UNIFIL, Lebanon, Somalia & other topics - Daily Press Briefing

All right.
Thank you for your understanding for this delay.
As you know, we had some pretty unpleasant news coming from Lebanon where another one of our UN peacekeepers was killed.
Sergeant Milan Ivanovich of Serbia's 27th mechanized battalion died early this morning from critical injuries sustained when a mortar shell hit his position near Maroun in southern Lebanon.
The Secretary-General condemns the killing of our peacekeeping colleague.
He expresses his deepest condolences to the families, to the friends and colleagues of the peacekeeper who died and to the government and people of Serbia.
Sergeant Milan Yvanovch would have turned 37 on June 6th.
He was a son, he was a husband, and a father to a son and daughter.
This was his first peacekeeping deployment.
He arrived in Lebanon at the end of January of this year, and he died while fulfilling his duty in the service of peace and the blue flag of the United Nations.
We are committed to supporting diplomatic efforts.
So.
Excuse me.
Meanwhile, despite all of this, our UNIFIL colleagues continue to monitor the situation in the south of the country and carry out their mandated tasks despite the ongoing challenging security environment.
Yesterday, UNIFIL detected 69 violations of Lebanese airspace across both sectors.
Peacekeepers reported approximately 25 airstrikes by IDF jets and two rocket attacks by an IDF helicopter.
Additionally, peacekeepers reported approximately 569 trajectories of projectiles fired from IDF positions south of the blue line and within the mission's area of operations.
For further 14 launches were detected from north to south, presumably by Hezbollah, including one crossing the blue line.
Separately, two UNIFIL positions near Blot and sector East were struck by munitions ricochet causing property damage.
Sorry, I'm messed up in my pages here.
Just going back to the actual incident and give you a little bit more detail.
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Yes, exactly.
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Just going back to the incident that killed our colleague Sergeant Ivanovich.
Two of his colleagues during the same incident, one from El Salvador and one from Spain were also injured.
They are reported in stable condition and are receiving care.
We, of course, wish him a speedy recovery.
Since March, seven peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL have now been killed following the escalation of hostilities and several more have been wounded.
We reiterate that attacks on peacekeepers must stop.
They are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council resolution 17 oh one, and as we've been saying, these killings may amount to war crimes.
UNIFIL has issued a full statement on the incident and what happened and they will investigate the incident thoroughly.
However, based on an initial assessment from UNIFIL observation posts, we understand that the position was struck by indirect fire coming from north of the Litani River.
As soon as we have more information, we will share that with you.
Those responsible must be held to account.
All must respect international law and protect those serving in the cause of peace.
The Secretary-General again urges all actors to respect the cessation of hostilities that was announced on April 6th.
April 16th.
The UN is committed to supporting the diplomatic efforts towards an extension of the cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of resolution 1701.
This tragic news comes at a time when here at UN headquarters tomorrow, and this week, we've been holding a series of events to mark the international day of United Nations peacekeepers.
This honors peacekeepers, past and present and reaffirms our shared responsibility to strengthen their work.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix will be our guest tomorrow on the occasion of International Peacekeepers Day.
He'll be our guest at noon at the briefing and he will start on time.
And also tomorrow morning, there will be a solemn events to honor the more than 4,500 peacekeepers who've lost their lives in the cause of peace, including 59 in 2025.
The loss of Sergeant Ivanovich today is a stark reminder of the risks peacekeepers take every day to serve communities and help preserve peace around the world.
Also wanted to, to flag in Lebanon that attacks on health care are continuing at an alarming rate.
Yesterday, a strike in South Governor hit an ambulance killing two paramedics and leaving a third critically injured.
Medical personnel, first responders in their facilities and assets must be protected.
We and our partners continue to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance date, more than 684,000 people have received at least one round of emergency cash assistance helping to cover basic food, water, and other essential needs.
However, as the escalation has entered its fourth month, including shortfalls, funding shortfalls are imperiling our support of the most vulnerable people.
And as I told you, as I've told you before, tomorrow, in Beirut, our humanitarian colleague, the head of the UN humanitarian operations in Lebanon, Imran Reza will join the Prime Minister of Lebanon to launch an extended flash appeal to mobilize resources to continue providing lifesaving assistance over the next three months.
We reiterate our call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian and medical personnel, full respect for international humanitarian law and safe and sustained and unimpeded access for humanitarian workers wherever they are needed.
Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, we have seen the announcement issued out of Washington yesterday on Lebanon and Israel, and I can tell you that we welcome the announcement of a cease fire following the fourth high level trilateral meeting between Israeli and Lebanese representatives on the second and 3rd of June that took place in Washington.
We reaffirm our support for efforts to end hostilities and urge all parties to respect the cease fire, cease all attacks, and comply with international law at all times.
