive cuts through Deir al Balah all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, further fragmenting the Strip and pushing people into overcrowded, unsafe areas with no shelter and no access to the most essential supplies needed to survive.
Initial estimates indicate that between 50,000 and 80,000 people were in the area at the time the order was issued, including 30,000 people sheltering in 57 various displacement sites. Several primary health clinics and medical points were within the newly designated area, as is the Southern Gaza Desalination Plant, and other vital water infrastructure. The plant is a main source of drinking water for internally displaced people in Al Mawasi, as it serves hundreds of thousands of people, producing about 2,500 cubic metres of water per day. The loss of this facility would be catastrophic for the people who depend on it for access to fresh water.
As of early July, 80 per cent of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities fall within the Israeli-militarized zone or in areas that have been placed under displacement orders. In June, it was estimated that 93 per cent of households have no access to water.
UN staff are remaining in Deir al Balah. They are spread across dozens of premises. Their coordinates, their locations have been shared with all relevant parties to this conflict. These locations — as with all civilian sites — must be protected, regardless of the issuance of the displacement orders. Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners have relocated to the northern part of Deir al Balah or Al Mawasi.
OCHA reminds us that 87.7 per cent of Gaza is now under displacement orders or within displacement zones, squeezing about 2.1 million people into a fragmented area of the Strip, where hardly any services are available.
UN agencies also tell us that about 1.35 million people in Gaza need shelter and household items.
Harsh weather, humidity, overcrowding and frequent disassembly and reassembly of tents and tarpaulins, lead to a shorter lifespan of shelter items, further exacerbating the dire situation. No shelter supplies have been allowed to enter Gaza for more than four months — that is 140 days.
Meanwhile, the fuel crisis continues. The limited quantities that have been allowed to enter Gaza in recent days are hardly sufficient. UN agencies and our partners are prioritizing this fuel for the most critical operations.
And just to update you on the efforts of our new Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ramiz Alakbarov, who arrived recently. He met with the Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, Dr. Mohamed Mustafa, in Ramallah. In a press conference, Dr. Alakbarov called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of the hostages, and the lifting of all restrictions on access to people in Gaza.
To address immediate needs, he said humanitarian organizations must be able to use the traditional systems of aid delivery, noting that these are currently undermined by violence, including armed looting and recurrent shootings at civilians seeking aid — which he said must be independently investigated.
**Yemen
Turning to Yemen, we have seen the recent escalation between the Houthis and Israel. I can tell you that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the renewed air strikes on Hudaydah Port conducted by Israel today. These strikes occurred while the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement was patrolling at locations to the northern parts of the Port.
The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned about the continuing missile and drone strikes conducted by the Houthis against Israel.
He urges all involved to cease all attacks immediately.
The Secretary-General recalls that international law, including international humanitarian law as applicable, must be respected by all parties at all times, including the obligations to respect and protect civilian infrastructure.
The Secretary-General remains profoundly concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region and reiterates his call once again to all involved to cease all military actions and exercise maximum restraint. The Secretary-General also reiterates the call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN and other personnel arbitrarily detained by the Houthi authorities.
**Gaza Statement
I have a statement to share with you. This is on the situation in Gaza.
The Secretary-General is appalled by the accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing.
He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition.
The Secretary-General strongly condemns the ongoing violence, including the shooting, the killing and the injuring of people attempting to get food for their families.
Civilians must be protected, civilians must be respected, and they must never ever be targeted. The population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.
Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.
The Secretary-General notes that the intensification of hostilities in recent days comes as the humanitarian system is being impeded, undermined and endangered.
A new evacuation order in parts of Deir al Balah — homes for tens of thousands — pushes people into more desperate conditions and further displacement and restricts our ability to deliver life-saving aid. As I mentioned, UN staff are remaining in Deir al Balah, and two UN guesthouses have been impacted, despite the parties having been informed of the locations of UN premises, which, as you well know, are inviolable. These locations — as with all civilian sites — must be protected, regardless of evacuation orders.
The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and the provision of essential resources to ensure their survival.
He once again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
We stand ready to significantly scale up our humanitarian operations. The time for a ceasefire is now.
