Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria, Mozambique,
#Occupied Palestinian Territory
Humanitarian operations press on as displaced families face winter hardship
OCHA reports that humanitarian operations continue to address people’s immense needs in Gaza.
Hundreds of thousands of people are staying in displacement sites and exposed to cold and rainy winter conditions, according to partners working on site management.
Humanitarian partners assess that hundreds of households have had their tents damaged by the strong winds this week, and partners are coordinating emergency repairs, while stressing that more sustainable solutions are required.
On the education front – just ahead of tomorrow’s International Day of Education – UNICEF reported yesterday that about 5,000 recreational kits with toys and stationary items had entered Gaza since last Thursday – for the first time since 2023. These supplies will benefit more than 375,000 children, including 1,000 girls and boys with disabilities.
For over two years, many children have been trying to learn without basic supplies – no notebooks, no pencils, no erasers, no crayons. The UN and its partners continue to call for the further lifting of restrictions on items that the organizations are allowed to bring to Gaza.
In the West Bank, an estimated 25,000 Palestinians were placed under curfew on 19 January in parts of the Israeli-controlled area in Hebron city, disrupting their access to food, health care and in-person education.
OCHA reports today that the Israeli forces’ operation in Hebron has ended. The UN and its partners have stayed in touch with affected families throughout the operation and we will now conduct assessments to identify any assistance required.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support.
#Afghanistan
Winter storms batter Afghanistan as 2 out of every 5 people need aid
OCHA reports that extreme winter weather across several regions of Afghanistan has resulted in at least 16 deaths and dozens of injuries, most of them among children.
Heavy rain and snowfall triggered a deadly rockslide in Nuristan Province, while other areas have seen the weather collapse roofs and trigger traffic accidents.
Afghanistan remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 22 million people – or more than two out every five people – in need of assistance. This year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan calls for $1.7 billion to support 17.5 million people.
#Nigeria
UN, partners launch $516 million humanitarian appeal
The UN and its partners, together with the Government of Nigeria, launched on 22 January a $516 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to help 2.5 million people in the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
Widespread displacement, limited basic services, climate shocks, economic hardship and shrinking livelihood opportunities are driving humanitarian needs higher in that area.
Women and children are particularly affected, making up 8 out of 10 people in immediate need.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Nigeria is facing one of its worst hunger crises in recent years. Nearly 35 million people are projected to experience acute and severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, according to the most recent Cadre Harmonisé, a food security assessment. An estimated 15,000 people in Borno State are at risk of catastrophic hunger, or IPC Phase 5, which is one step away from famine.
WFP is sounding the alarm that more than one million people in north-east Nigeria risk being cut off from emergency food and nutrition assistance within weeks unless urgent new funding is received.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Nigeria with urgent support.
#Syria
City of Kobani cut off as civilians threatened by shortages
OCHA reports that humanitarian partners operating in the city of Kobani in Syria’s Aleppo governorate are concerned about the risk of the humanitarian situation there getting worse.
All roads connecting to Kobani are currently closed.
Interruptions to the power supply, water and Internet are hampering people’s access to basic services. Humanitarian partners have started to report shortages of food and other key items.
Health facilities are operating, but there have been reports of shortages of medicine.
The UN team is in discussion with authorities in Aleppo on how it can support.
Meanwhile, the UN and its partners continue to provide humanitarian aid following recent clashes in the governorates of Aleppo, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor. The World Health Organization and its partners are providing medical supplies, mobile nutrition services, and life-saving care for injured, children and pregnant women.
The UN and its partners are also engaging with our partners and authorities to carry out more assessments and facilitate access.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Syria with urgent support.
#Mozambique
UN seeks $187 million to support flood-affected communities
The UN and its humanitarian partners today launched a $187 million appeal following the widespread flooding in the south and centre of the country.
This appeal – which is an addendum to the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan – aims to support some 600,000 people through the end of June.
OCHA reports that the UN continues to scale up its support for the Government‑led response, despite access and funding constraints. A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team has been deployed, with the first members arriving today. The team will work closely with authorities and humanitarian partners to work on coordination, analysis and operations, and will be based in both the provinces of Gaza and Maputo.
On the logistics side, humanitarian partners are working with the Government on transportation plans, storage capacity and the review of access routes, including maritime, river and helicopter options. WFP is setting up a mobile warehouse in Xai‑Xai, the capital of Gaza province.
The UN and its partners are also continuing to distribute emergency aid, including tarpaulins and blankets. Humanitarian partners have set up two child‑friendly spaces offering family tracing, reunification and psychosocial support. Emergency health and nutrition supplies have been pre‑positioned in Gaza and Maputo provinces to support more than 20,000 people for up to three months.
Mobile nutrition centers have been deployed to carry out screening, treatment and micronutrient supplementation. In addition, antibiotics, nutrition supplements and other critical supplies to treat hundreds of children have been mobilized.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Mozambique with urgent support.