Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Sudan

#Occupied Palestinian Territory
OCHA is urging the Israeli authorities to urgently grant access for critical humanitarian activities in Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in North Gaza.
OCHA emphasizes the need for secure conditions to deliver aid and conduct rescue operations safely, given the ongoing military operations there.
The UN and humanitarian partners are set to urgently implement critical activities in those areas as soon as Israeli authorities reopen North Gaza for humanitarian access.
Throughout October, we have noted that North Gaza governorate has been largely inaccessible, with very few exceptions, amid reports of high casualties, direct hits on overwhelmed medical facilities, and widespread family displacement and separation.
The immediate priorities include delivering food and fuel to power water systems, rescuing people trapped in rubble, evacuating critically ill and injured patients, and repairing damaged telecommunications.
Beyond opening North Gaza for aid, OCHA emphasizes the need for direct supply routes from Erez West to these areas, rather than routing all aid through Gaza city, which is the current imposed practice.
Between 6 and 28 October, 36 coordination requests submitted to the Israeli authorities for critical aid missions targeting Jabalya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, all in North Gaza governorate, were denied access, while 14 faced impediments and 23 were facilitated.
Israeli bombardments by air, land and sea continue to be reported across the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure
Between 22 and 29 October, at least seven mass casualty incidents were reported across Gaza, including four in North Gaza governorate, including the latest incident on Beit Lahiya yesterday with the authorities reporting over 90 people killed or missing under the rubble following an Israeli airstrike on a residential building.
OCHA stresses once again that civilians in the north and across Gaza must be protected.
Meanwhile, in southern Gaza, OCHA today visited two locations in Absan, east of Khan Younis, to assess the situation of displaced families. One was the Saudi Center for Cultural and Heritage in Abasan Al Kabira, which provides mental health support for children, internet access for students, and operates a community kitchen serving 500 families. The center also manages services for multiple sites in the area. Needs reported include access to learning, increased access to water and bathroom, adding light and access to communication means. The second location was in the Al Mharaba site, which hosts 2,000 people. At this site there are no health services, limited power and insufficient water facilities. A mother of four who recently lost her husband to cancer told our team that she does not have a phone to access information or register for assistance and is requesting support.
#Lebanon
OCHA reports that the humanitarian situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate amid escalating hostilities and displacement orders.
Yesterday, 82 people were killed and at least 180 injured. This brings the total of casualties since 8 October last year to 2,792 deaths, including 157 children, and more than 12,000 injured, according to national authorities.
Today, the Israeli army issued displacement orders for all residents of Baalbek city in the east of the country, to evacuate the entire city immediately. This prompted mass displacement and panic among residents. Strikes subsequently began after several hours. Displacement orders were also issued in several localities in Nabatieh, in the south.
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, deplored the extensive harm inflicted on civilians and the destruction of critical infrastructure, as well as the severe psychological toll on women, men and children. He called for the violence to end immediately and reminded parties to the conflict that they must take all feasible precautions to avoid and minimize harm to civilians and civilian object.
On the humanitarian response, a joint OCHA-UNICEF mission today delivered essential supplies to approximately 800 households in the village of Sarafand, in southern Lebanon. The supplies include water bottles, hygiene and dignity kits, water testers, children’s clothes and first aid kits.
Also, today, a convoy by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) delivered 5,000 liters of fuel for generators to ensure the operation of water wells and sanitation facilities in the Burj Shemali Palestinian Refugee Camp along the South Litani River.
Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization says that rural communities are facing difficulties as the conflict has also impacted agriculture. Some 1,900 hectares of farmland in the South and Nabatieh governorates have been affected as farmers lack access to essential inputs, and livestock keepers face feed shortages and have lost their herds.
#Sudan
OCHA is alarmed by an almost three-fold increase in the number of people displaced by fighting in parts of Aj Jazirah State, Sudan.
Local authorities have reported that more than 27 women and girls between the ages of 6 and 60 were subjected to rape and sexual violence. They also reported that at least six health facilities have been attacked, with two health workers reported killed.
These attacks have severely disrupted the delivery of health services in the area, especially for surgical and obstetric care, with patients being transferred to other facilities that are operating at limited capacity.
Less than one quarter of health facilities are functioning in the worst-affected areas across Sudan. Since 15 April of last year, the World Health Organization has reported 116 attacks on healthcare, which resulted in 188 deaths and 140 injuries.
The International Organization for Migration reports that nearly 120,000 people – or almost 24,000 families – have been displaced from the localities of Sharg Aj Jazirah and Um Algura in Aj Jazirah in the past ten days.
Most of the displaced people have fled to the eastern states of Gedaref State and Kassala, as well as River Nile State in the north of the country.
People who have fled Aj Jazirah need food, shelter, water, sanitation, health and protection services, among others. The UN and partners - in particular, local organizations and volunteers - are providing hot meals, food, health services and other supplies to thousands of displaced people in Gedaref and Kassala states.
The humanitarian community in Sudan is extremely concerned about the plight of civilians who continue to be trapped by hostilities and are unable to escape, as well as for the safety of those on the move.
The UN reiterates to all parties to the conflict in Sudan that civilians must be protected, including by allowing them to leave for safer areas. Attacks directed against civilians and civilian objects are prohibited, and constant care must be taken to spare them. Perpetrators of serious violations must be held accountable.