Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Secretary-General/trip Announcement
– Deputy Secretary-General/Chile
– Gaza
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– U.N.I.F.I.L.
– Ukraine/Readout
– Secretary-General/Ukraine
– Ukraine/Humanitarian
– J.C.P.O.A.
– Security Council/Haiti
– SDG Advocates
– Climate Change/Latin America
– Guest Today
GAZA
The Secretary-General, in remarks this morning, said that Israel’s initial steps to militarily take over Gaza City signals a new and dangerous phase. Expanded military operations in Gaza City will have devastating consequences, he warned.
Mr. Guterres said that the levels of death and destruction in Gaza are without parallel in recent times. Famine is no longer a looming possibility — it is a present-day catastrophe, he added.
The Secretary-General said that starvation of the civilian population must never be used as a method of warfare.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned about the risk of a looming Israeli offensive on additional parts of Gaza city. Some neighbourhoods have already seen deadly attacks in recent days. OCHA says the impact of a full-blown offensive would be beyond catastrophic – not only for those in the city but for the entire Gaza Strip.
Our colleagues tracking population movements report that about 1,300 people have fled from northern to southern Gaza yesterday and today. That brings the total number of north-south movements since 14 August – the day the offensive on Gaza City was announced – to 20,000. Displacement is also happening within the north itself. Altogether, since 14 August, some 60,000 displacements originating from Gaza City have been recorded.
Across the Gaza Strip, hundreds of thousands of families continue to live in overcrowded, undignified and unsafe conditions at displacement sites. Today, the World Food Programme’s Executive Director Cindy McCain called for faster approvals to move supplies into and within Gaza, as well as for safety for people to reach aid, and for humanitarian workers to reach those who need support. Ms. McCain made this statement after visiting the Gaza Strip, where she saw the destruction and desperation firsthand.
With famine now confirmed in Gaza governorate, Ms. McCain called for the right conditions to be put in place so WFP can reinstate its vast network of 200 food distribution points, community kitchens and bakeries.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=28%20August%202025