We are committed to supporting all diplomatic efforts and reinforcing the cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of Security Council 1701.
Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, our OCHA colleagues warned that funding shortfalls are forcing humanitarian partners in Gaza to scale down or suspend critical services.
Nearly halfway through the year, the 4.1 billion requirements identified for this year's appeal for Gaza and the West Bank remains less than 15% funded.
As a result, humanitarian partners' ability to plan to preposition relief and respond effectively is weakening at a time when most Gazans 2.1 million people remain displaced and are heavily relying on our services.
To give some examples, by the end of last month, four humanitarian partners were forced to start phasing out the trucking of water in Gaza, leaving more than 330,000 people across some 250 sites at risk of losing their primary source of drinking water.
Already UNICEF warns that water shortages force families on into a trade off between drinking and maintaining hygiene to prevent disease.
The number of meals provided is also being reduced.
As of last week, over 20 partners providing 678,000 meals every day is down from 1.5 million in mid March.
Other affected services include support for agricultural recovery, site management, education, and the reopening of safe space for women and girls.
More services will be suspended without further funding.
We call upon donors to urgently increase their support.
Member states are equally urged to press for the lifting of Israeli restrictions that continue impeding our work on the ground.
Just to turn to the West Bank, our OCHA colleagues report that 27 herding families were recently forced out of their residential area near the Infra Water Spring in Hebron, following systematic harassment and intimidation inflicted by Israeli settlers that had taken over a nearby Hilltop.
Community comprised of 125 people, including three people with disabilities and more than 20 with chronic illnesses.
This is the 46th Palestinian community that has been displaced in full since 2023 due to settler violence and related access restrictions.
Overall, more than 6,000 people have been displaced in this context since January of 2023, including more than 2000 since the beginning of 2026.
Turning to Somalia, I can tell you that the Secretary-General is alarmed about the reports of violence in Mogadishu.
He underscores the urgent need for all stakeholders to resume talks to identify a way forward, to avoid reversing progress seen in Somalia to date, as well as ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint, refrain from any action that could incite further violence, and resolve political differences through dialogue.
Our colleagues at the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia today noted that the mission and international partners have repeatedly warned in their statements and stakeholders engagements of the risk of repeating the crisis that arose in 2021 over differences regarding the electoral roadmap, warnings that unfortunately, obviously were not heeded.
The UN mission urges all Somalia leaders to prioritize the national interests of the Somalii people and resume the talks that ended on 15th May.
Somalia international partners stand ready to facilitate such a dialogue.
And back here this morning, the Security Council was briefed on the implementation of resolution 21 18 concerning the elimination of the chemical weapons program in Syria.
The High Representative for disarmament, Izumi Nakaitsu told council members that significant progress had been made recently.
She explained at the beginning of May of this year, a team from the organization of the Prohibition of chemical weapons office was deployed to Syria and was able to state a significant amount of undeclared chemical weapons related materials and documentations were discovered in the country.
These findings are momentous discovery, she said, not just for Syria, but international security and the global disarmament regime.
The latest weapons found in May of this year have been transferred to a secure location and consultations on destruction plans are ongoing between Syria and the OPCW.
An update for you on our Ebola response and the Democratic Republic of the Congo support for national health authorities includes case management, the operation of Ebola treatment centers, as well as the delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies.
Our colleagues are also supporting community engagements and strengthened surveillance efforts to help prevent further spread of the virus.
According to the Congolese authorities, the province of Victoria remains the epicenter of the outbreak, accounting for more than 90% of cases.
But as we've mentioned, cases were also recorded in North and South Kivu.
We and our partners face challenges in responding to Ebola given location of where the outbreak is in the eastern part of the DRC.
Attacks against frontline workers, particularly during safe and dignified burial operations are hindering the response while persistent misinformation, rumors and mistrust are undermining the effectiveness of the implementation of much needed public health measures.
We remain engaged with the authorities and our partners on the ground to address these challenges.
And to support efforts to bring the outbreak under control as quickly as possible.
In Uganda, our team continues to support government led efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak under the leadership of the resident coordinator, Leonardo Zulu, and with WHO leading the technical health response, we and our partners are supporting national authorities to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
The Ministry of Health, along with WHO is leading the contact tracing, surveillance, public awareness campaigns, and infection and control measures.
UNICEF is supporting risk communications and community engagement.
Meanwhile, IOM are supporting port of entry screening, case management, and community surveillance, and UNHCR is supporting surveillance and decongesttion efforts in refugee and transit reception centers.
Uganda has expanded screening at 31 priority points of entry, including N Te International Airport.
Authorities have also activated rapid response teams, deployed mobile labs, and strengthened screening and monitoring, particularly for international travel and cross border movement.
Uganda's Ebola coordination structure remains fully operational and continues to support a national effort.
