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

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

UN chief alarmed by worsening hunger crisis in Gaza

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is alarmed by the findings, released today, that one in every five people in Gaza is facing starvation – while the entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity and the risk of famine – according to the latest snapshot by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

The Secretary-General is especially alarmed that the vast majority of children in Gaza are facing extreme food deprivation. This is now confirmed by 17 UN agencies and NGOs in the IPC report. 

According to the latest analysis, 470,000 people in Gaza are facing catastrophic hunger – IPC Phase 5, the highest level – and the entire population is experiencing acute food insecurity. The report also projects that an alarming 71,000 children and more than 17,000 mothers will need urgent treatment for acute malnutrition.

Over 70 days into the blanket ban imposed by Israeli authorities on the entry of any supplies into Gaza – regardless of how critical they are for people’s survival – stocks have run out, bakeries have shut down, community kitchens are closing daily, and people are starving. This is not a natural disaster but a human-made catastrophe that the world should not allow. 

The way to address this crisis should be clear: open up Gaza so that aid and other essential supplies can reach everyone who needs them, wherever they are. 

Humanitarian teams on the ground have pre-positioned enough supplies – including more than 116,000 metric tons of food assistance – to respond to people’s needs at scale quickly and efficiently, as they did during the 42-day ceasefire earlier this year. These stocks are enough to feed 1 million people for up to four months. But to accomplish that, the crossings into Gaza must open immediately, and international humanitarian law must be fully respected. 

Earlier today, the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF warned that hunger and malnutrition have intensified sharply since all aid was blocked from entering Gaza on 2 March, reversing the clear humanitarian gains seen during the ceasefire earlier this year.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said families are starving while the food they need is sitting at the border. “It’s imperative that the international community acts urgently to get aid flowing into Gaza again,” she said. “If we wait until after a famine is confirmed, it will already be too late for many people.” 

Partners on the ground in Gaza report that the number of hot meals served by those community kitchens that are still operating is declining very quickly. Today, about 260,000 meals have been prepared and delivered across the Gaza Strip. That marks a decrease compared to 840,000 meals last Wednesday – a 70 per cent reduction of 580,000 daily meals in just five days.

OCHA stresses that humanitarian assistance is not limited to food; it includes visiting people in their communities, assessing what they need, identifying those at risk of being left behind, and mobilizing support across sectors – food, but also water, hygiene, health, nutrition, education, protection and beyond. 

OCHA underscores that under the ongoing blockade, medical supplies and shelter materials are also urgently needed. Healthcare in Gaza is hanging by a thread – with hospitals facing mass casualty incidents amid severe shortages of supplies, equipment, blood and staff. The fuel that powers healthcare and water facilities is also being rationed and running out.

Principled humanitarian aid means reaching people wherever they are and based on what they need. Israel, as the occupying power, must facilitate humanitarian relief for people in need throughout Gaza. 

#Democratic Republic of the Congo

Floods kill dozens in South Kivu

OCHA reports that severe flooding in South Kivu province is further straining an already dire humanitarian situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Local authorities in South Kivu report that overnight flooding in Fizi territory between 8 and 9 May killed more than 60 people. Many people are still missing, and search efforts continue. More than 150 houses were also destroyed, leaving 1,000 people homeless. 

Local authorities warn that continued heavy rainfall threatens further damage and have issued an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance.

The floods are worsening existing vulnerabilities in Fizi territory, where ongoing clashes and a recent surge in cholera cases heighten the risk of a major public health crisis.

OCHA today convened an emergency meeting in Uvira to coordinate response efforts.

Meanwhile, in North Kivu province, hostilities continue, and local authorities report that nine civilians were killed and 50 others injured in an overnight attack in a village of Lubero territory between 7 and 8 May. 

In Ituri province, assessments by humanitarian partners indicate that more than 40,000 people arrived in the Fataki and Rety areas of Djugu territory between February and April. The new arrivals were mostly fleeing violence in other areas or returning home from previous displacement during a period of calm. 

The crisis is overwhelming already strained services in these areas, affecting 155,000 people. Humanitarian partners report acute needs across all sectors, including shelter, food and healthcare. 

The UN continues to mobilize assistance but faces major challenges to deliver life-saving aid due to continued access constraints and funding gaps. 

