Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Haiti, Sudan, Ukraine

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, said news that a food distribution point in Rafah was hit today, killing at least one staff member with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and injuring 22 others, was devastating for humanitarian colleagues in Gaza who have borne so much loss already, as well as the families they were trying to help.

In a social media post, Mr. Griffiths said our teams and supplies – which are constantly under threat – must be protected, and the war has to stop. 

As the bombardment and fighting there continues, we and our partners are working to provide mental health and psychosocial support, particularly for children.

Since the escalation of hostilities on 7 October, humanitarian partners working on child protection issues have reached more than 267,000 children across Gaza – as well as some 27,000 caregivers – with essential services, including mental health and psychosocial support, as well as winter clothes.

#Haiti

We continue to be extremely concerned by the impact of the violence on civilians and aid operations.

The UN and partners are doing everything they can to deliver assistance to those who have been displaced by the recent violence, while continuing their regular programmes in other departments of the country. To date, the World Food Programme has delivered over 75,000 meals to those displaced by the recent violence.

Many of those in need are women and children. They are traumatized by what they saw, they feel unsafe and are exposed to many risks. They need emergency aid, as well as protected spaces. And for that we need safe and unhindered access.

The recent events in the capital Port-au-Prince have also affected humanitarian operations in other parts of the country, including by blocking maritime transport from Port-au-Prince to other regions. This was a key resource for aid organizations to transport aid supplies to other regions.

 The first ship since 29 February was able to leave Port-au-Prince for the port of Miragouane with 7 trucks loaded with medicine and medical supplies for the health sector in the Grand Sud Department, in the south of the country. The consignment seeks to reach more than 80 health facilities in the area.

As a reminder, some 5.5 million people – nearly half of the population – need humanitarian assistance across Haiti.

The US$674 million Humanitarian Needs Response Plan for Haiti is currently just 2.6 per cent funded, with $17.7 million received. We urgently need funding to be able to support the people of Haiti with basic needs.

#Sudan

Malnutrition is soaring in the country.

Some 220,000 severely malnourished children and more than 7,000 new mothers could die in the coming months if they do not receive urgent assistance – that’s according to the latest figures from partners working on nutrition.

Already, we have been seeing alarming reports of child deaths related to malnutrition, including at displacement sites in Darfur.

Across Sudan, some 3.7 million children are suffering from malnutrition. Many are unable to access treatment, especially those living in areas that are difficult to reach.

The country is on track to becoming the world’s largest hunger crisis. Some 18 million people facing acute food insecurity – a number that we fear will surge when the lean season arrives in the coming months.

Additional resources are urgently needed to scale up the response – so far, this year’s humanitarian appeal, calling for $2.7 billion, is just 5 per cent funded at $130 million. We also need rapid and unfettered humanitarian access to people in need across the country – including those trapped behind conflict lines.

#Ukraine

A wave of overnight attacks in the centre and the east of the country caused civilian casualties and damaged apartment buildings.

Yesterday, an attack in the city of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipro Region resulted in civilians being injured and killed, including children. The UN Human Rights Office has so far confirmed 5 civilians killed and 11 injured, including 5 children, while verification continues. The attack damaged hundreds of apartments, two schools, two kindergartens and other facilities, according to the city authorities.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, condemned the attack in a statement today, saying that civilians and civilian infrastructures must be protected.

Also, today, a strike in the city of Sumy, in the north-east, damaged a five-story building today, with several civilians injured. This is the second significant attack in the city since March 6th.

And this morning, the town of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk Region came under attack with civilians reportedly killed and injured. This is the third attack in the city over the last five days. That’s according to our humanitarian partners on the ground.

UN agencies and humanitarian partners have promptly mobilized to provide emergency assistance. They provided first aid and psychological assistance and distributed repair materials, blankets, mattresses and other essential supplies. The support continues.