And a quick update from Cuba where our humanitarian colleagues tell us the combined impact of the energy crisis following the US executive orders and other sanctions alongside hurricanes and other natural disasters is far reaching and expanding daily.
All basic services from clean water and sanitation to food production and the health sector have been impacted by the lack of fuel and electricity.
More than 100,000 surgeries have been postponed due to a deep shortage of medicines and needed medical supplies.
We, along with our partners have a plan of action to assist up to 2 million people, but the energy crisis is also limiting our ability to deliver the aid already committed with dozens of containers of food and medical supplies still sitting in ports due to lack of fuel to get them out of the ports.
This afternoon, our resident coordinator Francisco Pincon and OCHA Crisis Response Director Edem Wosornu and the permanent representative of Cuba will address member states on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country.
The briefing, we expect to reiterate the Secretary-General call on member states to facilitate the timely and unimpeded delivery of fuel for humanitarian purposes and other lifesaving aid to fund the plan of action.
The $82 million plan of action is only 21% funded.
That event will be on UN web TV.
I just want to flag a new report by WFP called Food Security under pressure, looks at how rising tensions in the Middle East in recent months are affecting people's ability to afford food, especially in vulnerable countries.
It focuses on Afghanistan, Somalia, and Sri Lanka to show how global problems can quickly affect everyday lives.
WFP says the crisis is pushing up fuel and food prices, disrupting supply chains and reducing incomes.
In the three countries that were studied, millions of additional people at risk of food insecurity, even those who were previously managing are now struggling.
And lastly, today is the International Day of Innocent children victims of aggression.
It is a reminder of the devastating impact that conflict and violence have on children around the world.
The day calls upon us to stand up for every child's right to safety, protection, and dignity.
I Gabriel, then Benny.
Thank you, Steph.
I heard what you had to say about the Lebanon ceasefire, but specifically, does the Secretary-General have any reaction to Hezbollah rejecting the renewed ceasefire by the United I'm sorry, by Israel and Lebanon.
I think it's important for all parties in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, not only to respect the cease fire, but to respect the authority of the Lebanese government to be the sole holder, shall we say, of weapons throughout its territory.
Gabriel.
Thanks, Steve.
Just a follow up about the briefing on Cuba this afternoon.
You said briefing member states.
I'm sorry, I missed that.
Where is that? It'll be somewhere in the building, it'll be on web TV, probably around 3:00.
We're also trying to get the resident coordinator to come and brief you at some point.
Great.
Thank you.
Okay.
Benny.
So yeah, the IDF says clearly that the UNIFIL incident was a shooting from Hizbala.
You just said north of the Liane River coming from north to south.
That was what So does that mean Hizbala? I understand the euphemism.
I'm I'm not trying Benny, I'm just trying to this is what UNIFIL was able to track.
This just happened.
They're obviously focusing right now on helping the wounded.
A full investigation will be done.
And as soon as other information comes forward, we will share that with you.
And to go back to my beef that I've been talking about for a while now with you.
What is the UNFL doing there exactly? I mean, I saw that they counted every airplane, this and mostly of IDF undercounted Hezbalh by the way they are they under the mandate of the Security Council to fulfill the mandate, which is to observe, which is important.
Correct.
They're also there and they had been doing this, I would say quite effectively prior to the latest flare up of assisting the Lebanese armed forces into assuming its full responsibility.
If you remember, because I'm sure you were paying attention that we before reporting on the daily rockets and projectiles and air violations, we were also reporting almost daily on the weapons caches that that our UNIFIL colleagues we're finding and handing over to the LAF or we're helping the LAF.
They're also doing protection of civilians.
We've been helping move humanitarian goods into places where they are needed and helping the people that have remained behind.
As you as you also well know, the Security Council decided to wind down the mission, which will be done in December, and the Secretary-General has proposed a number of options for what a presence may look like after UNIFIL.
We will leave it to the wisdom of the members of the Security Council to make a decision on that.
So to follow up on that, they are that effective, why did the Security Council decide to wind down its own? You will have to ask every single security council member that voted to end the mission.
We've always believed that UNIFIL was a source of stability and that if they were not there, that the situation would be even worse along that area.
They are a cannon father, I have my opinion.
I presented you present yours.
This is not a debate.
Islam, then Yvonne.
Thank you, Stephan.
Permanent representative of Russia brought this topic up again today at the Security Council stakeout.
I know you have been asked about it last week, but I would like to follow up.
Israeli officials stated that they had cut ties with the Secretary-General because of U placed Israel on its sexual violence blacklist.
Now, in the light of the situation in Gaza attacks on Iran and the latest development in Lebanon, I'm wondering whether there has been any contact between Secretary-General and high level Israeli officials in past years or even let's be honest, there have not been a ton of contact between the Secretary-General and senior Israeli officials.
