The humanitarian response has struggled to meet needs due to ongoing restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities, stated the UN aid coordination office OCHA on Tuesday. These restrictions include limitations on the entry of supplies such as materials needed to maintain and repair sewage networks. Efforts are being made to enhance water purification at the Al Bassa desalination plant in Deir Al-Balah by transferring specialized equipment, as aid partners report, while the installation of the Al Manshia desalination plant in Gaza City has begun.
In the West Bank, OCHA reported that Israeli forces’ operations and settler violence continue to jeopardize Palestinians and increase humanitarian needs. Six Palestinians, including four children, were killed in the past two weeks, with five deaths caused by Israeli forces and one by an Israeli settler. Three Israelis were injured by Palestinians during the same period. OCHA also expressed deep concern over the ongoing displacement in the West Bank, where more than 100 Palestinians have been uprooted due to demolitions. This includes 50 people, among them 21 children, displaced due to a single Israeli demolition of a four-story building in the Silwan neighborhood for lacking an Israeli-issued building permit, which is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.
Humanitarian needs remain severe in Syria, with 16.5 million people, or nearly two-thirds of the population, still needing aid according to OCHA. The country is continuing its political transition following the overthrow of the Assad regime last December. Explosive ordnance contamination poses a significant threat, with 21 people killed and over 60 injured last month, half of them children. Furthermore, some 2.5 million children remain out of school, and 40 percent of schools are non-operational. Since January, the UN and partners have provided humanitarian assistance to more than three million people each month. OCHA and partners are coordinating with authorities and monitoring developments in Aleppo City, where a ceasefire agreement was reached following recent hostilities. The conflict was related to tensions over incorporating the mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the armed forces, resulting in shelling and new displacement. Two civilians were killed, and several others were injured, according to health authorities.
A UN committee warns that Burundi violated the Convention against Torture. The UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) announced its decision on Tuesday after reviewing the case of four lawyers punished for engaging with the Committee in 2016 during its evaluation of Burundi’s compliance with the Convention. They contributed to a joint civil society report submitted to the Committee, with three traveling to Geneva for the review. The lawyers had participated in peaceful demonstrations in 2015 against then-President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term, deemed unconstitutional. The authorities violently suppressed the demonstrations, targeting protesters and political dissidents. The lawyers, fearing for their safety amid repression, fled Burundi into exile.
The Committee stated that the State party refused to participate in the second half of a scheduled session to dispute the Committee’s use of information from civil society. Simultaneously, the Public Prosecutor of the Court of Appeal in Bujumbura sought the lawyers’ disbarment. The experts concluded that Burundi’s actions violated the Convention against Torture, specifically article 13, which protects complainants against intimidation. “The Committee reiterated that all States must avoid intimidation or retaliation against individuals cooperating with the Committee,” stated Committee member Todd Buchwald. The 10 independent Committee experts, elected by State Parties, monitor implementation of the Convention Against Torture.
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