The U.N. human rights chief says Israel’s warfare in Gaza is inflicting “horrifying, unconscionable suffering” on Palestinians and has urged government leaders to “wake up” and exert pressure on Israel’s government and Hamas to end it.

The "Hunger Hotspots" report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) blamed conflict, economic shocks, and climate-related hazards for conditions in the worst-hit areas.

The United Nations on Monday slashed its aid appeal to donors by over a third, saying it was now seeking $29 billion to support 114 million people amid what it described as the deepest funding cuts ever.

The UN refugee agency said Monday it will cut 3,500 staff jobs -- slashing nearly a third of its workforce costs -- due to a funding shortfall, and reduce the scale of its help worldwide.UNHCR carried out a review of its activities,

"I urge the authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and to uphold human rights in law enforcement, including by refraining from any resort to military force when civilian authorities are capable of maintaining public order," Volker Turk told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva in a broad opening speech.

The third U.N. Ocean Conference in France last week yielded a number of financial deals and money pledges to help protect the seas, although the gap between funding and the estimated annual need of $175 billion remains large.

The major step is the culmination of several festering stand-offs between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran.

Earlier this year the UN peacekeeping force, known as Monusco, was unable to stop the rebel group advancing and seizing large swathes of territory from the Congolese army. M23 rebels attacked some Monusco peacekeepers.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday it has been forced to cancel planned aid for millions of people due to severe funding shortfalls, calling the move "brutal.