It's from that is just a fact.
It's not because of the Secretary-General own actions.
We've remain in contact with the Israeli mission at various levels here and as you know, our colleagues on the ground in the region, whether it's Janine Denis Plusir, whether it's General Abanra, the head of UNIFIL are almost in daily contact with Israeli counterparts as are our humanitarian and agency colleagues on the ground.
If I may ask another question.
A few days ago, the United Kingdom banned two US political commentators, Jane Uygur and Hasan Picker from entering the country claiming that their presence would not be conducive to the public good.
Uygur and Piker both US citizens argued that the ban was due to their criticism of Israel.
In terms of freedom of speech, what is the Secretary-General view on the fact that a permanent member of the Security Council is banning two private individuals over what they describe as a support for Palestine? I firmly believe in the freedom of people to be able to express themselves freely, whether they be a journalist, politician or anything.
But every country also has a right to control its own borders.
Yvonne Murray.
Thank you.
On UNIFIL, seven peacekeepers have been killed since March as you mentioned, you've said this preliminary investigation has taken place in this latest incident, but have we received conclusions from the previous investigations into all the other peacekeepers that have been killed? I will double check.
I don't believe we have final investigation reports into a number of those incidents, but I will check where we are.
Does that mean that it takes quite a long time for us to know responsibly in certain cases, in recent cases, we've been able to identify and we announced it from here because of shell fragments or trajectory fragments.
But it does take a little bit of time given that we are conducting operations in what is an active conflict zone.
Given that it's an active conflict zone, at what point does it become untenable for UNIFIL to remain in position? Look, these are decisions taken almost daily.
Years go by too fast for me, but I think in the past In the past two years, when the fighting was even more intense, decisions were made to keep a number of positions filled.
When the Secretary-General was in Lebanon about two years ago, we visited, I think it was an Italian position that was the southernmost.
They explained to us they had gone what they had sustained while staying there.
Had they left at the time, I think it's pretty clear to everyone that they would not have been able to come back.
As I told Benny or as I tried to explain to Benny, we feel that their presence is very important.
It is also important for the civilians who have remained behind in southern Lebanon.
Alex, I have a separate question on a different topic.
Please go ahead, you have the microphone.
Today is the anniversary of the Tianmen Square crackdown in 1989, on which the Chinese army fired on student protesters, killing hundreds if not thousands.
Does the Secretary-General have any message on this anniversary? Look, as I said, we've always believed that everyone has a right to protest peacefully and should be protected.
Alex, is this a postal question? No.
Thanks, De.
I got a couple of questions.
Firstly, on UNIFIL as well, how long do you expect the investigation to can't I can't put in the last incident was a month and I think you'll remember more than me, but on a number of incidents where we've been able to say conclusively or near conclusively, we've shared that information with you and we shared it publicly.
All right.
Thanks.
On completely different topic, Russia's Nnebns told us earlier today that when Russia invites UN officials to Luhansk Donetsk, other regions, they refuse citing Ukrainian territorial integrity and that you guys have to go through the cross border.
So could you please remind us the process if Russia invites you to that region? Well, we believe in the territorial integrity of every country, including Ukraine and the respect of that territorial integrity and those internationally defined borders.
So if it's Donetsk, you have to go through Ukraine.
We've had very little access for humanitarian workers to those Russian occupied areas.
Dennis, If not, Alex, I would ask the postal question.
So Ambassador Eben is told that Russia had not received the letter with a reply.
So do you have any timeline and when do you plan to send a reply? Rarely has a letter been followed as closely as this one by myself in my office.
It is making its way, and I have no doubt will be dispatched soon.
Miss Letter.
Thank you, Steph.
I just looked on the Malo schedule and there is nothing remotely regarding any kind of acute event this afternoon.
Can you please send us information on the event and where it is being held and the time? With great pleasure, ma'am.
Let's go to Abu Sufian.
Thank you, Steph.
Hundreds of people are waiting in line between Bangladesh and India border.
India government pushing Muslim people forcibly to Bangladesh.
The current government violating the Vienna Convention does UN Secretary-General ever of it and what's his position on that? I will get back to you on that.
I have not been following this particular incident closely enough, but I will revert back to you.
Islam.
Thank you, Stephanie.
Just to follow up Alex's question, if United Nations officials don't go to Ukraine stating that this is under occupation, what about the Middle East? Is the same case or what are the? Well, if you recall, in previous years when we were trying to access non areas not controlled by the government in Damascus in North Syria, northern Syria, we did have cross border, but that required Security Council approval.
What about Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon? Well, we we access Lebanon through Lebanon and we access the occupied the occupied territory.
But accessing and that is recognized as occupied territory.
I don't I don't really see a similarity there.
Okay.
On that note, I wish I could wish you a great weekend, but I'll do that tomorrow.