Today's top news: Aid worker deaths, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Haiti, Ukraine, Guinea
Aid worker deaths
OCHA reports of a grim milestone: 2024 has become the deadliest on record for aid workers.
Sadly, 281 humanitarian workers have been killed this year, surpassing the previous record of 280 aid workers who lost their lives last year.
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, said that humanitarian workers are being killed at an unprecedented rate, with their courage and humanity being met with bullets and bombs.
He stressed that this violence is unconscionable and devastating to aid operations, urging States and parties to conflict to protect humanitarians, uphold international law, prosecute those responsible and call time on this era of impunity.
The war in Gaza is driving up the numbers of aid worker deaths, with more than 320 humanitarian personnel killed in the Strip since October 7th of last year. Many were killed in the line of duty while providing humanitarian assistance, and most were UNRWA staff members.
Threats to aid workers extend beyond Gaza, with high levels of violence, kidnappings, injuries, harassment and arbitrary detention reported in Afghanistan, Sudan and Ukraine, among other countries.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
OCHA says Israeli military operations across Gaza continue to wreak havoc on a massive scale, pushing Palestinians who have endured 13 months of conflict into ever-deeper suffering.
OCHA reports that 40 families in Nuseirat, in central Gaza, lost their shelter and belongings after a school there was struck two days ago, killing seven people, including two children, and injuring more than 20 others. CHA and the UN Mine Action Service visited the area in the wake of the attack to assess people’s needs and mobilize the humanitarian response.
Meanwhile, people in parts of North Gaza governorate are fighting for survival after weeks under Israeli siege, with more shelling and destruction reported in Beit Lahiya yesterday. There have been no rescue services in besieged areas in more than 40 days.
As hostilities continue, aid operations across Gaza are still facing major access restrictions, particularly in Rafah and North Gaza governorates. This is severely limiting the critical delivery of food, medical aid, and fuel supplies, including to power water wells, and deepening already dire humanitarian conditions.
OCHA reports that as of today, only about a third of 129 planned humanitarian missions in Gaza over the past week were facilitated by Israeli authorities. The rest were either denied, impeded, or canceled due to security or logistical reasons.
As winter nears, Palestinians across the Gaza Strip are in dire need of adequate shelter to protect them from the rain and cold. Our partners are distributing tents and tarpaulins as quickly as possible, but just a fraction of the supplies needed are entering Gaza.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in makeshift sites and damaged buildings urgently require shelter assistance, with the ongoing siege in North Gaza driving needs even higher.
According to the latest data from partners working on the shelter response, more than 36,000 tarpaulins and some 58,000 sealing-off kits have been procured and are waiting to be brought into Gaza. These supplies are enough to benefit more than 76,000 families, or roughly 400,000 people.
Despite ongoing hostilities, access restrictions and other challenges, the humanitarian community in Gaza remains determined to reach Palestinians across the Strip with life-saving support.
Yesterday in Gaza governorate, humanitarian partners provided hot meals to nearly 57,000 displaced people in dozens of shelters. Water trucking reached nearly 18,000 people in 20 shelters, and cleaning services were provided to more than 29,000 displaced Palestinians in 47 shelters. Partners focused on mental health and psychosocial support also reached dozens of women in displacement sites across Gaza city with counseling sessions.
Meanwhile, partners providing water, sanitation and hygiene support in Gaza wrapped up a two-day mission to Gaza city, where they explored ways of expanding desalination services there.
Lebanon
OCHA reports that intense airstrikes continue to have a devastating impact on civilians and civilian infrastructure across Lebanon.
Yesterday alone, 40 people were killed in the Baalbeck-Hermel region following Israeli airstrikes.
OCHA remains extremely concerned by the safety and well-being of civilians amid the escalating violence.
Since October 2023, the World Health Organization has documented 137 attacks on healthcare in the country. Nearly half of all the attacks resulted in health personnel or patients dying.
Once again, OCHA stresses that front-line health workers are civilians who are risking their lives to help others and should never be targeted. Under international humanitarian law, medical personnel and facilities must be respected and protected.
Despite the challenges and the volatile situation, the UN and partners continue to support the humanitarian response. We are providing winter assistance, including by distributing warm blankets and clothing to displaced people seeking shelter in high-altitude areas. Since September of this year, the UN and partners have delivered more than half a million mattresses, blankets, pillows and sleeping bags, among other items.
On the food response, since 23 September this year, partners have delivered more than 8 million meals and other food items to displaced people, both in shelters and host communities.
Haiti
OCHA reports that escalating violence continues to drive people from their homes in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, Haiti.
According to the International Organization for Migration, as of today, more than 40,000 people have been displaced in the capital since 11 November, due to violence by armed groups.
Despite the very volatile situation and limited access, the UN and partners continue to try to respond to growing humanitarian needs.
Since 18 November, humanitarian organizations have provided more than 250,000 liters of water to over 10,000 people in six displacement sites. UNICEF has also distributed water and hygiene kits to 10,000 people, while IOM continues to truck water to new displacement sites.
On the health front, mobile clinics are supporting 15,000 people with medical consultations.
Since November 16th, the World Food Programme has been providing food to 38,000 displaced people daily.
Despite the continuing security challenges, the UN is committed to providing assistance to people in need, together with local authorities and our partners.
Ukraine
OCHA reports that ongoing hostilities continue to drive up humanitarian needs in regions near Ukraine's front line. As winter approaches, repeated attacks on energy infrastructure are making Ukrainians even more vulnerable.
This morning, more than a dozen civilians were killed or injured by a strike in Sumy City, in the north-east of the country. Multiple homes were also damaged.
Meanwhile, authorities in front-line areas of the Donetsk and Kherson regions reported more than a dozen civilian casualties over the course of yesterday.
As of yesterday, nearly 110 front-line towns and villages in the Donetsk Region were reported to be without electricity, gas and water.
The UN and humanitarian partners continue to provide emergency assistance to people affected by the attacks and to distribute winter supplies.
Today, a humanitarian convoy reached the front-line community of Bilozerka, in southern Ukraine, with hygiene and medical supplies, mattresses, bedding, winter clothes and other assistance. Some 10,000 people in more than two dozen villages still live in this area, less than half of the population prior to the escalation of the war by the Russian Federation. This was the 42nd humanitarian convoy to front-line areas of Ukraine this year.
Guinea
The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated US$2.5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to swiftly respond to floods in Guinea.
The new funds will go towards providing health, food, water and education support to more than 60,000 people in remote areas.
Since early August of this year, floods in Guinea have affected more than 175,000 people, forcing people to flee their homes and damaging critical infrastructure.