UN: 56,000 people reported missing in armed conflict zones in 2024

According to Khaled Al-Khairy, UN Under-Secretary-General and Head of the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, in 2024 alone, 56,000 people went missing in areas affected by armed conflict.

He made this statement on May 16, 2025, at a UN Security Council meeting on the topic of "Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict." He cited information from a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

According to Hiary, the number of people affected by conflicts, including those who have disappeared, has been increasing since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2474 in 2019. In 2024 alone, 56,000 new disappearances were recorded.

"There is no exact estimate of the number of people missing in the violent past clashes," Hiari noted, adding, "but it is clear that the situation is serious."

He also described the release of Edan Alexander, a dual US-Israeli citizen who was detained in Gaza, as a "hopeful development."

According to Hiari, approximately 58 Israelis remain in captivity in Gaza, while thousands of people, including children, have been reported missing by the Palestinians.

He stated that it is of serious concern that "thousands of Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities since October 2023 are still missing."