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Gaza: Starvation, Shootings, and Blockade Renewed
Haaretz reported that Israeli forces were ordered to shoot unarmed civilians queuing for food, leading to over 400 deaths. Israel denies the charge but has opened an internal probe. Médecins Sans Frontières called the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation a "slaughter masquerading as aid," while Gaza authorities report finding oxycodone in U.S.-backed flour sacks. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called Gaza an "absolute hellscape," and UNICEF Rep in Palestine Jean Gough urged EU leaders to guarantee UN access, citing 15,600 child deaths and hundreds of thousands displaced. As of June 28, Israel has again shut all aid crossings into northern Gaza, including the Zikim route, further choking humanitarian access amid famine warnings.
Sudan: Ceasefires, Border Spillovers, and Health Collapse
Sudan’s army accepted a UN-proposed weeklong ceasefire in El Fasher to allow humanitarian aid, but there is no confirmation the RSF will respect it. Aid blockades continue in the Nuba Mountains, where civilians suffer "unimaginable" deprivation. A UN peacekeeper was killed in CAR by suspected Sudanese fighters, raising fears of regional spillover. UN reports indicate that over half its supported health facilities in Sudan have closed, while displacement in Darfur and El Fasher has topped 400,000.
Yemen: Hunger Rising, Funds Falling
In southern, government-controlled Yemen, nearly 5 million people face crisis-level food insecurity. A joint statement from FAO, WFP, and UNICEF warns that 2.4 million children under five are acutely malnourished. UNICEF estimates that lifesaving services for 23,000 severely malnourished children could shut down by August if funding gaps aren’t closed.
The Sahel: A Slow-Motion Collapse
UNICEF Chief Catherine Russell warned that conflict, climate shocks, and displacement imperil over 2.9 million people in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Acute malnutrition has tripled since 2015, and only 7% of UNICEF’s appeal is funded. In Chad, Russell met some of the 700,000 Sudanese refugee children who fled Darfur. Services are collapsing under the weight of need.
War and Diplomacy: Iran, Israel, and the Erosion of Restraint
UN experts condemned U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities as illegal. SG Guterres warned of a "rathole of retaliation." Iran, Israel, and the U.S. appear to be observing a tentative ceasefire. President Trump’s call for peace was described as "Orwellian" by Mona Ali Khalil. On June 28, Iran's parliament approved a bill to suspend IAEA inspections, potentially escalating the standoff.
Children in Danger: War Crimes, Abductions, and Inaction
The UN’s annual report recorded 41,370 grave violations against children in conflict in 2024. UNICEF Director Sheema Sen Gupta called this a "devastating indictment." Russia has forcibly transferred at least 35,000 Ukrainian children, with only 1,366 returned. A new report from The Guardian confirmed these figures and revealed that the Trump administration has suspended funding for the Yale-based investigation lab, transferring oversight to Kyiv and Interpol. Somalia and the Philippines were delisted from the UN’s child soldier report after reforms.
The UN at 80: Warnings from Within
Marking the Charter’s 80th anniversary, SG Guterres warned the UN’s founding principles are under assault. Ban Ki-moon and Helen Clark decried UN dysfunction. UN staff unions warned that UN80 reform efforts could undermine credibility.
Multilateralism Under Strain: Financing the Future
Ahead of the Sevilla summit, Deputy SG Amina Mohammed called it a test of multilateralism. A draft commitment promises to triple multilateral lending and double ODA. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. announced a freeze on U.S. support to Gavi. The SDG Progress Report shows only 17% of targets are on track.
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