**Lebanon and Israel
Moving to southern Lebanon, where our blue helmets at UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) tell us [about] Israel Defence Forces (IDF) military activities in their area of operations. Yesterday, the peacekeepers observed heavy machine gunfire from an IDF position across the Blue Line in Sector East. Our peacekeepers were forced to take shelter and thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Over the past few days, peacekeepers also faced incidents of aggressive behaviour by local individuals in Sector West.
Once again, it is important to reiterate that the peacekeepers' ability to move freely and safely is a key requirement for mandate implementation. The parties must ensure the safety and security of our peacekeepers.
On Friday, UNIFIL members found two unauthorized weapons caches in Sector West, including tunnels containing rockets, mortar rounds, anti-tank missiles, as well as launchers. All of them were referred to the Lebanese Armed Forces for disposal.
UNIFIL peacekeepers continue clearing debris and rubble from roads during the recent conflict. In coordination with the Lebanese Army, peacekeepers also recently cleared several roadways, allowing civilians, Lebanese soldiers, and the peacekeepers themselves to move around more easily including in Naqoura and in other towns. UNIFIL soldiers have conducted over 280 such operations in south Lebanon since the cessation of hostilities understanding of last November.
And on Friday, a Lebanese Navy ship joined a UNIFIL Maritime Task Forces ship in patrolling the territorial waters of Lebanon.
This kind of joint activity supports the Lebanese Navy in conducting standard maritime operations.
**Syria
Moving next door to Syria: Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that more than 93,000 human beings have been displaced due to the escalation of hostilities we saw in Sweida Governorate as of yesterday. That displacement took place both within Sweida and towards neighbouring Dar'a governorate and Rural Damascus. In Sweida, most displaced people are being hosted by local communities and in at least 15 reception centres. Some 30 collective shelters have also been opened in Dar'a.
According to reports, a number of hospitals and health centres in Sweida are out of service. Water infrastructure has been critically damaged, disrupting services for over a week. Significant cuts to electricity have also been reported, as well as disruptions to food and other supplies.
Our colleagues in the office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, working with our humanitarian partners and the interim authorities, are working to facilitate a direct visit to Sweida to assess the needs and deliver further assistance when security conditions allow. Meanwhile, we are engaging with all relevant parties at all levels to facilitate humanitarian access and ensure the protection of people caught up in the violence.
On Sunday, a first aid convoy deployed by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent reached Sweida City and the district of Salkhad in Sweida itself, where the majority of displaced people sought safety. The 32 trucks carried aid provided by our colleagues at the World Food Programme and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), as well as other partners. Teams are delivering vital food, water, medical supplies and fuel to impacted people.
Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, welcomed this initial delivery as a desperately needed first step, but said much more relief is needed. He said that our teams in country and at UN Headquarters are mobilized to move as much as we can. We are working with our partners to prepare a next convoy of supplies to be sent through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent society.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Dar'a, we and our partners are delivering food, nutrition, water, health and other critical items to newly displaced people at reception centres.
We continue to urge all parties to protect people who have been caught up in the violence, including by allowing them to move freely to seek safety and medical assistance.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
And you saw over the weekend, we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General welcomed the signature of the Declaration of Principles between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23 movement. That signature was done in Doha, in Qatar. The Secretary-General commends this important step, which opens a pathway toward lasting peace, security and the return of displaced persons and refugees.
The Secretary-General urges all parties to ensure the swift implementation of the commitments undertaken and expresses his appreciation to the State of Qatar for its facilitation of this process.
We remain committed to supporting efforts toward peace, protection of civilians, and stability in the DRC, in close collaboration with national, regional and international partners.
**Sudan
Turning to the situation in Sudan, our humanitarian colleagues warn that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to deepen as cholera is increasingly spreading.
Just yesterday, an association of Sudanese doctors in Tawila, in North Darfur, reported more than 1,300 confirmed cholera cases in just one week. This is a dramatic surge and underscores the urgent need to scale up our response.
Tawila, if you will recall, is hosting several hundred thousand displaced men, women and children, the majority of whom fled deadly attacks on the famine-stricken Zamzam camp near El Fasher in mid-April.
Our partners on the ground have been struggling to keep pace with the growing needs in the area, and the challenges will only increase as the rainy season sets in.
Local and international partners have set up cholera treatment centres, but the current capacity is far from sufficient to cope with the rising caseload. Additional resources are needed immediately. This includes more treatment centres, mobile health facilities, ambulances and waste management tools.
