UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern for civilians, urging them to exercise utmost restraint and “all diplomatic efforts to avoid widespread conflagration.”
Dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries continued to be reported throughout the day, including from rocket fire by Palestinian militants in Israeli cities and Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.
The United Nations Security Council has decided to hold emergency consultations at UN Headquarters in New York at 3pm on Sunday to discuss the crisis.
Deadly earthquake hits Afghanistan
A major earthquake struck Herat, Afghanistan early Saturday, killing at least 100 people and triggering a series of rescue and search operations by United Nations agencies, partners and de facto authorities.
Initial assessments indicate the magnitude 6.3 earthquake caused deaths in eight villages and injured another 500 people, according to the latest information from the United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA).
Partners and local authorities expect the death toll to rise sharply as rescue operations begin to rescue people trapped in collapsed buildings.
Humanitarian partners have launched relief efforts, deploying medical and trauma assistance to local hospitals, as well as emergency shelter, food, supplies and assistance to people in the affected areas.
Refugee response plan in Armenia
The United Nations and its partners launch emergency response plan to support 136,000 refugees and call for $97 million to meet the urgent needs of those fleeing the Karabakh region and their hosts in Armenia Ta.
“We call on the international community to urgently support refugees and their hosts,” said Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “International support is essential to sustain this welcome, address immediate needs and build resilience in this population.”
More than 100,000 refugees from the Karabakh region arrived in Armenia in less than a week as fighting escalated in late September.