Today's top news: Syria, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine

#Syria

UN relief chief concerned by deadly violence in Syria

OCHA is alarmed by the escalation of violence in Syria, which is severely affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Yesterday, in a social media post, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, raised concerns with the worrying reports of people being killed, displaced and left without access to basic aid.

Earlier the weekend, on 8 March, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, urged all parties to protect people and infrastructure and to allow safe, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

As of yesterday, hundreds of people – including women, children, and some medical personnel – had reportedly been killed. Thousands have reportedly been displaced in the area, and thousands have crossed into Lebanon.

Civilian infrastructure has been severely impacted, including six referral hospitals and several ambulances. Other medical facilities in the area urgently need medical supplies and support.

Power outages in Latakia Governorate have disrupted water pumping. Schools in Latakia and Tartous were suspended yesterday and today.

The Homs-Latakia highway remains blocked, further limiting humanitarian access. Humanitarian operations in the area remain severely disrupted, with insecurity halting all movements to and within coastal areas.

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

Aid into Gaza suspended for ninth day

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, noted today that the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza has been halted for nine consecutive days.

In a statement, Hadi stressed that the entry of life-saving aid must resume immediately. “Any further delays will further reverse any progress we have managed to achieve during the ceasefire,” he said.

OCHA notes that all crossings into Gaza have been closed for the entry of cargo for nine consecutive days now. OCHA reports that the Kerem Shalom crossing also remains closed for the collection of cargo severely affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance across the Gaza Strip.

The UN and its partners warn that fuel shortages are affecting aid operations and are currently examining how to prioritize the remaining stock.

Last week in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, six bakeries shut down due to the lack of cooking gas. As of yesterday, 19 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme are still operating – and trying to maximize their capacity to bridge the gaps. 

Despite limited resources, partners continue to provide health services in Gaza. Last month, the UN and its partners working on reproductive health expanded maternity services and scaled up the distribution of medical supplies to support 5,000 births over the next three months. Additionally, thousands of post-partum kits were distributed to mothers and newborns in shelters and hospitals across Gaza, as well as winter supplies and clothing to 12,000 women and girls.

Despite these successes, health partners report that more than half a million women of reproductive age lack access to family planning and reproductive healthcare.

Over the past week, partners working to support education in Gaza have opened additional schools. Thousands of children can now access learning in North Gaza, Gaza city, Deir al Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah.

However, partners tell us that about one-third of children in Gaza remain cut off from any type of formal, informal or distance learning activities.

In the West Bank, OCHA says that the operations by Israeli forces in the north continue to be reported.

The UN Population Fund warns that the operation is crippling access to healthcare, especially for 73,000 pregnant women. In Jenin and Tulkarm, partners have set up a dedicated clinic to provide sexual and reproductive health services.

Meanwhile, OCHA reports that Israeli settlers continue to attack Palestinian communities across the West Bank.

In Nablus, over the weekend, Israeli settlers cut down hundreds of olive trees and vandalized a water well, affecting the livelihoods of seven Palestinian families.

Since January 2023, more than 2,000 Palestinians – half of them children – have been displaced across the West Bank due to heightened settler violence and access restrictions.

#Sudan

Funding cuts jeopardize life-saving response in Sudan

The Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, today expressed her deep concern over sweeping funding reductions and suspensions announced by top government donors recently. These cuts come at the worst possible moment for Sudan: Famine is spreading, and over half the population is going hungry.

For decades, humanitarian donors have been a lifeline for Sudan. Last year alone, they contributed US$1.8 billion through the country’s humanitarian response plan, funding essential assistance for at least 15.6 million people. This year, the needs are even greater: $4.2 billion is required to provide humanitarian aid in Sudan, yet just over 6 per cent of the funding needed to provide life-saving support to nearly 21 million people been received so far.

Nkweta-Salami urged major government donors to reconsider their decisions to reduce funding for life-saving programmes and urged others to urgently step up to help fill the gaps left by these devastating cuts.

After nearly 23 months of conflict, the situation on the ground in Sudan continues to worsen. OCHA remains concerned about continued violence in North Darfur State. Last week, rising insecurity forced more than 23,000 people to flee their villages in Dar As Salam locality, which is more than 60 kilometres south of the state capital El Fasher.

Meanwhile, disease outbreaks are deepening the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. In White Nile State, a cholera outbreak in Kosti locality has infected more than 2,700 people, claiming 94 lives between 20 February and 5 March. The outbreak is linked to people drawing water from contaminated sources, particularly the White Nile River, after electricity outages disrupted the town’s water supply last month. UNICEF warns that 292,000 children in Kosti are at risk.

Meanwhile, in Kassala State, in eastern Sudan, a hepatitis outbreak is spreading among displaced communities sheltering in overcrowded gathering sites. The outbreak is attributed to poor sanitation, lack of hygiene and limited health awareness, putting already vulnerable people at further risk.

#Democratic Republic of the Congo

Attacks kill, displace civilians in eastern DRC

OCHA warns that continued clashes and violence in parts of the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are having devastating effects on civilians.

According to local humanitarian partners, shelling struck a hospital in South Kivu yesterday, killing five healthcare providers and four patients, including one child. The attack occurred in Walungu Territory, about 50 kilometers southwest of the provincial capital, Bukavu.

Meanwhile, in North Kivu, dozens of civilians, including many children, were killed in Masisi over the weekend after armed men attacked a village there between 4 and 5 March, according to local civil society groups.

Humanitarian partners report that clashes continued over the weekend elsewhere in Masisi, killing at least one more civilian and forcing thousands to flee.

Violence in North Kivu is also severely hampering access to 100,000 displaced people in neighboring Walikale territory who have fled their homes since January 2025.

The UN is deeply concerned about the continued impact of violence on civilians in the eastern DRC and reminds all parties of their obligation to uphold international humanitarian law. This includes taking all feasible precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

#Ukraine

Hostilities cause widespread casualties, infrastructure damage in Ukraine

OCHA reports that hostilities across Ukraine over the past four days have caused more than 200 casualties and have further damaged energy, gas, health and education facilities, according to authorities and aid workers on the ground.

A particularly deadly attack in the Donetsk Region on Friday killed nearly a dozen civilians in the city of Dobropillia and injured 47 others, including several children. Authorities say homes were also destroyed. Among the casualties was a rescuer killed by a strike while providing assistance.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned the attack. A humanitarian worker from a national NGO was severely injured and is currently receiving treatment.

Across Ukraine over the weekend, strikes targeted energy, gas and heating infrastructure, temporarily leaving 130,000 families in the Odesa Region without power. In the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia Regions, heating and gas services were also disrupted.

In the wake of these attacks, humanitarian teams swiftly mobilized emergency assistance, distributing emergency shelter kits, blankets, hygiene supplies and other essential items to affected families. Hot meals, emergency shelter materials, medicines, medical checkups, child protection services, and psychosocial and legal support were also provided.