Today's top news: Sudan, Iran, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Central African Republic

#Sudan

After three years of war, Sudan now an “atrocities laboratory," UN aid chief warns

Today marks three years since the war in Sudan began - a tragic milestone in what has become the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Addressing the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan in Berlin today, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, described the country as “an atrocities laboratory,” citing sieges, the denial of food, the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and the targeting of schools and hospitals.

He noted that drone strikes have killed 700 people so far this year, while more than 130 humanitarian workers have been killed over the past three years. “This isn’t just a situation grinding on – it’s getting worse,” he noted.

Fletcher reiterated his appeals for increased funding, the elimination of red tape, and the halt to the flow of advanced weaponry.

For her part, the Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, stressed that civilians continue to pay the highest price.

Brown emphasized that one message is constant across the country: people are calling for peace. They want the violence to stop and to return home.

She once again called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in line with international humanitarian law. The parties to the conflict are obliged under international humanitarian law to facilitate safe, rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access. And the response within Sudan and in neighbouring countries must be urgently and fully funded, as delays continue to cost lives.

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

#Iran

UN relief wing releases emergency funding for life-saving aid

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, allocated $12 million yesterday from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the humanitarian response in Iran.

According to authorities, between 28 February and 8 April, large-scale airstrikes across the country caused more than 2,360 civilian deaths – including 257 women and 220 children – and tens of thousands of injuries, severely stretching trauma care, burn management and primary health services. The strikes also damaged homes, schools, health facilities, care homes, humanitarian warehouses, and water, energy, transport systems, and other critical infrastructure nationwide, including cutting off people’s access to essential services.

Needs are most acute in municipalities that experienced the heaviest bombardment and are also hosting displaced people from nearby areas.

Although the ceasefire has eased insecurity, widespread destruction, rubble, and explosive or toxic remnants of war continue to prevent people from accessing basic services and hinder rescue and response efforts. The crisis spans a broad geographic area, with particularly severe consequences in densely populated regions.

The CERF funding will support life-saving activities in health, water, sanitation and hygiene, and food security. Where possible, response activities will be implemented through our local partners, aligned with large-scale efforts led by the Government.

#Lebanon

Civilians caught in conflict as strikes continue

OCHA reports that a growing number of casualties and continued hostilities continue to drive humanitarian needs higher across Lebanon.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, more than 2,100 people have been killed and over 6,900 injured since 2 March and more than 1.2 million people have been displaced by the crisis.

Across southern and eastern Lebanon, dozens of locations are being hit daily by strikes. Reports indicate that at least 35 villages in the south were struck yesterday, with extensive damage to residential areas.

OCHA says it is particularly concerned by the situation in the district of Bint Jbeil in Nabatieh governorate, with reports of armed clashes since Monday further restricting the movement of civilians, limiting their access to essential services and humanitarian aid.

The UN Refugee Agency and others have reached more than 90,000 displaced people across 448 collective shelters and within host communities with psychosocial support and other protection services. They are focusing on people most at risk, including families experiencing repeated displacement, children, people with disabilities.

As the situation continues to deteriorate, the UN continues to call for immediate de-escalation, full respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians; sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access; and more funding.

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

Mechanical failures threaten essential services

In Gaza, The UN and humanitarian partners continue to deliver assistance, despite ongoing impediments.

Yesterday, UNRWA said that they were forced to reduce the operating hours of the electrical generators in their facilities in the first week of April, as they were approaching critical levels of mechanical failure. These facilities provide a range of services to vulnerable people. The UN and its humanitarian partners need additional approvals to bring in much-needed spare parts and lubricants into Gaza to avoid further disruptions. 

Meanwhile, partners continue to deliver preventive and therapeutic nutrition services to girls and boys. Last month, they screened over 72,000 children and identified about 2,700 with acute malnutrition - and provided thousands with ready-to-use therapeutic food. 

In the first week of this month, partners working on child protection organised counselling and recreational activities for about 4,700 children. These activities help girls and boys cope with ongoing displacement and dire humanitarian conditions.  

#Central African Republic

Funding shortfall imperils aid

OCHA reports that severe funding constraints are impeding aid organisations’ ability to reach people in need in the Central African Republic (CAR).

Only 18 per cent of this year’s $264 million Humanitarian Response Plan is funded, putting critical, life-saving operations at risk across the country.

To date, 60 humanitarian organizations have reduced their footprint across the country, including in areas with the highest levels of humanitarian needs.

Food security has been heavily impacted. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), food and cash-based assistance for Sudanese refugees and displaced Central Africans could be suspended as early as August of this year.

Since April of 2023, more than 35,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to the CAR, with Sudanese nationals now accounting for 70 per cent of refugees in the country. In parts of the northern region of Vakaga, the arrival of Sudanese refugees has effectively doubled the population, straining already scarce local resources.

WFP provides food or cash assistance to more than 22,000 Sudanese refugees every month in the Vakaga region.

Aid organizations aim to reach 1.3 million people this year, but OCHA warns that without immediate and continued support, many of them could be left without assistance.