Today's top news: Middle East, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan
#Middle East
As tensions escalate, UN calls for protection of civilians
OCHA says it is in close contact with teams across the region and are ready to respond swiftly to the impact of strikes.
OCHA stresses that civilians must be protected and that international humanitarian law is not optional – it applies to all parties, at all times.
The risk of humanitarian fallout is growing fast, with strikes having caused civilian casualties, damaged infrastructure and increased displacement risks.
OCHA underscores the need for aid workers to be able to operate safely and are prepared to scale up where needed – but unimpeded access, security guarantees and funding will determine how effectively the UN can respond.
#Occupied Palestinian Territory
Humanitarian movements suspended as crossings into Gaza close
OCHA says the regional escalation that began over the weekend is already affecting people and disrupting humanitarian services.
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli authorities have closed all crossings, including Rafah, suspended humanitarian movements in and near areas where their troops remain deployed, and postponed planned rotations of international humanitarian staff. Medical evacuations and the return of people into Gaza have also been suspended.
OCHA stresses that people in Gaza rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside, given the limited storage capacity and destruction of livelihoods across this war-torn area.
Humanitarian partners had worked hard to maintain a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite restrictions. But that cannot continue under a full blockade.
In recent days, partners have been forced to ration fuel, prioritizing life-saving operations – albeit at reduced capacity – as local stocks dwindle. This includes bakeries, hospitals and desalination plants. Services such as solid waste collection have been suspended. UN officials are working to secure the urgent resumption of fuel deliveries, which remains a top priority.
In some areas of Gaza city, reduced water production has left people with as little as two litres of drinking water per day. Prices of basic commodities are already rising.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces have kept most checkpoints closed largely preventing travel between Palestinian cities and governorates. This is affecting people’s access to livelihoods, basic services, and humanitarian operations.
Since the weekend, people across the West Bank have been exposed to debris falling over civilian areas amid missile and interceptor fire; while residential areas in Gaza have been exposed to continued strikes from the air, land and sea.
International humanitarian law is clear: civilians must be protected and their essential needs met, including through the unimpeded entry, movement and distribution of humanitarian assistance.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory took note of the temporary injunction by the Israeli High Court of Justice with regards to the de-registration of several international NGOs. Heads of UN agencies and partner organizations stressed that enabling the continued operations of these NGOs is essential to reaching the most vulnerable groups. They urged the Government of Israel to lift restrictions that impede aid work, and they called on the international community to help ensure the continuity of principled humanitarian assistance in line with international humanitarian law.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza and the West Bank with urgent support.
#Sudan
Drone strikes continue to intensify, further straining humanitarian operations
OCHA is deeply concerned over the escalating violence in the states of Kordofan and Blue Nile, where intensified fighting continues to harm civilians and disrupt the delivery of life-saving assistance.
According to local sources, drone attacks have intensified in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, since last Friday. A local organization, the Sudan Doctors Network, reported that yesterday a medical facility was impacted and 12 people, including five medical staff, were injured. Meanwhile, in South Kordofan, clashes continue in and around Dilling. Fighting along key supply routes continues to disrupt commercial traffic and humanitarian deliveries.
In Blue Nile State, there have been intensive drone attacks on the town of Kurmuk over the past two weeks. A school was allegedly destroyed, while an electricity station was damaged. By Saturday, 1,000 families had been displaced from the locality of Kurmuk to the city of Ed Damazine due to the ongoing insecurity. OCHA reports that conditions are dire and people urgently need aid and are working with its partners to scale up assistance.
In East Darfur, OCHA recently visited the Ed Daein Hospital found there is failing infrastructure, as well as supply shortages and unreliable electricity and water. The hospital, which handles up to 200 outpatient consultations and 15 surgical deliveries daily for people in the Darfur and Kordofan regions, faces funding shortfalls that could put essential services at risk.
Meanwhile, a large fire in Kalma camp in Nyala, in South Darfur, destroyed about 700 homes. This comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions and major gaps in basic services following the suspension of some activities in January. The camp is also facing a growing measles outbreak and OCHA is mobilizing its partners to respond.
OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensure rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, and uphold international humanitarian law. Sustained, flexible funding is urgently needed to maintain life-saving services and prevent further deterioration.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in need in Sudan with urgent support.