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

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

UN, partners call for entry of more critical items to boost humanitarian response

OCHA reports that the UN and its partners continue ramping up their work to respond to people’s immense needs. 

Humanitarian partners leading on improving food security have reached more 860,000 people so far this month with food packages distributed through 50 distribution points across the Strip. They also continue to provide some 1.6 million hot meals every day to people in need.  

The UN and its partners vaccinated 3,000 children in the first two days of the 10-day vaccination campaign which began on Sunday. The campaign aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. And on Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated another medical evacuation of 21 patients and their companions to Jordan.  

However, more than 18,000 patients, including 4,000 children, remain on the list of people to be evacuated to receive medical care that is not available in Gaza. WHO called on more Member States to accept these patients and for the re-opening of the medical evacuation route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.  

Meanwhile, as Gaza remains in the grip of winter, another hypothermia-related child death was reported by the Ministry of Health yesterday. This brings the total number of reported deaths linked to cold weather this season to nine. Once again, OCHA calls for urgent solutions, including allowing the entry of batteries, solar panels and other energy sources that are needed to set up communal heating spaces. 

Most of the people in Gaza continue to be uprooted, with some 1.3 million people estimated to be spread over 970 sites across Gaza, according to humanitarian partners who manage sites for displaced people. The majority of these sites are located in the cities of Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.  

The UN and its partners working on water, sanitation and hygiene warn that approximately 70 per cent of Gaza city’s total water production is currently disrupted due to challenges related to repairing the Mekorot water supply line. The line comes from Israel into Gaza and is located east of the so-called “Yellow Line,” where Israeli forces remain deployed.  

An assessment of the pipeline identified the need for a 30‑metre section of 24‑inch steel pipe that is not available in Gaza and is restricted from entry into Gaza as a “dual use” item. A request that one of the UN’s partners made to repair the Safa well, another important water source for Gaza city, was denied by the Israeli authorities on Sunday.  

The UN and its partners are looking at alternative water sources and scaling up water trucking to ensure continued access to safe water. OCHA reiterates the need for expanded access, including to critical items deemed as “dual use” without which improvements to the most basic of services – such as access to safe water – will not happen.

*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support. 

#Sudan

Escalating conflict traps thousands of civilians in Darfur, forces families to flee in Kordofan

OCHA is concerned by the plight of thousands of civilians who are cut off from aid in North Darfur State.

With active conflict continuing to escalate in the north-western part of the State, local partners report that at least 2,000 families are trapped in the valleys of Wadi Qardi and Um Saad in the localities of Karnoi and Um Baru. OCHA reports that fighting in the area is severely restricting humanitarian access.

Meanwhile, conflict continues to displace people in the Kordofan region. The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 3,000 people were displaced between 15 and 19 January from the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan State, with some moving towards locations in White Nile State.

Both cities remain under siege amid ongoing fighting, as extreme food insecurity deepens, with famine conditions confirmed in Kadugli and similarly extreme levels of food insecurity in Dilling.

OCHA calls on all parties to immediately protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access to people in need.

In White Nile State, local authorities and humanitarian partners report that nearly 2,000 people have arrived in the city of Kosti over the past three weeks, placing more pressure on already overstretched services. Since late October, some 19,500 people have fled Kordofan to White Nile State.

The UN and its partners are scaling up assistance, including food rations, tents, mattresses, tarpaulins, and water, sanitation and hygiene services, but critical gaps remain due to funding shortages.

OCHA appeals for additional funding so humanitarian partners can scale up life-saving assistance. In 2026, the UN and its partners in Sudan are calling for $2.9 billion under the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to reach more than 20 million people in need.

#Mozambique

600,000 people now affected by floods

OCHA reports that the number of people affected by the floods has climbed to 600,000.

More than 60,000 of these people are sheltering in temporary centers. Many of these sites are overcrowded and need of humanitarian support.

 OCHA says that Mozambique’s vulnerability to flooding is compounded by the fact that some 90 per cent of homes are built in adobe, which is brick made out of dried mud and is particularly susceptible to collapse after prolonged rains. According to authorities, nearly 80,000 homes have been destroyed, damaged or flooded.

 Meanwhile, in the province of Gaza, one of the worst affected areas, the Massingir Dam remains above its safe operating level and continues to release very high volumes of water to reduce pressure on the structure. This is contributing to elevated river levels and ongoing downstream flooding, including in areas already affected.

 The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the Government-led response efforts, which are focused on evacuations and also on improving accommodations centers. Humanitarian partners are providing water, sanitation and hygiene support, among other aid.