Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Ukraine, Haiti, Philippines, Tropical Storm Sara

Occupied Palestinian Territory

OCHA warns that people in besieged areas of North Gaza governorate have been struggling to stay alive, with virtually no assistance for more than 40 days.

OCHA reports that all attempts by the UN to support people in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and parts of Jabalya – all of which remain under siege – have been either denied or impeded. This month alone, 27 out of 31 planned missions were rejected. The other four were severely impeded, which prevented them from accomplishing the full range of critical work they set out to do.

There is a strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas within northern Gaza, according to an alert issued on 8 November by the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The Committee stressed that immediate action is needed within days, not weeks, to address this catastrophic situation.

In the absence of additional humanitarian assistance, bakeries and kitchens in North Gaza governorate have shut down, nutrition support has been suspended, and the refueling of water and sanitation facilities has been completely blocked.

As mass casualty incidents and Israeli bombardment continue, access to the Kamal Adwan, Al Awda and Indonesian hospitals in North Gaza remains severely restricted, amid desperate shortages of medical supplies, blood units and fuel. Attempts by health partners to deploy an international emergency medical team to scale up capacity continue to be blocked by the Israeli authorities.

On Sunday, OCHA supported a mission led by the World Health Organization – alongside the UN Mine Action Service, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Palestine Red Crescent Society – to Kamal Adwan Hospital. The team delivered 10,000 litres of fuel and transferred 17 patients, three unaccompanied children, and nearly two dozen caregivers to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city.

While the mission was also meant to deliver food and medical supplies to Kamal Adwan, humanitarian partners say the team was forced to offload the food at an Israeli military checkpoint before reaching the hospital, and only some of the medical supplies could be delivered to the facility.

Meanwhile, OCHA warns that armed looting – fueled by the breakdown in public order and safety in Gaza – has become increasingly organized. This is also endangering aid workers, making it almost impossible for humanitarian organizations to do their jobs.

Following the reported killings of alleged looters during an operation led by local Palestinian authorities, OCHA stresses that the use of force in law enforcement operations must be lawful, necessary and proportionate.

Facilitating humanitarian aid – as well as commercial goods – both into and within Gaza is essential to address the challenge of looting and respond to people’s needs.

The solution lies in opening more entry points into Gaza and allowing the use of additional internal routes. Both of these steps require action by the Israeli authorities.

Israel, as the occupying power in Gaza, also bears the primary responsibility for restoring public order and safety, which must be a top priority. This could take different forms; among them would be allowing civilian police in Gaza to operate in accordance with law enforcement standards.

Lebanon

OCHA reports that an airstrike hit central Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday, following multiple strikes the previous day on the same area without prior warning, triggering new waves of displacement. Residents and displaced people who had sought refuge in the area were forced to flee once again. According to national authorities, at least 5 people were killed and dozens injured in the 18 November strike.

Eastern and southern parts of Lebanon continue to be targeted as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs, resulting in more casualties and extensive damage to civilian infrastructure.

According to partners, 35 water facilities have been damaged since October 2023, affecting more than 400,000 people. Around 400 schools have also been closed due to insecurity or damage.

OCHA reiterates that under international humanitarian law, all parties to the conflict must protect civilians and civilian objects, including civilians in their homes or seeking safety in temporary shelters.

Despite increasing security challenges, the UN and partners continue to respond to the escalating humanitarian needs.

Since 23 September this year, the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners have provided more than 7 million meals, rations, and food parcels to displaced people inside and outside shelters.

Also, this past week, WFP, together with the Lebanese Red Cross, has provided meals to 3,500 newly displaced people in Mount Lebanon and began providing meals to 1,400 displaced Palestinian refugees in six UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East shelters.

Ukraine

As Ukraine marks 1,000 days since the start of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, the Humanitarian Coordinator Matthias Schmale emphasized the need for continued UN support and international solidarity. He called on the global community to stand with Ukraine and recognize the heroic efforts of first responders, including volunteers. 

On the ground, aid workers continue to assist people in Sumy City in the wake of recent attacks that significantly damaged residential areas. Today, another town in the Sumy Region was struck, with local authorities reporting nearly a dozen deaths and multiple injuries after a student dormitory was partially destroyed.

The UN and partners continue to ramp up humanitarian convoys to address the most urgent needs of front-line communities. This year alone, 40 such convoys have delivered food, medicine, electric heaters and hygiene kits.

Just today, two convoys reached the regions of Donetsk and Kherson. Since February 2022, more than 170 inter-agency convoys have provided critical assistance to nearly 800,000 people across nine regions. 

The human cost of the war remains staggering. According to the UN Human Rights Office, more than 12,000 civilians have been killed and nearly 27,000 injured over the past 1,000 days.  This includes over 2,400 child casualties.

Humanitarian workers also continue to face significant risks. Just this year, nine aid workers have been killed, with 40 others injured.

Haiti

The Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, said in a statement yesterday that the UN and partners continue to support Haitians despite the escalating security situation.

Richardson said that despite the temporary suspension of air transport, humanitarian operations continue in the Port-au-Prince region where escalating violence led to the displacement of almost 20,000 people.

The UN and partners are distributing hot meals, water, hygiene and dignity kits to displaced people. They have also provided medicines and medical supplies to key health facilities. They also continue to support the response across the country.

Richardson said that the humanitarian community remains fully committed to the humanitarian response, working with local authorities and actors to ensure rapid and effective assistance despite the security challenges.

There is need for urgent additional resources to maintain operations on the scale needed. The US$674 million Humanitarian Response Plan is 43 percent funded with nearly $290 million received.

Philippines

Super Typhoon Man-Yi, the sixth tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines within a month, made two landfalls on 16 and 17 November in the eastern provinces of Catanduanes and Aurora. The storm brought peak winds exceeding 185 km per hour.

According to partners, the six tropical cyclones have affected more than 13 million people in 17 out of the 18 regions in the country.

Over the course of the last three typhoons – between 9 and 17 November – some 720,000 people have been preemptively evacuated to minimize casualties. According to national authorities, there have been 7 deaths, with dozens of people injured. As of today, more than 600,000 people remain displaced, both within and outside evacuation centers.

The UN and humanitarian partners are currently conducting assessments to determine the extent of the damage, working closely with Government to support the response.

Tropical Storm Sara

OCHA reports that Tropical Storm Sara has brought heavy rains and strong winds to Central America, affecting nearly 180,000 people.

The storm made landfall on 14 November near the border of Honduras and Nicaragua, before crossing into Belize on 17 November and Mexico yesterday.

The storm system also led to heavier rain than normal over Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama.

More than 10,000 people in the region are now living in shelters. In Honduras alone, more than 140,000 people were affected, and nearly 4,000 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Governments across Central America are mobilized. UN teams in the region, under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinators, are supporting Government-led efforts on the ground in the areas of coordination, technical assistance and monitoring.