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

Children stand in front of a house demolished by a bombardment in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. Photo: UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

OCHA reports that Palestinian civilians endure horrific levels of violence as hostilities continue across the Gaza Strip.

UNICEF says that in the first seven days of this year alone, at least 74 children have reportedly been killed in Gaza. The attack yesterday saw five children reportedly killed in Al Mawasi.

The agency’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, said the new year has brought more death and suffering to the children of Gaza due to attacks, deprivation and growing exposure to the cold.

The continued lack of basic shelter amid winter temperatures poses serious threats, with more than a million children living in makeshift tents.

The UN and humanitarian partners are doing whatever they can with the supplies available to provide shelter support to displaced Palestinians. Between 22 December and 4 January, partners assisted more than 2,000 families in central and southern Gaza with tents and sealing-off materials. They also assisted about 200 families in Gaza governorate.

Meanwhile, OCHA reports that Israeli authorities continue to deny UN-led efforts to reach North Gaza governorate, where Palestinians have been under siege for more than 90 days.

Another attempt to reach besieged areas yesterday to deliver critical humanitarian assistance was denied.

OCHA warns that ongoing denials and impediments are crippling the humanitarian response at a time when many survivors in besieged areas are in dire need of food, shelter materials and clothing to survive the winter weather.

Across Gaza yesterday, Israeli authorities facilitated only four out of eight UN requests for coordinated humanitarian movements. The rest were either denied or canceled due to security or logistical challenges.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners supported the medical evacuation of six child patients and five companions from Gaza to the United States, as well as four patients and five companions to Jordan.

In a social media post, WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that more than 12,000 people in Gaza still need medical evacuations out of the Strip. Once again, he urged Israel to increase the approval rate and expedite the process for medical evacuations, and to allow all possible corridors and border crossings to be used for safe medical evacuations from Gaza.

#Democratic Republic of the Congo

OCHA reports that the escalation of violence in Masisi territory, North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since the start of the year has affected thousands of civilians.

Between 1 and 5 January, more than 100,000 people fled the fighting between the M23 armed group and Congolese soldiers and their allies in Masisi territory. At least two people have been killed and six others wounded in the fighting, according to partners.

In the last quarter of last year, violent attacks by different nonstate armed groups have increased in the eastern part of the DRC, resulting in population displacements. At the end of December 2024, more than 2.7 million people were displaced in North Kivu province. Between September and December 2024, partners reported at least 138 people killed and more than a hundred others kidnapped.

People are constantly on the move as fighting ceases or resumes, increasing their vulnerabilities.

The conflict also affects humanitarian access and many organizations maintain a limited presence on the ground, closely monitoring the security situation to resume operations.

OCHA calls on all parties to the conflict, as well as those with influence over them, to ensure the safety of civilians and humanitarians and their assets and ensure unhindered and unimpeded humanitarian activities.