Peace Bell, Occupied Palestinian Territory & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

Highlights:
– Peace Bell
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– UNIFIL
– Ukraine
– Security Council/Afternoon
– Syria/Security Council
– South Sudan
– Afghanistan
– Myanmar
– Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
– South-South Cooperation
– Financial Contribution

PEACE BELL
The Secretary-General this morning rang in the 80th session of the General Assembly by ringing the Peace Bell at UN Headquarters.
He warned that today, peace is under siege. Conflicts are multiplying. Civilians are suffering. Human rights and international law are being trampled.
He said that we must act to silence the guns and amplify diplomacy.
Mr. Guterres said that the Peace Bell reminds us that even the smallest contributions can forge something enduring. Even in a fractured world, we can come together to let peace ring, he said.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that heavy strikes continue across Gaza City, hitting buildings, houses and tents, and further adding to the already devastating toll on civilians. Over a span of 24 hours – by yesterday at 2 p.m. local time – colleagues monitoring population movements counted almost 11,000 people moving from northern Gaza southwards.
Along those displacement routes, our teams are stationed at three points, providing direct support or referral services to children who have been injured, orphaned or separated from their caregivers.
While multiple sites providing services have had to suspend operations or relocate, we are helping humanitarian partners keep community kitchens open, distribute clean water, and provide healthcare to people in Gaza city and elsewhere across the Strip.
Yesterday, a UN team successfully delivered fuel to a series of critical service providers in Gaza City. This included hospitals and other health facilities, as well as installations supporting water pumping, trucking and desalination, and the management of solid waste.
OCHA says that the humanitarian community remains committed to serving people in need wherever they are, based on what they need, and regardless of whether parties have labelled the area they’re sheltering in as “dangerous,” “humanitarian” or otherwise.
In a statement today, UNICEF reported that over 10,000 children in Gaza City have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the past two months alone. The agency warned that if disconnected from their treatment, there is a high risk some of the 2,400 children currently being treated for severe acute malnutrition in the area could starve to death.

U.N.I.F.I.L.
In southern Lebanon, following request from the Government of Lebanon, UNIFIL deminers started humanitarian demining in two minefields this week, near Blida and Maroun ar-Ra’s. Together, these minefields spread across 18,000 square metres. Such operations are crucial in minimizing risks to civilians who live in or visit areas close to the Blue Line. 
As part of the Mission’s ongoing efforts to build capacity of the Lebanese Armed Forces, UNIFIL Maritime Task Force ships started hosting Lebanese Navy officers this week for maritime operations. In another training activity this week, Lebanese Army personnel learned about detecting and handling unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices and other landmines.   
UNIFIL peacekeepers yesterday discovered an unauthorized sub-munition and a 120mm grenade in Sector East.
Earlier this week peacekeepers found a weapons cache in Sector East, containing an artillery canon, sub-munitions, aviation bombs and explosives. All of them were referred to the Lebanese Armed Forces. 
UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to observe daily Israel Defense Forces military activities in the area of operations. Yesterday, they observed 71 Israel Defense Forces vehicles moving near Aarab el Louaize. They also reported direct fire across the Blue Line from Israeli positions, impacting in Markaba and Houla in Sector East.