Meanwhile, in eastern Sudan, in Kassala State, OCHA says that earlier this month more than 1,400 people were displaced because of the flooding that followed heavy rains. More than 280 homes were destroyed. A rapid needs assessment mission by OCHA and our partners found that people who returned to their villages are forced to rely on open water pools contaminated by waste and other pollutants, as no other source of water is available. This, obviously, increases the risks for waterborne diseases.
In White Nile State, many residents are beginning to return to their homes in Um Rimta locality. An assessment by OCHA and our partners last week found that health, water, sanitation and hygiene support is urgently needed. We and our partners are working to mobilize supplies before the rain cuts off access.
Returns to Khartoum and Blue Nile States are also increasing, with authorities beginning to restore basic services. At Sudan's northern border, returns from Egypt have surged. IOM tells us that nearly 200,000 people have crossed back into Sudan so far this year. IOM says that since November last year, more than 1.3 million people have returned to their areas of origin.
However, those returning face serious challenges, especially from the threat posed by unexploded ordnance.
These conditions often lead families to return to displacement sites, undermining the sustainability of these efforts.
**Ukraine
Last and not least: Turning to Europe and Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that over the weekend and into today, attacks killed at least 20 civilians and injured more than 100 others, including several children; that is according to authorities. And as you know, we condemn any killing of civilians.
These strikes impacted the capital, Kyiv, as well as western and front-line regions — damaging homes, schools and a health facility. In western Ukraine, the Ivano-Frankivsk region, which hosts many displaced people and had previously been less affected by hostilities, they suffered the largest attack since the escalation of the war in 2022.
In eastern and southern Ukraine, hostilities in areas near the front line of Donetsk, Dnipro and Kherson regions also caused civilian casualties and further damage to schools, a health facility and apartment buildings.
In Odesa, in Kharkiv, in Sumy and other regions also reported that homes and shops were destroyed, and electricity and public utilities were disrupted.
Humanitarian organizations, with support from our agencies, provided shelter materials, non-food items, and other support and assistance for children in Odesa, Pavlohrad, Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk. They coordinated with local authorities and first responders.
**Questions and Answers
Spokesman: Edie, then Michelle.
Question: Thank you, Steph. When you said that the Secretary-General was concerned about two guesthouses in Deir al Balah being impacted, what does "impacted" mean?
Spokesman: I mean they suffered damage. The UN staff inside was, to say the least, rather rattled, and we're trying to assess the damage.
Question: Okay. And you said that the UN is definitely planning to stay in Deir al Balah?
Spokesman: That's correct.
Question: Is there any indication of how many Palestinian civilians have fled or are leaving the area?
Spokesman: We have the number right now that have been impacted, which I shared with you. Obviously, we'll have to wait about 24 hours to see how many actually leave.
Question: And in terms of cholera in Sudan, is there any output from what's happening in El Fasher of whether the cholera outbreak has gone there, as well?
Spokesman: Our ability to work in El Fasher is severely limited, to say the least. Michelle?
Question: Thank you, Steph. When you say these guesthouses were struck, with what and by whom? And... [cross talk] Oh, sorry. Go ahead.
Spokesman: Yeah. One, we understand may have been an incendiary device. Others were shrapnel, unclear whether it was targeted, whether it was just combat. As I said, the investigation is ongoing. So, unclear which party; it's ongoing. But, obviously, I think as you saw, there were heavy reports of Israeli air strikes in the area.
Question: And then when you speak about the staff that are staying in the area that's under the evacuation order, how many staff we're talking about?
Spokesman: I'm not going to go into exact numbers at this point, but they are both international from a wide variety of countries and national Palestinian staff with their dependents. Gabriel?
Question: Following up on both of those questions, what would be a point where the Secretary-General feels that it is no longer safe for UN staff to work in Gaza?
