Explainer: How the UN works behind the scenes during crises

In crises like the latest massive uptick in violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and talk of all-out war, the UN has a sensitive role to play – on both the political and humanitarian fronts.

The humanitarian role is what gets a lot of public attention as agreements are secured to arrange for aid to get through to civilians and to protect them, including trying to ensure that international humanitarian law (often called the laws governing war and broadly covered by the Geneva Conventions) are upheld.