"REFUGEE CAMPS"

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, celebrated today’s announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of the Tokyo 2020 Refugee Olympic Team. After years of training, 29 refugee athletes will head to Tokyo in July to participate at this summer’s games. UNHCR

Security Council extends mandate of United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, unanimously adopting resolution 2576 (2021). Security Council adopts 2020 annual report to General Assembly. Lack of political horizon on Palestinian, Israeli conflict ‘kills Hope’h, gives room for those not interested in peace, Special Coordinator tells Security Council.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said the recent events have “made clear once again the costs of perpetual conflict and lost hope” adding that the international community's approach to Gaza and the conflict as a whole “cannot be business as usual, and we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past.” UNIFEED

Secretary-General António Guterres called for the fighting between Israelis and Palestinians to “stop immediately,” appealing “to all parties to cease hostilities now.” UNIFEED

Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said it was not in the interest of the Palestinian people to “send gifts” to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, rather it is to “isolate Netanyahu and his extremist fascist groups until they cannot bare this global pressure on them to stop this aggression, which will happen.” UNIFEED

Senseless cycle of bloodshed, destruction between Israel, Palestinians in Gaza must stop now, Secretary-General tells Security Council.

Tunaydbah refugee settlement in East Sudan houses about 20,000 Ethiopian refugees who fled conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Many arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs and are now grappling with life in the new settlement where temperatures can reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius. UNHCR

As the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestinians takes an increasingly heavy toll on civilians, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed its deep concern for the effect the conflict is having on people’s access to water, sanitation, and health care, especially in Gaza. UNTV CH

With violence flaring across Syria, chief United Nations mediator calls for ‘new means’ of international discussion, as Security Council explores options.

Assistant High Commissioner Gillian Triggs visits Cyprus as the country sees increased arrivals of refugees. UNHCR