Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia, Yemen, Colombia
#Occupied Palestinian Territory
Gaza: More than 40 children reported killed in just two days
OCHA reports that intense hostilities continued overnight across the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring many Palestinians, and causing mass displacement and additional destruction.
At least 250 people have reportedly been killed in the past 36 hours, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. UNICEF described the reported killing of at least 45 children over the past two days as “yet another devastating reminder that children in Gaza are suffering first and foremost, having to starve day after day only to be the victims of indiscriminate attacks.” In a statement, the agency said the daily suffering and killing of children must end immediately.
In northern Gaza, more than 150 injured patients are reported to have arrived at the Al Awda and Indonesian hospitals, according to the Ministry of Health. Rescue teams are reportedly unable to access many parts of North Gaza governorate, as air strikes and artillery shelling continue.
Attacks have continued to impact healthcare facilities, including the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis, which was rendered out of service by a series of strikes on and around its premises. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the hospital’s closure has cut off vital services, including neurosurgery, cardiac care and cancer treatment – which are all unavailable elsewhere in Gaza. Furthermore, the shutdown ends the facility’s role as a key hub for medical evacuations, putting additional pressure on the overwhelmed health system.
The ongoing hostilities are also putting hospitals in northern Gaza – and the patients and staff there – at risk. WHO says a strike near the Indonesian Hospital spread fear, disrupted access and raised the risk of closure. In Jabalya, another strike yesterday near Al Awda Hospital caused additional damage to the facility, according to hospital management.
OCHA warns that these attacks are destroying valuable equipment and depriving people of access to life-saving services. They also put further strain on hospitals that are still operating, particularly those accepting high numbers of trauma cases as attacks continue. Healthcare staff and facilities must always be protected.
The intensification of operations by Israelis forces comes after several displacement orders were issued for areas in North Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates in the past three days. The situation remains extremely volatile and unpredictable.
In northern Gaza, some 17,000 people have been displaced so far from Jabalya and Beit Lahiya since yesterday afternoon. People are fleeing without their belongings to neighbouring areas in the north.
Farther south, since yesterday afternoon, thousands of people were forced to flee areas of eastern Deir al Balah and eastern Khan Younis. Partners on the ground report that those displaced are seeking shelter in the city centre of Deir al Balah, as well as Mawasi and western Khan Younis.
Meanwhile, all crossings into Gaza remained closed for the entry of cargo for a 75th straight day. Inside Gaza, the UN and its humanitarian partners’ movements are severely constrained, which is hampering their ability to respond to immense needs.
Despite the enormous challenges, the UN and partners continue to mobilize assistance as the situation allows. Eighteen kitchens that had previously closed have been able to reopen, thanks to community members sharing their remaining food stocks. This brings the total number of hot meals prepared today to 340,000, compared to fewer than 250,000 yesterday. All kitchens that are still functioning have adjusted the size and content of the meals they provide to further stretch dwindling supplies and avoid a total shutdown.
The humanitarian community continues to call for the total blockade on Gaza to be lifted to allow in desperately needed supplies – as well as the protection of civilians and an immediate reinstatement of the ceasefire.
West Bank: Water infrastructure damaged during settler attacks
OCHA reports that settler vandalism continues in the West Bank, damaging critical infrastructure and disrupting the livelihoods of affected communities.
In one herding community in Jericho governorate, at least three incidents involved settlers damaging water pipes serving the community, disrupting access to water for several households.
Residents report that such attacks on the water network occur daily, severely undermining their already limited access to water for both domestic and livestock needs.
Since the beginning of this year, at least 13 per cent of settler-related incidents that led to property damage and were documented by OCHA across the West Bank targeted water-related structures used for domestic and agricultural purposes.
While most of these incidents occurred in Palestinian villages and towns, herding and Bedouin communities are also hard hit, as they typically rely on minimal and unregulated water infrastructure, such as water tanks, trailers and natural springs, and often lack access to pipe networks or public services.
Meanwhile, OCHA is monitoring developments in the area of Bruqin, in the Salfit governorate, where a pregnant Israeli settler was shot and killed earlier this week. Her husband was reportedly injured, and her child survived but is also injured. Following the attack, OCHA reports that Israeli forces imposed a closure on the Palestinian village and conducted house-to-house searches.
Access to healthcare outside the village has only been allowed through special coordination for the most urgent cases. OCHA has learned of five families who left their homes fearing collective retaliation by settlers.
#Somalia
Funding cuts force humanitarians to reprioritize Somalia response
The humanitarian sector has seen unprecedented funding cuts, forcing the UN and its partners to drastically reduce life-saving programming, putting millions of lives at risk around the world.
The past two months have been spent overhauling the response to humanitarian crises, in line with the Humanitarian Reset set out by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher.
In Somalia, the humanitarian community has reprioritized its work, with the UN and partners in the country now targeting 1.3 million people – a reduction of more than 70 per cent from the 4.6 million people initially targeted for 2025.
The re-prioritized response will cost US$367 million, a 74 per cent reduction from the $1.4 billion requested for this year.
This does not mean that there has been a reduction in overall humanitarian needs and requirements; rather, given the massive global funding shortfalls, the UN and partners aim to use all available resources to ensure that the most life-saving assistance reaches the most vulnerable people*. All needs and responses identified in the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan remain valid and urgent.
If additional funding becomes available, responses will be expanded to cover all identified people targeted, as originally planned.
Somalia continues to face a dire humanitarian situation: This year, nearly 6 million people require humanitarian assistance due to the impact of recurrent climate shocks, conflict, disease outbreaks and displacement.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Somalia with urgent support.
#Yemen
$1.4 billion needed to sustain minimum aid programming for Yemen
Funding cuts have also forced the humanitarian community in Yemen to reprioritize the response, which had called for $2.4 billion this year. This week, an addendum to the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan was released, identifying the most critical life-saving activities within this year's appeal and calling for $1.4 billion to ensure that humanitarians can reach 8.8 million people.
As in other crises, the consequence will be dire if humanitarians are unable to deliver: Millions more people will be acutely hungry and lack access to clean water, education, protection and other essential services. Mortality and morbidity are poised to surge as health facilities close and disease outbreaks multiply.
The UN and partners are determined to save as many lives as possible with the money available. Continued support to aid operations in Yemen* and around the world is absolutely essential to avoid a sharp deterioration in the humanitarian situations at a time when needs are already exceedingly high.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Yemen with urgent support.
#Colombia
Fighting displaces tens of thousands in 2025
OCHA reports that in just the first five months of 2025, more than 66,000 people were newly displaced due to fighting between non-State armed groups in Colombia. This represents a 28 per cent increase compared to the total number of people recorded to be newly displaced in all of 2024.
By the end of last year, more than 7.3 million people were internally displaced by violence and conflict, the third largest number in the world, behind Sudan and Syria.
The UN and its partners continue implementing a $3.8 million allocation from the UN Central Emergency Fund – allocated in February this year – to help more than 56,000 affected people in Catatumbo, where fighting has been fierce in 2025.
However, despite the sharp rise in humanitarian needs, the aid community’s ability to respond is severely curtailed by funding shortfalls. Humanitarian partners have been able to respond to just 25 per cent of identified needs, leaving tens of thousands without aid.
The $342 million humanitarian appeal for Colombia is 14 per cent funded, with $48.5 million received so far.