UN Daily Press Briefing: Gaza Humanitarian Crisis, Vatican Meeting, Ukraine, Haiti & More

Meeting with the Vatican

• 🤝 The Secretary-General met with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City to discuss collaboration on peace, sustainable development, climate action, and artificial intelligence.
• 🌍 Both leaders emphasized building a peaceful, just, and sustainable world, building on the long legacy of cooperation between the Holy See and the UN.

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

• ⚠️ Reports indicate people are being killed and injured while trying to access food, with Gaza at risk of famine.
• ⛽ A shortage of accessible fuel threatens the shutdown of health, water, and sanitation facilities, impacting essential programs like vaccine cold chains.
• 🚫 Israeli authorities have repeatedly denied or rejected attempts to access fuel and coordinate humanitarian movements, including for potable water and critical supplies.
• 📉 Since May 19th, only small amounts of life-saving food and aid have entered Gaza, far below the needs of the population, due to delays and denials.
• 🏥 Healthcare facilities, including Al Amal and Al Nasser hospitals, face shrinking access due to nearby hostilities and displacement orders; WHO reiterates that healthcare facilities must be protected.
• 🗺️ UN officials visited Gaza City to discuss challenges and advocate for a scaled-up humanitarian support and access.

Conflicts and Displacement

• 🇱🇧 UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were confronted and obstructed by individuals during a patrol, violating their freedom of movement.
• 🇺🇦 The city of Kyiv came under attack for the third time in five days, causing civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure, including residential buildings and schools.
• 🏘️ Mandatory evacuations are underway in seven villages in the Kharkiv region due to intensifying hostilities.
• 🇭🇹 Haiti faces an alarming rise in internal displacement, with nearly 1.3 million people displaced due to violence, marking the highest figure ever recorded.
• 🌍 Displaced families in Haiti are settling in informal sites or overcrowded households with limited access to basic services, while humanitarian access is restricted and funding remains critically low.

Global Issues and Events

• 🇦🇹 The Secretary-General condemned the senseless school shooting in Graz, Austria, extending condolences to the victims' families.
• 💰 Media accreditation deadline for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville is June 12th.
• 🧒 A new report indicates nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labor in 2024, with agriculture being the largest sector.
• 🗓️ June 12th is the International Day of Play, emphasizing the need for governments, businesses, and families to prioritize play for children.
• ⚖️ The UN expressed serious concern over the US designation of four International Criminal Court judges for sanctions, emphasizing judicial independence.