Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
-Lebanon/Israel
-Lebanon/Humanitarian
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– UN80
– Deputy Secretary-General
– Food Insecurity and Malnutrition
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– ABYEI
– Somalia
– peace-building Fund
– Trust Fund in Support of the Gang Suppression Force
– EXPO 2027
– International Days
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LEBANON/ISRAEL
We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of yet another Blue Helmet, who died earlier today. The Secretary‑General expresses his deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of 31-year old Corporal Rico Pramudia, of Indonesia, as well as to the Government and people of his country.
Corporal Pramudia succumbed to his wounds sustained in an incident that took place on 29 March, when a projectile hit his position at Adchit Al Qusayr, in southern Lebanon. At that time, his position came under fire, amidst hostilities between Israel and Hizbullah.
[On that weekend, another incident], you will recall tragically claimed the life of Indonesian peacekeeper Cadet Fahrizal Rambe. As previously shared, preliminary findings of the investigation indicate that a shell fired from an Israel Defense Forces Merkava tank struck a UNIFIL position, leading to the death of [Cadet Fahrizal Rambe.]
In order to mitigate risks to UN personnel, UNIFIL has repeatedly provided the Israel Defense Forces with the coordinates of all UN positions and facilities.
The Secretary‑General once again calls on all to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel, as well as the inviolability of UN property and assets at all times.
As a tragic reminder of the dangers of these hostilities, With Corporal Pramudia’s passing, six peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL have now been killed and several others seriously injured amidst the recent hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel. These incidents are unacceptable and they must stop. We have requested that the relevant parties ensure these cases are investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted by national authorities in order to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure accountability. Attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.
On the political front, the Secretary-General welcomes the announcement yesterday of a three-week extension to the cessation of hostilities arrangement agreed to by the Lebanese government and Israel. Mr. Guterres urges all to fully respect the cessation of hostilities and to cease further attacks.
Despite this agreement, our peacekeeping colleagues in the South did report a concerning incident earlier this afternoon. As a UNIFIL patrol was clearing a roadblock near the village of Tiri, in Sector West, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade a few metres from the peacekeepers. Roadblock clearance is essential to ensure the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols. Thankfully, no peacekeepers were injured, and the patrol was able to continue on its work.
LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN
Moving to the humanitarian front in Lebanon, our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say that while the ceasefire has slowed down displacement, people are still on the move as families trying to return to their communities face damaged homes, disrupted services and continued security risks.
There are nearly 116,000 people that are still registered in collective shelters countrywide. That is down by about 4 per cent just from yesterday. These are the registered numbers. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced outside of these shelters, and they are staying with relatives, host communities and other makeshift arrangements.
In Beirut, displacement has increased as instability persists in parts of southern Lebanon.
Some families are going back briefly to check on their homes, but returns remain limited in the South, Nabatieh, in Beirut’s southern suburbs and parts of the Bekaa valley.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs yesterday released a new mapping of access restrictions that Israeli forces have set up across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
It shows that restrictions on movements and access of Palestinians across the West Bank is tightening. On at least three occasions last month, Israeli forces installed obstacles, which can include checkpoints, gates, trenches and earth mounds, across Nablus, Salfit and Tubas governorates in the West Bank. These obstacles disrupt people’s access to services, homes and livelihoods and come on top of other restrictions that have been imposed for decades.
Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-04-24