Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Secretary-General / Peace Bell
– 9/11
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Secretary-General’s Phone Calls
– Security Council
– Afghanistan/Humanitarian
– Afghanistan/National Female Staff Members
– Sudan
– Sudan / Humanitarian
– Central African Republic
– Myanmar
– Guests
SECRETARY-GENERAL / PEACE BELL
Tomorrow morning, at approximately 8:55 a.m., the Secretary-General will participate in the annual ringing of the Peace Bell in the Japanese Garden, and that is on the occasion of the 44th Anniversary of the International Day of Peace.
This will take place in the presence of Representatives of Permanent Missions and officials of the Secretariat and others.
9/11
Today is September 11th and as we mark 24 years since the horrific September 11 terror attacks on this city, the Secretary-General’s thoughts are with everyone who lost their lives on 9/11, and with all the people of our shared city.
New York has hosted the United Nations for 80 years and has been the home to many of our colleagues, as well as to diplomats, staff and of course all of the Secretaries-General. We continue to stand in solidarity with the people of New York, as we did 24 years ago.
The United Nations once more underscores its commitment to never forget the nearly 3,000 people from over 90 different countries whose lives were taken on that day, and the thousands more who were injured or sickened.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say that nearly one million people estimated to be in Gaza City are facing daily bombardment and struggling to access the means for survival after the Israeli military placed the entire city under displacement orders.
As the Israeli offensive on famine-stricken Gaza City intensifies, people are once again being displaced, with no safe place to turn. Our partners monitoring the movement of people in Gaza say that between Sunday and yesterday, more than 25,000 displacements were recorded.
Some critical services have already been suspended in Gaza City, as aid workers struggle to save lives. Severe damage has also been inflicted on some humanitarian facilities, disrupting operations and the delivery of essential services.
Our partners working on health report that some of them have had to suspend activities at primary healthcare centres, while partners working on nutrition say that 12 out of 49 outpatient therapeutic sites have halted services amid the ongoing airstrikes in Gaza City. At least two community kitchens have also suspended operations, and three others have had to relocate within the city.
Our partners working on education have expressed concerns that 95 temporary learning sites in northern Gaza serving about 25,000 children may be at imminent risk of closure, due to displacement orders and ongoing insecurity.
UNICEF warned that today, child malnutrition continues to worsen at an alarming rate, with the latest evidence showing a record proportion of children screened were identified as acutely malnourished in August. That’s 13.5 per cent of those screened, up from 8.3 per cent in July.
In raw numbers, 12,800 children were identified as acutely malnourished in August, That’s what the latest figures are from our nutrition partners.
UNICEF has been working to scale up the entry of essential nutrition supplies and distribute them, alongside nutrition partners, at about 140 sites across the Gaza strip. While stocks of ready-to-use therapeutic food have recently increased, the current quantities of other critical nutrition supplies for infants and pregnant and breastfeeding women are wholly insufficient.
The World Health Organization tells us that almost half of all functioning hospitals are located in Gaza City, including half of all ICU beds for the Gaza strip. With the Israeli offensive already underway in that area, WHO said the Gaza Strip cannot afford to lose any of these remaining facilities.
Meanwhile, delays and impediments to humanitarian movements inside Gaza continue.
OCHA tells us that missions still take long hours to complete, even when they are approved in advance by the Israeli authorities, and teams have no choice but to wait on roads that are often dangerous or congested. Recently, OCHA also observed an increase in denials of the participation of Palestinian staff in missions. This includes both drivers and programme personnel. These denials are often communicated at the last minute, resulting in operational delays, as teams need to quickly identify other alternatives.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=11%20September%202025