Today's top news: Syria, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Haiti, CERF pledging event

#Syria

OCHA says that the humanitarian situation remains volatile across Syria, with reports of people continuing to be displaced.

There are also reports of returns by people who had fled hostilities in the past two weeks, including in the north-west, where the situation is relatively calm. All 11 reception centers that had been opened in Idleb to host newly displaced families were empty as of yesterday.

In north-east Syria, humanitarian partners say people are continuing to arrive. As of today, authorities report that 100,000 people have been displaced due to fighting in Tal Rifaat and other parts of Aleppo governorate. Partners tell us that reception centers in Tabqa and Raqqa have reached full capacity, and more than 200 sites – including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, and stadiums – are being used to accommodate newly displaced people.

The UN continues to receive reports of the looting of aid warehouses, including those of UN agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, in a number of areas, including around Damascus. Agencies and partners are working to identify the extent of the impact on supplies.

Despite the challenges and volatile environment, the UN and partners are continuing activities as the security situation permits.

The cross-border operation from Türkiye is continuing without impediment. Today, OCHA says that 25 trucks carrying UN aid crossed to north-west Syria. Nine trucks carrying more than 200 tons of food crossed through the Bab Al-Salam, while 16 UN trucks crossed through Bab Al-Hawa.

On the health front, partners report that hospitals across the country continue to be overwhelmed by a high number of trauma and other injury cases. They also report significant psychological distress among civilians, with signs of trauma particularly pronounced in children.

Partners have deployed 16 mobile medical team to support the response in underserved areas and displacement camps. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization are distributing health, surgical and trauma kits to support hospitals.

Meanwhile, food prices in markets across the country are increasing sharply. In the past two weeks, more than 20 partners have delivered food to more than 590,000 people in north-west Syria.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners have also provided meals to more than 40,000 people in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Lattakia, Deir El Zor, Raqqa and Hasaka.

For its part, the UN Refugee Agency in collaboration with its partners, is distributing cash assistance for winter support to more than 6,000 households in Idleb and northern Aleppo and transporting 1,500 core relief item kits to Idleb. 

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

In Gaza governorate, humanitarian partners report that on 6 and 8 December, additional fuel was delivered to bakeries, allowing all four bakeries to resume full capacity. Bread distributions to shelters and community kitchens – along with cooked meals – have also restarted.

However, in North Gaza and Rafah governorates, seven bakeries remain shut down due to ongoing hostilities. In Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, all eight bakeries are closed due to flour shortages and safety concerns caused by overcrowding.

Partners in the southern and central parts of the Strip are prioritizing the distribution of flour to households, providing each family with a 25 kg bag of wheat flour as stocks become available.

Partners working to fight hunger in Gaza say that on 1 December in Deir al Balah, the price of one 25 kg bag of flour spiked to the equivalent of at least US$280, amid severe supply shortages. In Khan Younis, it cost the equivalent of $245. 

The immediate entry of more food supplies into Gaza is crucial to address the deepening hunger crisis across the Strip.

Meanwhile, OCHA reports that severe access challenges continue to prevent partners from being able to screen regularly enough to detect malnutrition cases that require treatment. So far in the fourth quarter of 2024, they have completed just over 151,000 such screenings – out of 346,000 children under five in Gaza. Since July, the number of children admitted for treatment has increased to more than 4,000 per month.

In November, the UN and partners distributed different types of supplementary feeding for children, despite delays during the first half of the month due to logistical challenges. In total, they reached 146,000 children under 5 in Rafah, Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and Gaza governorates. 

#Lebanon

The UN and partners continue to support the response in Lebanon.

Today, the UN and partners delivered aid in South Lebanon and Nabatieh governorates, including food and water.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, was today in Dahieh in Beirut’s southern suburb, as part of the ongoing efforts to assess the humanitarian situation and needs across Lebanon. He met with municipal leaders and local stakeholders to discuss recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts, emphasizing the role of the Lebanese government and the support from the UN and the humanitarian community.

#Haiti

OCHA says that the activities of armed groups in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, continue to disrupt people’s lives, especially the most vulnerable.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that, from 6 to 8 December, more than 4,500 people have become newly displaced due to ongoing insecurity. This is in addition to the more than 700,000 people already uprooted from their homes. 

Despite these challenges, the UN and partners continue to respond.

During the first week of December, WFP distributed more than 100,000 hot meals to some 24,000 people across four displacement sites in the capital.

In the past few days, IOM delivered more than 156 cubic meters of safe water to some 14,000 displaced people at 6 sites.

IOM also reports that medical and mental health and psychosocial support services were made available to more than 12,000 displaced people.

Meanwhile, the Isaie Jeanty maternity ward in Cité Soleil in Port-au-Prince was able to reopen after being closed for nine months due to insecurity. UNFPA is providing support, including medicines and medical equipment.

#CERF pledging event

At today’s annual pledging event for the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), 44 donors announced contributions of some US$349 million for CERF in 2025, with others expecting to make contributions in the coming months. 

In a video message, the Secretary-General said CERF has proven its unique, effective and vital role year after year. However, as humanitarian needs soar, contributions are failing to keep pace. The Secretary-General stressed that more support is needed to build on CERF’s record of results.

For his part, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, thanked all those who have supported CERF this year and over the years, and he echoed the Secretary-General’s call for others to step forward.

“Your support to provide fast, flexible humanitarian action is absolutely indispensable as we respond to this global humanitarian crisis,” he said, noting that CERF is a “fund for all, by all.”