Spokesman: Look. The assessment is made, I'd like to say, more than daily, right, depending on the conditions on the ground. I mean, the Secretary-General, obviously, is ultimately responsible for the safety of the staff. We also have a responsibility to the Palestinians that we've been desperately trying to help, especially since this war, this phase of the conflict, started. I can tell you that our colleagues on the ground are more than dedicated. I mean, I think dedicated doesn't really carry the sentiment that they show every day in staying on the front lines, staying in safe houses that are being attacked, trying to deliver aid. As one of our colleagues mentioned, you know, sitting in... I think Carl Skau mentioned sitting sometimes in cars for 16 to 18 hours, waiting for a green light. We can only salute the work that they've been doing, as well as all of our Palestinian colleagues who not only are there as humanitarian workers, but are there as Gazans and who are themselves hungry, who are themselves worried about feeding their families.
Dezhi, then Pam.
Question: Also, a follow-up first on the UN facilities in Deir al Balah. As I understand, if I understand correctly, the UN staff is going to stay in Deir al Balah, no matter there's evacuation order or not. Am I understanding correct?
Spokesman: We are staying, currently staying. And as we've been saying from the beginning, when it comes to the protection of civilians, protection of humanitarian workers, Israel has a responsibility to protect them whether they stay or whether they go.
Question: So, which means in Deir al Balah, those UN staffers will... Or let me put it this way, will be against the evacuation order to stay?
Spokesman: Yes.
Question: Okay. So, if there's evacuation order, why they have to stay there? I mean, technically speaking, all the population will leave. So, what's... [cross talk]
Spokesman: Well, I mean, first of all, Gaza is not a very large place. Deir al Balah is our hub. It's our humanitarian hub. From there, staff is dispatched to different parts of Gaza. That's where our equipment is. This is where, currently, our headquarters are. We will, of course, follow and try to deliver humanitarian aid where the people are, and we've continued to do that.
Question: And, another thing is today, more than 20 countries, put a joint statement to demand ending of the war in Gaza. Any response from the Secretary-General?
Spokesman: I don't think the statement was addressed to the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General has been demanding an end to this conflict for quite some time, as you hear me say every day. He's been asking for... demanding a ceasefire. He's been demanding the release of the hostages. He's been demanding the delivery of humanitarian aid, you know, at a scale that meets the needs.
Pamela Falk?
Question: Thank you, Steph. Late last night, Iran announced that Friday they will be meeting with the E3 — France, UK, and Germany — on Iran, on the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). And the Iranian argument is that there is no legal justification for imposition of the snapback provisions, given some of the nonparticipation in JCPOA. UN is a party to the agreement [sic]. What is the UN's view on snapbacks?
Spokesman: We are not... the issue of snapback is in a Security Council resolution drafted and adopted by Security Council members. We welcome the dialogue between the Europeans and the Iranians, and let's hope for a return to the JCPOA, a return to dialogue and a return to the cooperation between Iran and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).
Question: And so, UN itself, I mean, no one affiliated with all of the negotiations...?
Spokesman: We are not at those discussions.
Correspondent: Thank you.
Spokesman: Okay. Yes, sir?
Question: Just today, Secretary-General met with the Pakistani Foreign Minister today. And, you know, there is a brewing crisis over there after this ceasefire, which is on hold. Was there any discussion on India-Pakistan situation and how the Secretary-General regards Pahalgam as a disputed territory or part of India?
Spokesman: I do not have a readout yet of that meeting. As soon as I have something, I will share it with you. Stefano?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. The United States is the only country that has a leverage on the Israeli Government at the moment. So, does the Secretary-General think that the fact that the United States doesn't have at the UN, at the moment, an ambassador yet, all these months, he's not been able to really establish a policy with the United States that could help use this leverage in convincing Israel to stop... [cross talk]
Spokesman: Stefano, I'm not sure I understand the question addressed to me.
Question: What I'm just trying to say is that we... I suspect that the Secretary-General, when he has to now deal with Israel, that he's in the lowest point of the relationship, I believe, between Israel and the United Nations. The only way has is going through the United States. Is it correct to say something like that?
Spokesman: I will leave all that analysis to you. We continue to have very regular contacts with Israeli authorities in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv. We continue to push those countries that have influence on the parties to use that influence to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Question: So, when was the last time that the Secretary-General had a contact with the US Government, who was the highest...? With who?
Spokesman: With the US? We're talking about Israel.
Question: With US about Gaza, US Government about Gaza, about the situation in Gaza.
Spokesman: We continue to be in touch with the US authorities.
Okay. I don't any questions online? I don't see anything. Okay. Let's go to our guest.
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