Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York
27 August 2025
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon.
**Guest Tomorrow
Tomorrow, we will have a guest. Please be here, and we'll be on our best behaviour. Our guest will be Edem Wosornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA, who will brief you on her recent travels to Sudan, and will bring you firsthand account of the dire situation there. Also, tomorrow, the Secretary-General will brief the Security Council in person on the appalling humanitarian situation in Haiti. Prior to his briefing at the Security Council, I expect him to come to the stakeout to speak to you and to take a few questions about the situation in Gaza. We will confirm it, but you can pencil it in for about 9:45 a.m., 9:40 a.m. tomorrow morning.
**Security Council/Middle East
Speaking of the Security Council, this morning the Security Council held its monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question. Briefing the Council members via videoconference were Ramiz Alakbarov, our Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and Joyce Msuya, the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.
They both expressed their ongoing deep concern about the situation on the ground in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Mr. Alakbarov described the situation in Gaza as one that is sinking deeper into disaster, with mass displacement, high human casualties and now famine. Hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continue to languish in appalling conditions, Mr. Alakbarov reminded Council members. He urged all sides to put an end to this brutal war immediately.
Ms. Msuya, for her part, called for safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access through all entry points into Gaza and to all people in need across the Gaza Strip. She said that, in order to meet the needs of 2.1 million hungry and starving people, we need to bring in and deliver greater volumes of life-saving assistance. We need the restrictions on essential items to be lifted. And we need to halt the delays and the denials that impede and hamper our work on the ground every single day.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in the ground. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that ongoing strikes have intensified especially in and around Gaza City, killing and injuring people, causing destruction and forcing displacement. While some medicines and medical supplies have reached Gaza, medical equipment and spare parts, which are items subject to Israeli restrictions, are urgently needed. As we said yesterday, hospitals are reporting shortages of blood, placing more lives at risk as hospitals continue to receive mass casualties. Colleagues working on water, sanitation and hygiene warn that access to water remains extremely limited.
With the majority of infrastructure destroyed over the course of the war, the entry of spare parts, generators and equipment must be facilitated so it is to rehabilitate critical water facilities. Partners have also noted that ongoing operations in northern Gaza and the recent displacement orders mean that people could be forced away from areas where facilities indispensable for their survival are actually accessible. The facilities themselves could also be damaged or destroyed.
Meanwhile, multiple organizations' attempts to bring shelter items into the Gaza Strip are being rejected by the Israeli authorities. As we repeatedly said here, many tents and tarpaulins that are being used by civilians who are being forced to move and been displaced multiple times, those items have worn out and must urgently be replaced. In addition, high tides overnight have submerged tents on the beach, which impacted about 200 families, according to what our colleagues are telling us. Tents and other shelter equipment must be allowed into all parts of Gaza, including directly to northern Gaza and into Gaza city, where they are desperately needed.
And just to mention an occasion that is supposed to be a happy one in the lives of children and their families: the new school year is approaching. Gazan children for the third consecutive year will miss this occasion. Education is a fundamental right, and no child should be denied this right. Access to education must be protected, it must be restored, as the current crisis threatens the future of an entire generation of children in Gaza.
Our mine action partners also tell us that the expansion of military operations in Gaza will put more people at risk of harm due to explosive ordnance. Explosive ordnance risk education is an important part of ensuring people's safety, and partners continue to offer these sessions to communities and carry out explosive hazard assessments to reduce the risks to all aid workers. Finally, we reiterate once again that a permanent ceasefire and an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages being held in Gaza and those arbitrarily detained remains paramount.
**Lebanon/Israel
Moving north. Our peacekeeping colleagues in southern Lebanon tell us that they observed this week continued Israel Defense Forces military activities in their areas of operations, including shelling and mortar fire from south of the Blue Line, and that impacted various parts of their area of operations. Yesterday, peacekeepers observed 58 IDF [Israel Defense Forces] vehicles in the Kfar Kila area of Sector East.
Peacekeepers continue to also encounter aggressive behavior, which is hampering their mandate implementation. On Monday, IDF soldiers aimed a machine gun at a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in Sector East. Separately, a group of individuals in Sector West pelted stones at UNIFIL vehicles. We reiterate that any intimidation and interference with UNIFIL's work must stop.