#Sudan 

Drone strikes imperil critical infrastructure 

OCHA remains deeply concerned about the impact of ongoing drone attacks across Sudan on civilian infrastructure, including power stations and fuel depots.

Earlier today, Port Sudan – the main entry point for humanitarian supplies and personnel entering the country – came under drone attacks for the ninth consecutive day.

Over the weekend, drone attacks were also reported in the areas of Kosti, Kenana, Tendalti and Rabak in White Nile state and Um Ruwaba in North Kordofan state. According to local sources, the strikes hit fuel storage depots that are vital to maintaining critical services and humanitarian operations to support civilians in need.

On 9 May in River Nile state, a drone attack once again hit a power station in the city of Atbara, disrupting supply in northern and eastern Sudan – just two days after electricity had been restored following a similar attack in April. 

While UN and partner facilities and premises have not been directly targeted, the repeated drone attacks are severely affecting civilians and the essential services they rely on, including access to power and water. 

Damage to civilian infrastructure has sparked panic and displacement. The International Organization for Migration last week reported that 600 people were displaced within Port Sudan alone following the attacks.

Flights of the UN Humanitarian Air Service to and from Port Sudan resumed on 8 May, helping facilitate the humanitarian response.

Meanwhile in North Darfur state, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, warned yesterday that the situation in Abu Shouk and Zamzam camps is catastrophic, as civilians remain trapped. Both sites are effectively cut off from external assistance. 

In a social media post, she urgently called for a ceasefire and humanitarian pauses to enable the delivery of life-saving assistance.

After hundreds of thousands of people fled attacks on Zamzam camp last month, the UN and its partners continue to scale up response efforts in areas where displaced people are arriving. Last week, WFP and its partners distributed food packages to more than 335,000 people in the town of Tawila. Of those, 67,000 people also received emergency nutrition supplies to help address malnutrition. 

#Haiti

Thousands of families, homes affected by floods in Nord-Est Department

OCHA reports that days of heavy rainfall in Haiti’s Nord-Est Department have triggered widespread flooding – damaging homes, crops and vital infrastructure.

Since 5 May, more than 4,300 families have been affected across the towns of Ouanaminthe and Ferrier, where more than 3,900 homes were inundated. In some areas, floodwaters reached entire neighborhoods, destroying households’ belongings and leaving many without shelter.

Initial assessments indicate severe impacts on livelihoods, including the loss of livestock and the destruction of small-scale farms. Key roads were also damaged, hindering access to affected communities. While no fatalities have been reported, local authorities warn that river levels remain high, and weather conditions continue to be unstable.

Families urgently need hygiene kits, clean drinking water, food, mattresses and disinfectants to mitigate health risks in flooded neighborhoods. Pre-positioned stocks are limited.

OCHA is supporting local authorities and partners to coordinate the response, but additional support is urgently needed to scale up life-saving assistance and strengthen preparedness, particularly with the rainy and hurricane seasons approaching.* 

*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Haiti with urgent support. 

#Ukraine

Attacks cause civilian casualties, damage

OCHA says air strikes continued across Ukraine over the weekend, killing eight and injuring 44 civilians, according to local authorities. Nearly 900 people were evacuated from the Sumy and Donetsk regions. 

Civilian infrastructure – including homes, gas pipelines and power lines – was also damaged in the regions of Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia, according to authorities and aid workers.

The Ukrainian Railway Company reported that a railway worker was injured following an attack on a civilian train in the Donetsk region. 

Meanwhile, OCHA reports that in March and April, humanitarian operations in Ukraine continued to be constrained by active hostilities. During this period, 37 incidents affecting humanitarian personnel were reported. Air strikes on densely populated urban areas with a humanitarian presence resulted in 13 incidents involving casualties among aid workers. Two aid workers were killed in the line of duty, while 16 more were injured. The city of Kherson had the highest number of incidents, with casualties among humanitarian staff.

Despite these challenges, humanitarian partners continue to deliver critical assistance in front-line regions. By March 2025, about 2.3 million people had received life-saving aid. This included 1.8 million people supported with clean water and sanitation services, 1.3 million with food and agricultural aid, and 600,000 with improved healthcare access, including essential medicines.