Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Venezuela, Mozambique
#Occupied Palestinian Territory
UN, partners step up response in Gaza despite constraints
OCHA reports that people across the Gaza Strip are struggling to meet their needs as the humanitarian scale-up remains restricted.
Yesterday, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that there are increased risks of gender-based violence, child marriage and exploitation.
It says that damage to health facilities, safe spaces and clinics – combined with displacement, movement restrictions and flooding – has sharply limited access to psychosocial support and medical care.
The UN and its partners continue to respond to existing and emerging humanitarian needs across the Strip. Since Sunday and as of yesterday, humanitarian partners leading on emergency shelter assistance have reached over 13,000 households, distributing hundreds of tents and thousands of tarpaulins.
The UN and its partners also continued to distribute mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, warm clothes, cooking utensils and solar lights.
Humanitarian partners responsible for site management report that – due to capacity and funding constraints – they are currently able to provide support in just around 40 per cent of the existing 970 displacement sites across the Strip.
OCHA reports that over 100 Palestinian Bedouin and herding households from five communities across the central West Bank were displaced in just two weeks – between 6 and 19 January – due to ongoing settler attacks, threats and intimidation. These attacks have prevented residents from reaching their homes, pastures and water.
Yesterday, UNFPA reported that the ongoing operations by Israeli forces along with settler violence and movement restrictions continue to disrupt people’s access to schools, workplaces, markets and health care.
The agency estimated that more than 230,000 women and girls, including nearly 15,000 pregnant women, have limited access to reproductive health services due to the escalation of violence, particularly in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas .
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support.
#Democratic Republic of the Congo
Civilians killed, displaced as violence surges in country’s east
OCHA reports that the humanitarian situation in the provinces of North and South Kivu continues to worsen, marked by further civilian casualties, displacement and mounting threats to humanitarian operations.
In the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu, the UN and its partners report that, between 12 and 19 January, at least 50 civilians were killed and about a dozen others injured during a series of armed attacks and clashes.
In the Uvira territory of South Kivu, local civil society indicates that at least 12 civilians have been killed by armed groups since 18 January. Fearing further violence, at least 2,400 people fled from the city of Uvira to the locality of Kamanyola, where they are staying with host families and in collective centers. Their most urgent needs include food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene services, protection and health care.
Humanitarian access remains a major challenge in South Kivu, particularly in Fizi territory, where the closure of key roads due to insecurity has disrupted operations, including the delivery of medical supplies to respond to cholera. And yesterday, in the town of Baraka, armed people entered some compounds of our humanitarian partners, threatening staff and attempting to requisition humanitarian assets.
The UN strongly condemns attacks on civilians and threats against humanitarian workers and urges all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to facilitate safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access.
#Sudan
Drones strikes escalate civilian suffering in North Kordofan
OCHA indicates it is alarmed by the growing impact of drone attacks in North Kordofan State, which are endangering civilians and further constraining humanitarian access.
On Tuesday, multiple drone strikes were reported in the villages of Rehaid Al Nuba, Al-Shaatout and Um Andaraba, around 90 to 110 kilometres south-east of the state capital El Obeid. These areas lie along a critical logistics corridor and the attacks risk severing the city’s eastern supply lines.
Another strike was reported on the same day in the village of Wadi Al-Hout, about 30 kilometres north of El Obeid, underscoring the increasing frequency and geographic spread of aerial attacks across the state.
At the same time, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimatesthat yesterday, more than 2,400 people were displaced from several villages in the locality of Um Dam Haj Ahmed in North Kordofan.
OCHA warns that continued insecurity is placing civilians at heightened risk and further restricting the movement of humanitarian supplies. All parties must protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access.
Meanwhile, in the locality of Tawila in North Darfur State, the UN and its partners report serious shortfalls in food assistance for newly arrived displaced families in Daba Naira camp, highlighting the urgent need to scale up food distributions.
Also on food, the World Food Progamme (WFP) says that despite severe access and funding constraints, it reached 3.6 million people in December, including 1.7 million in Darfur. However, WFP warns that by the end of March, it will have exhausted its food stocks in Sudan and urgently requires $700 million to sustain life-saving operations through June.
The crisis is also deepening for children. Yesterday, Save the Children reported that more than 8 million children across Sudan have been out of classrooms for about 500 days.
In North Darfur State, only 3 per cent of more than 1,100 schools remain open, while schools in West Kordofan, South Darfur and West Darfur states are operating at just 15, 13 and 27 per cent respectively, according to data from our partners.
Months of unpaid salaries have eroded teacher morale, forcing some to abandon their posts. Without urgent funding to pay teachers, rehabilitate learning spaces and provide essential supplies, Sudan’s education system risks collapse.
OCHA once again urges donors to step up support. In 2026, the UN and our partners are calling for $2.9 billion to reach more than 20 million people who need assistance.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Sudan with urgent support.
#South Sudan
UN mobilizes $10 million to boost aid to thousands forced from their homes in Jonglei
The Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Tom Fletcher, has allocated $10 million dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to swiftly help nearly 180,000 people uprooted by conflict in Jonglei State in the east of the country.
The funds will go towards food; healthcare; shelter; water, sanitation and hygiene; and the prevention of gender-based violence and violence against children.
Since the end of December, conflict has uprooted more than 200,000 people. Women and girls, children, people with disabilities, and older people are increased at increased risk of violence and exploitation.
A no‑fly zone in Jonglei State declared by the government, insecurity and red tape continue to restrict movement. Some 15 NGOs continue to provide life-saving aid with the resources available to them.
This year, we and our partners are calling for nearly $1.5 billion to help more than 4 million people in need this year.
#Venezuela
UN, partners continue to support people in need
OCHA reports that the UN and its partners continue to deliver aid in the areas of food, health, nutrition, protection, water and sanitation, and education.
The Pan American Health Organization reports that a shipment of 23 tonnes of medical supplies arrived in Venezuela on January 20th from Brazil to support the national hemodialysis and nephrology programme. This is part of a 300‑tonne assistance package, coordinated with Venezuelan health authorities, for treatment to continue for around 8,000 patients, including more than 500 children.
The UN and its partners are also providing psychosocial and mental‑health support where resources allow, as reports of cases of psychological and emotional abuse, as well as gender‑based violence are on the rise.
As a reminder, Venezuela was among the most underfunded humanitarian operations in 2025, with the protection sector, which includes child protection and gender‑based violence, among the least funded. This year, the UN and its partners need $606 million to support 5.4 million people in need.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Venezuela with urgent support.
#Mozambique
UN allocates $5 million to support flood relief efforts
ERC Fletcher has allocated $5 million from CERF to respond to the widespread floods in the country.
The new funds will support the Government-led response in the flood-affected districts in Gaza and neighbouring provinces, including Maputo and Sofala.
Meanwhile, OCHA reports that a total of 350,000 people are estimated to have been displaced by the flooding. The UN and its partners continue to step up our efforts, with boats available for search-and-rescue operations. Two WFP amphibious vehicles have been deployed to reach areas inaccessible by road. WFP is stretching its limited resources to the maximum to support 375,000 of the most affected people with seven-day emergency food kits.
OCHA indicates that a revised 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan will be launched tomorrow by the Government of Mozambique and the UN to reflect the humanitarian needs related to the widespread floods.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Mozambique with urgent support.