UN / PALESTINIAN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES UPDATE

12-May-2021 00:03:22
The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland told the Security Council on Wednesday that the situation on the ground continues deteriorating into “the most serious escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in years,” a UN spokesperson told reporters in New York. UNIFEED
Size
Format
Acquire
N/A
Hi-Res formats
DESCRIPTION
STORY: UN / PALESTINIAN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES UPDATE
TRT: 3:22
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 12 MAY 2021, NEW YORK CITY
SHOTLIST
FILE

1. Exterior shot, UN flag

12 MAY 2021, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, spokesperson arriving at the podium
3. Cutaway, reporters
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:
“What I can tell you is that, Mr Wennesland briefed the Council this morning the situation on the ground continues deteriorating into quote the most serious escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in years. We're very concerned by the growing civilian casualties in both Gaza and Israel and deeply saddened by the reported deaths of children in Gaza. The Secretary General and Mr Wennesland have both reiterated that Hamas and other militant groups, indiscriminate launching of rockets and mortars, from highly populated civilian neighborhoods, towards its civilian population center violates international humanitarian law, and is unacceptable, and has to stop immediately. While recognizing Israel's legitimate security concerns Mr Wennesland also reiterated that Israeli authorities must also abide by their responsibilities under international law, and that Israeli security forces should exercise maximum restraint calibrate their use of force to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations. The Secretary General is particularly appalled that children continue to be victims of violence, they should be afforded special protection from any form of violence. He and his envoy have called on the international community to take action to enable the parties to step back from the brink and return to the previous understandings that have maintained a relative calm in Gaza, and avoid a descent into chaos with the massive casualties and immense damage to civilian infrastructure, that that would result.”
5. Cutaway, reporters
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:
“Our humanitarian colleagues said that the current risk of escalation will likely worsen the humanitarian situation especially in Gaza where the health sector has been struggling to provide basic services for years and has been burdened further by COVID-19. Funding for the humanitarian response is critical. The Humanitarian Response Plan for the occupied Palestinian territory, asking for 417 million dollars to help 1.8 million vulnerable Palestinians is only 29 percent funded.”
7. Cutaway, reporters
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:
“The executive director of UNICEF Henrietta Fore said today that at least 14 children in the state of Palestine, and one child in Israel have been reportedly killed since Monday. She noted that another 95 children in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and three children in Israel have reportedly been injured in the past five days, Miss Fore said the situation is a dangerous tipping point with the level of violence and its impact on children being devastating. In any war she said children, all children suffer first and the most miss four called on all sides to end violence and deescalate tensions, urging them to protect all civilians, especially children.”
9. Cutaway, reporters
10. Wide shot, press room
STORYLINE
The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland told the Security Council on Wednesday (12 May) that the situation on the ground continues deteriorating into “the most serious escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in years,” a UN spokesperson told reporters in New York.

The Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric briefed reporters after a closed-door meeting of the Council on the situation in the Middle East.

Dujarric said “we're very concerned by the growing civilian casualties in both Gaza and Israel and deeply saddened by the reported deaths of children in Gaza.”

He also said that the Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Mr Wennesland have both reiterated that “Hamas and other militant groups, indiscriminate launching of rockets and mortars, from highly populated civilian neighborhoods, towards its civilian population center violates international humanitarian law, and is unacceptable, and has to stop immediately.”

“Mr Wennesland also reiterated that Israeli authorities must also abide by their responsibilities under international law, and that Israeli security forces should exercise maximum restraint calibrate their use of force to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations,” Dujarric said.

They both “called on the international community to take action to enable the parties to step back from the brink and return to the previous understandings that have maintained a relative calm in Gaza, and avoid a descent into chaos with the massive casualties and immense damage to civilian infrastructure, that that would result,” according to the spokesperson.

Dujarric also read a statement issued by the executive director of UNICEF Henrietta Fore, in which she said “today that at least 14 children in the state of Palestine, and one child in Israel have been reportedly killed since Monday. She noted that another 95 children in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and three children in Israel have reportedly been injured in the past five days.”

“Miss Fore said the situation is a dangerous tipping point with the level of violence and its impact on children being devastating. In any war she said children, all children suffer first and the most miss four called on all sides to end violence and deescalate tensions, urging them to protect all civilians, especially children,” read Dujarric.

According the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of 5 pm Tuesday local time at least 28 people, including 10 children, were reported to have been killed in Gaza in Israeli airstrikes, and two women were killed in Israel as a result of rockets fired from Gaza. Many more are said to be injured on both sides.
Category
Personal Subjects
Geographic Subjects
Source
Alternate Title
unifeed210512e