Also, on Monday, UNIFIL peacekeepers made a significant discovery of weapon caches in Sector East, finding dozens of rockets and rocket launchers, their fuses, as well as warheads. Mortar fuses and two mortar firing positions were also found in Sector West. Since the cessation of hostilities in November 2024, peacekeepers have discovered and reported approximately 320 unauthorized weapon caches and infrastructure to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Meanwhile, UNIFIL peacekeepers have assisted in rehabilitating roads damaged in the recent hostilities. Last week, they cleared the roads between Kfar Kila and Adeisseh in Sector East, improving mobility for the Lebanese Army, for local residents, and of course, for the peacekeepers themselves.
**Sudan
Turning to Sudan. Of course, as I mentioned, you will hear much more about Sudan tomorrow from Edem [Wosornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA]. But, I can tell you that the already dire situation in North Darfur continues to worsen at an alarming rate.
Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that after more than 500 days under siege, the state capital El Fasher has become the epicentre of suffering for children, with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warning that malnutrition, disease and violence are claiming young lives every single day. The agency says that an estimated 260,000 civilians, half of them children, remain trapped inside the city in dire conditions, having been cut off from humanitarian assistance for over 16 months.
Meanwhile, acute malnutrition is spreading fast. UNICEF says that more than 10,000 children in El Fasher have been treated for acute severe malnutrition since January. That's nearly double the figures for last year. But, the depletion of supplies has now forced the suspension of services. Recent reports indicate that at least 63 people, mostly women and children, died of malnutrition in a single week.
This comes as cholera continues to spread in North Darfur, with our partners reporting more than 7,000 cases there as of Monday. The outbreak is expanding across the Darfur region and also in the south-eastern State of Blue Nile, where more than 3,000 cases of cholera have been recorded. We and our partners have scaled up support for the cholera response, including medical supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, which has helped contain the outbreak. However, new cases are emerging in remote communities where access to healthcare is limited.
Meanwhile, heavy rains are making roads between south and east Darfur impassable and disrupting the delivery of medical supplies to affected areas. We and our partners remain committed to delivering assistance wherever it is accessible. However, insecurity, bureaucratic and logistical impediments, and severe underfunding continue to hinder our humanitarian operations. We reiterate our urgent call, which unfortunately, in all too often seems to fall on deaf ears, to all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, guarantee safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers, and prioritize the protection of civilians.
**Security Council
And just for the record, I want to flag that yesterday afternoon, the Security Council convened for a briefing on Threats to International Peace and Security. Briefing Council members, was our friend Miroslav Jenča, the Assistant Secretary-General in the Political Affairs and Peacebuilding Department, noted that nearly three years have passed since the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. Mr. Jenča pointed out that as we stated in previous briefings on this topic, any intentional damage to critical civilian infrastructure is of serious concern, and such incidents should be condemned and investigated. He stressed that the protection of civilian infrastructure and security of international waters is critical for regional commerce, security, and stability.
**World Lake Day
Lastly, we have a new international day on the books, because we don't have enough of those. What international day is today? Exactly, it is World Lake Day. Congratulations. Did you know that there are over [117 million] lakes on this planet, ranging in size from tiny ponds to massive inland seas. Lakes support a wide range of plant and animal species and millions of people rely on lakes as a primary source of clean water. But, unfortunately, they are affected by a combination of overuse, pollution and climate change. This awkward silence means that you can now ask a question. Yes, Dezhi.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Just a completely non-current-affairs question. Now, currently in China, many people they are, you know, talking about how to, you know, having meetings and things in the UN. Is it possible for individuals to rent a UN conference room here in New York?
Spokesman: There are processes through which accredited NGOs and Member States can use rooms, or guidelines for that, and there are processes through which groups can also rent out the catering facilities. We sometimes have weddings, celebrations.
Question: Weddings?
Spokesman: Yes. Not during the General Assembly, and I've yet to hear of a proposal during a press briefing. But, in all seriousness, there are procedures for that. And of course, the fact that an NGO or group rents out space does not in any way imply, that it is sponsored or agreed upon by the UN Secretariat.
Question: Not endorsed?
Spokesman: Endorsed. That's the word I was looking for. Thank you, Dezhi. Michelle Nichols.
Question: Thanks, Steph. Israel said it's going to add two aid distribution centres in southern Gaza, taking it to a total of five. Do you have any comment on that?
Spokesman: More aid distribution centres, the better. The UN was operating at some point, and our partners, about 400. We were operating about 400. So, I think that, again, we welcome any additional humanitarian distribution points. What we would like to see is an increase in our ability to do our work along with our partners. Señor?
Question: Steph, a question on Venezuela. Yesterday, the Venezuelan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ivan Hill, requested the intervention of the Secretary-General in order to restore sanity regarding the deployment of US naval forces in the coast of Venezuela. Has he responded to...?
