Today's top news: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Mozambique

#Democratic Republic of the Congo

Hostilities, insecurity continue to impact civilians in the east

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that ongoing hostilities and insecurity in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to claim the lives of civilians, as well as force families from their homes and impact the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

In North Kivu, a humanitarian aid worker was hit by a stray bullet during clashes on 20 February near a hospital in Masisi Territory, about 80 kilometers west of Goma. He died from his injuries on 22 February, bringing to six the number of humanitarian workers killed in eastern DRC since January of this year. The same clashes reportedly killed three other civilians and injured a child.

In Lubero Territory, about 250 kilometers north of Goma, clashes last week forced more than 100,000 people – about half of them children – to flee their homes. Several local health facilities had to suspend activities. Local humanitarian partners also report that there have been widespread human rights violations during the clashes, including rape.

In Goma, humanitarian partners report rising crime in recent days, including home invasions and kidnappings, in some cases leading to deaths. Several humanitarian organizations have reported attempts to seize their vehicles.

Humanitarian partners are also reporting a similar increase in crime and insecurity in South Kivu, where there has been an uptick in home invasions and killings recently in the provincial capital of Bukavu.

In the city of Uvira, South Kivu, local humanitarian partners report multiple incidents of violence, rape and looting in recent days.

OCHA is deeply concerned by this surge in crime and insecurity.

OCHA is also horrified by ongoing civilian casualties in the east, including deaths of humanitarian workers, and widespread human rights violations. OCHA calls on all parties to conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

West Bank: OCHA warns of severe humanitarian consequences amid ongoing operations

OCHA warns that the ongoing operations by Israeli forces are having severe humanitarian consequences.

Yesterday, military tanks and additional forces were deployed to Jenin, reportedly with orders to prevent residents from returning. On Friday, a 13-year-old girl was shot and killed near the camp. In Qabatiya city, Jenin Governorate, residents have been ordered not to leave their homes, while bulldozers have razed roads – leading to electricity blackouts for some 40 per cent of the population.

OCHA says the continued use of lethal war-like tactics in residential areas is extremely concerning. It appears to exceed law enforcement standards and has already resulted in dozens of casualties since the onset of the operation on 21 January. Tens of thousands of Palestinians remain unable to return home, requiring large-scale humanitarian assistance in their current temporary locations.

Gaza: As polio vaccinations continue, UN and partners scale up humanitarian support

In Gaza, the polio vaccination campaign started on Saturday. By the second day of the campaign, the UN and humanitarian partners reached more than 450,000 children under ten. This is more than three quarters of the target population. Day three of the campaign is ongoing.

The UN and its partners continue to scale up the humanitarian operation made possible by the ceasefire.

Today, 748 trucks entered Gaza, according to information obtained by the UN on the ground through interactions with the Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire deal.

Since the onset of the ceasefire, and as of yesterday, the UN and its humanitarian partners have provided tents to families across Gaza, mostly in the north. Partners are also distributing sealing materials and tarpaulins to support those living in damaged buildings.

The UN's humanitarian partners working on food security report that the number of bakeries operating across Gaza through support by the World Food Programme (WFP) has risen from five before the ceasefire to 25 now. Additionally, some 780,000 hot meals are distributed daily.

Since last month, the UN's humanitarian partners have screened over 80,000 children aged six to 59 months for malnutrition, admitting those in need for appropriate treatment.

Just last week, humanitarian partners distributed hygiene kits to nearly 8,000 households and water jerrycans to 3,500 families.

OCHA stresses that sustaining these scaled-up humanitarian operations requires both generous funding and the ceasefire to be upheld.

#Sudan

Cholera cases on the rise in White Nile State

OCHA says that cholera cases are rising in White Nile State, Sudan.

According to health authorities, 1,640 cases – including 63 deaths – have been recorded in recent days.

Yesterday alone, 289 cases – including five deaths – were reported. A likely source of the infection is the White Nile River, where families have been collecting water amid major power outages following drone attacks on power facilities in the area, according to humanitarian partners.

On 21 February, the Sudanese Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and UNICEF launched a 6-day cholera vaccination campaign in the localities of Kosti and Rabak in White Nile. They aim to reach more than 1 million people with oral cholera vaccines.

Since the start of the cholera outbreak in July of last year, more than 55,000 cases of cholera, including nearly 1,500 deaths, have been reported from 12 out of Sudan’s 18 states, according to authorities and health partners.

Conflict, insecurity and attacks on healthcare continue to increase the risks of disease outbreaks across Sudan. OCHA reiterates its appeal for all sides to adhere to international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians and critical civilian infrastructure are protected.

#Mozambique

OCHA and WFP deputy heads in the country to press for continued global support

The deputy heads of OCHA and WFP are on a joint visit to Mozambique to press for continued global support for people in need in the country. Conflict and increasingly frequent and extreme weather events are driving humanitarian needs to unprecedented levels in the country.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, and WFP’s Deputy Executive Director, Carl Skau, will meet with Government officials, affected communities, donors, and representatives from international and regional financial institutions to discuss how to continue to collaborate and find practical ways to scale up humanitarian operations, particularly through innovative approaches.

Mozambique is facing overlapping crises, with some five million people – or one in seven people – across the country in need of urgent humanitarian assistance to cope with the effects of cyclones, conflict and drought.