Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Sudan
Occupied Palestinian Territory
OCHA reports that, in North Gaza governorate, virtually all incoming supplies and humanitarian services have ceased. This is due to the ongoing siege imposed by Israeli forces, as well as insecurity, limited supplies and the displacement of aid workers.
Some 100,000 people recently displaced from North Gaza are sheltering in schools, buildings, or makeshift sites in Gaza city, while about 75,000 people are estimated to remain in North Gaza governorate. With no electricity or fuel allowed since 1 October, only two of eight water wells in Jabalya refugee camp remain functional – both partially. As of yesterday, no bakeries or public kitchens are operational. Only two of 20 health service points and two hospitals remain operational – all partially. Rescue operations have come to a complete halt. Nine temporary learning spaces and more than 25 community-led learning initiatives, serving about 5,000 children, have shut down. More than 30 schools have reportedly been struck, shelled, or burned throughout October. Treatment and follow-up care for 2,000 children with severe acute malnutrition have ceased.
As the acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, warned last week, the entire population of North Gaza is at risk of dying, with hundreds of Palestinians reportedly killed and tens of thousands forced to flee yet again. She stressed that such blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop.
South of Wadi Gaza, OCHA is closely monitoring reports of ongoing intense hostilities in the northern Nuseirat area of Deir al Balah governorate, with a high number of casualties admitted to Al Awda hospital. This area has been largely inaccessible for months, with the latest denial of access for an OCHA team occurring earlier this week. However, our teams remain deployed nearby, observing displacement southward and receiving reports of families trapped in the area, unable to leave amid the ongoing military operation.
Meanwhile, OCHA reports that the UN and humanitarian partners are working to support displaced Palestinians ahead of the rainy season. Yesterday in Deir al Balah, OCHA participated in an assessment of two displacement sites in the Mashalah area, where nearly 8,000 people have sought shelter.
The team says it is urgent that the makeshift shelters at these sites can be repaired and improved to protect people from excess water. Most shelters are unlikely to withstand heavy rain; they are made of cardboard or worn fabric, and tents have been degraded by sun and wind.
At the As Safa Al Ayoubi site, where nearly 800 families are living, residents have dug drainage trenches to divert grey water away from the shelters. However, this water is now accumulating on the main roads, raising the risk of overflow and the potential for grey water mixing with sewage and rainwater, which poses increased health threats.
OCHA says Palestinians living at these displacement sites need a broad range of humanitarian assistance immediately, including tents, tarpaulins, sandbags, water pumps, blankets, warm clothing, solar panels, tools and fuel.
Meanwhile, the polio vaccination campaign is set to resume tomorrow in northern Gaza. The vaccines will be delivered by 216 teams across more than 100 fixed sites, nearly two dozen of which were added to ensure increased availability of vaccination in areas where recently displaced people are seeking shelter.
UNICEF and the World Health Organization say the humanitarian pause necessary to conduct the campaign has been assured, but the area of the pause has been substantially reduced compared to the first round of vaccination in the north in September. It is now limited to Gaza city.
This means that some 15,000 children under the age of 10 in parts of North Gaza – including Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun – remain inaccessible and could be missed during the campaign, which compromises its effectiveness. In order to interrupt transmission of the poliovirus, at least 90 per cent of all children in every community and neighbourhood must be vaccinated.
The final phase of the campaign had aimed to reach an estimated 119,000 children in northern Gaza with a second dose of the vaccine, but this target is now at risk due to access constraints. As with the previous phases of the vaccination campaign, it is critical that the humanitarian pause is respected to ensure that we can reach children in northern Gaza with a second dose.
Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reports that their office in the Nur Shams refugee camp, in the West Bank, was severely damaged by Israeli forces yesterday. That office was a hub to deliver services to more than 14,000 Palestinian refugees in the camp. UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says roads and water and electricity networks were also destroyed. UN facilities must be protected at all times.
Lebanon
OCHA warns about rising civilian casualties amid multiple strikes across Lebanon.
Several areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs were hit by Israeli airstrikes around 2am this morning, local time. The strikes started shortly after displacements orders were issued around 1:30am. Overnight strikes were also reported in the cities of Nabatieh and Baalbeck, as well as the district of Aley, according to local authorities.
Since 8 October 2023, authorities have recorded more than 2,800 deaths, including 178 children and over 13,000 injuries. The relentless displacement orders and subsequent airstrikes have also forced thousands of people to flee their homes.
The International Organization for Migration has recorded more than 842,000 people as being displaced in the country since October 2023. More than 189,000 of them are hosted in around 1,100 collective shelters.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that, since 23 September, 469,000 people have fled from Lebanon into Syria, based on estimates from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. UNHCR is also aware of more than 25,000 Lebanese arrivals in Iraq since the escalation of hostilities, based on information from Government authorities and partners.
The conflict also continues to impact civilian infrastructure. According to local authorities, some 350 households in nine villages in the southeast of the country have had no potable water since the main water network in the region has been hit by an airstrike on 19 October.
According to UNICEF, at least 29 water facilities have been damaged affecting water supply to more than 360,000 people, primarily in southern Lebanon, since 8 October 2023.
Despite the challenges, the UN and partners continue to support the ongoing response by distributing hot meals, clean water, medical supplies, mattresses, health kits and other supplies to people who have been uprooted.
Today, two humanitarian convoys delivered emergency supplies to Tyre, including water, blankets and ready-to-eat meals. The teams also conducted an emergency needs assessment of the population displaced into and remaining in the town.
So far, a total of 15 convoys have been successfully organized to reach areas in Tyre, Hasbaya, Marjayoun and Baalbek.
Sudan
OCHA remains deeply concerned about the plight of civilians trapped by the ongoing fighting in Aj Jazirah State, Sudan, as well as the safety of those who have been forced to flee.
The International Organization for Migration reports that more than 135,000 people have been displaced from locations across Aj Jazirah between October 20th and 30th. More than half have fled to Gedaref State, with nearly a third seeking shelter in Kassala State.
The UN and humanitarian partners – especially local organizations and volunteers – are supporting thousands of these new arrivals with urgent life-saving assistance, as well as critical services such as family tracing, family reunification services, mental health and psychosocial support. In response to horrific reports of rape and other sexual violence, humanitarian organizations are providing support to survivors.
Civilians must be protected whether they move or stay, and must be able to receive the humanitarian assistance they need. The parties must adhere to their obligations under intentional humanitarian law to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access, as they have committed to through the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.