Today: 7 October 2025
27 August 2025
2 mins read

UN hears Gaza distress call – Can they act?

The United Nations Security Council will hold its monthly open session on Wednesday to discuss the worsening situation in the Middle East, with the ongoing conflict in Gaza expected to dominate proceedings.

The meeting will open with a briefing from Ramiz Alakbarov, the recently appointed UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Resident Coordinator. Alakbarov, an experienced diplomat with a background in humanitarian operations, is expected to present the latest assessment of the conflict, humanitarian needs, and the broader implications for regional stability. Following his remarks, Council members will move to closed consultations.

The gathering comes amid intensifying Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have drawn widespread condemnation from international observers. According to humanitarian agencies, the escalation has led to soaring civilian casualties, large-scale displacement, and critical shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. Aid groups have warned of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe unless access routes for relief supplies are urgently secured.

Israel’s actions follow a surge in attacks from Iran-backed groups in Yemen and Lebanon, adding to fears of a broader regional conflagration. Earlier this week, Israel carried out strikes on Yemen’s capital Sana’a in response to a missile attack that authorities said involved cluster munitions. The spiralling violence has reinforced calls for the Security Council to take a stronger stance.

Diplomats say the focus of the Council’s discussion will be threefold: urging an immediate reduction of hostilities, addressing the humanitarian emergency in Gaza, and exploring ways to restart stalled peace efforts. While members are united in concern over the humanitarian toll, divisions persist on how to respond to Israel’s military strategy, with the United States traditionally resisting measures seen as punitive towards its ally.

Alakbarov’s role is expected to be central in shaping the UN’s next steps. Appointed in June, he has already emphasised the need for intensified diplomacy and stronger coordination of relief operations. His briefing on Wednesday will mark his first major appearance before the Council since assuming the post.

The Security Council has previously struggled to adopt unified positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with repeated vetoes blocking resolutions. However, observers say the growing scale of the humanitarian crisis could increase pressure on members to find common ground.

As one senior UN official put it ahead of the meeting, the stakes are unusually high: “The world is watching to see if the Council can move beyond rhetoric to real action.”

Previous Story

German minister forced into shelter in Israel

Next Story

Dubai’s $1m AI film prize shocker

Latest from -Top News

OCTOBER 7: Stop the Violence Now, Says Guterres

Guterres recalled that “the attackers brutally killed more than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals….reports Asian Lite News UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an immediate halt to the violence in Gaza, Israel, and

Piyush Goyal Heads to Doha for Trade Talks

During the visit, both sides are expected to discuss the proposed India–Qatar Free Trade Agreement (FTA)….reports Asian Lite News Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Doha, Qatar, on

Hamas Heads to Egypt for Gaza Talks

The negotiation will focus on the details of enacting the first phase of the plan…reports Asian Lite News A delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas arrived in Egypt on Sunday ahead of

Multi-alignment, upgraded

With US ties strained and China tense, New Delhi taps Europe’s harder edge for co-development, clean tech and strategic autonomy, writes Manoj Menon India is recalibrating its great-power hedging as frictions with
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Gaza Stares at Imminent Famine

Alarming data from the WFP report revealed that everyone in

UN Marks 76 Years of Creating Hope

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed joined the ceremony in