Spokesman: We know there was a meeting, I think, yesterday in Caracas. We're waiting to see the actual letter, and then we'll comment on it when we see it. Yvonne Murray, welcome back.
Question: Thanks indeed. Tell me, what do you know about UNIFIL and when the vote is going to happen? Do you have any more information than I have?
Spokesman: How about you do this, tell me what information you have, and then I could tell you what information I have.
Correspondent: I actually don't have any. So, any information is...
Spokesman: I'm calling your bluff. Yes. My understanding is that we will see a vote by the end of the week, but, obviously, I say that under the reserve that the scheduling of votes is firmly in the hands of the Security Council. We very much hope we will see a renewal of the mandate. I mean, we keep underscoring and I think illustrating every day, the critical work that UNIFIL is doing in implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), and in supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces to reassert their full authority South of the Litani River, and we hope they're able to continue to do that.
Question: And is the Secretary-General carrying out advocacy behind closed doors? And if so, in what form?
Spokesman: I think all Member States are very clear as to what our position is, which is basically in the report. But, I have nothing to share with you further. Amelie then Abdelhamid and then Alex.
Question: A follow-up on UNIFIL. The last draft is trying to extend the mission for another sixteen months until the end of 2026 and acting that the withdrawal will start at the beginning of 2027, within a year. So, even if it's extending it, it's acting the end of it. So what would be the reaction of the Secretary-General, if the council decide that he cannot leave for more than another year?
Spokesman: I think Amelie, you've been around these halls for some time. You know that the last thing we will want to do is interject ourselves in the negotiations of a resolution. I think, as I said, the Secretary-General's position is well known. Let's wait to see what is passed, and then we'll comment on it, maybe. Abdelhamid.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Do you have any UN objective evaluation of the air dropping of food in Gaza? Is it helping? Is it increasing the level of chaos and disorder? What is it?
Spokesman: Again, I think, you know, we've always said that airdrops are a solution of last resort in any humanitarian situation, because they're extremely costly. They're dangerous. But, you know, I think we try to put ourselves, we have to put ourselves in the shoes, if possible, of those who are waiting for the food. They pose some danger. We've seen it but obviously, they do bring some help. Our message is that there's a whole better system, right? There's a system that's worked. It worked, during the ceasefire that occurred earlier this year. We've been very public about it. Let us do our work. Let the international NGOs that work in cooperation with us do our work, and that way there will be no need for risky and costly airdrops. Alex?
Question: Thanks, Steph. I got a couple questions on Iran. Firstly, IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] inspectors have arrived in Iran, have returned to Iran. Can you comment?
Spokesman: No. I've seen the news that was announced by the IAEA as, again, we hope that Iran will fully cooperate with the IAEA and live up to its obligations with the IAEA.
Question: One more, if I may. So, just a technical question. If European countries, European leaders decide to trigger the snapback mechanism, are they required to notify the Secretary-General or not?
Spokesman: My understanding of the process is that a there would need to be a letter to the Secretary-General. I hope that understanding is correct. [The workings of the so-called Snapback can be found in Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), the Spokesman later added.] Abdelhamid.
Question: Second question. Did you see the comment made by Tom Barrack, the US ambassador in Lebanon, addressing the journalists as animalistic and chaos. And he said, if you be continue to behave like that, I'm going to dismiss you or I'm going to leave. What is your comment on that?
Spokesman: My comment is that I treat all the journalists I deal with the utmost respect, and everyone should. Madame?
Question: With regards to COP30 [thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change], there have been a lot of concerns coming out about particularly with logistics, whether Belem is well equipped or well suited to host the expected number of delegations that are expected to be sent. But, there've already been talks about certain countries, certain delegations decreasing the numbers in their delegations to send over to Belem this year. My question is the Secretary-General concerned with that impact that there may be fewer people involved in COP30 this year?
Spokesman: Well, we're fully aware of the challenges that the Brazilian hosts are facing. We hope that a lot of these things will be worked out. It is critical that for this COP and any other COP, that there is a large civil society participation, that Member States should be able to bring whomever they want and what they can afford. But, it is important to hear the voices of the people in these COPs. And other COPs have had challenges on that front, as well, for different reasons, but we hope that voices of civil society can be heard.
Question: What about within the UN system themselves? Was it possible for even UN delegations, within the UN system will also be affected by...?
Spokesman: We're trying to work all that out in a cost-efficient manner. Okay. On that note, see you tomorrow.
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