ICJ decision, Gaza, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (26 January 2024) | United Nations

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: Secretary-General/ International Court of Justice UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Gaza - Lebanon - Holocaust - Deputy Secretary-General/Travels - Cyprus - Ukraine/Humanitarian - Ukraine/UN Refugee Agency - Security Council - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Mali - Clean Energy - Senior Personnel Appointment Honour Roll SECRETARY-GENERAL/ INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE In a statement issued today, The Secretary-General takes note of the Order of the International Court of Justice, indicating provisional measures in the case of South Africa against Israel on the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip. In that regard, the Secretary-General notes the Court’s decision to order Israel inter alia, in accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, “to take all measures within its power” in relation to Palestinians in Gaza to prevent the commission of acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention, including killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s destruction and imposing measures intended to prevent births. He also notes the Court’s instruction to Israel to ensure with immediate effect that its military does not commit any of these acts. Further, the Secretary-General takes special note of the Court’s order to Israel to ensure the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in Gaza. He also notes the emphasis of the Court that “all parties to the conflict in the Gaza Strip are bound by international humanitarian law” and that it calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages abducted during the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and held since then by Hamas and other armed groups”. The Secretary-General recalls that, pursuant to the Charter and to the Statute of the Court, decisions of the Court are binding and trusts that all parties will duly comply with the Order from the Court. In accordance with the Statute of the Court, the Secretary-General will promptly transmit the notice of the provisional measures ordered by the Court to the Security Council. UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES In another statement issued this morning, the Secretary-General said that he has been briefed by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, regarding extremely serious allegations which implicate several UNRWA staff members in the terror attacks of 7 October in Israel. The Secretary-General is horrified by this news and has asked Mr. Lazzarini to investigate this matter swiftly and to ensure that any UNRWA employee shown to have participated or abetted in what transpired on 7 October, or in any other criminal activity, be terminated immediately and referred for potential criminal prosecution. An urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA will be conducted as it has been announced by Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, back on 17 January. To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini has taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of all these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay. Any employee of UNRWA who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) have been seized of the matter and will be conducting the investigations that UNRWA requests. GAZA The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that heavy fighting was reported yesterday in Khan Younis near the Al Aqsa, Nasser, Al Amal and Al Kheir hospitals. There have also been reports of Palestinians trying to flee to the southern town of Rafah, which is already overcrowded, despite the lack of safe passage. The head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, said yesterday that WHO and UNRWA helped evacuate 45 patients from the Khan Younis Training Center but was unable to evacuate all of the injured due to the fighting. One patient reportedly died en route. Dr. Tedros called for the protection of all civilians, humanitarians and health workers, while reiterating his appeal for an immediate ceasefire. WHO also says there are 14 partially functional hospitals out of 36 in Gaza – seven in the north and seven in the south. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon...