Today’s top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Haiti, Ukraine, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Occupied Palestinian Territory

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East  (UNRWA), said today that after four months of a brutal war in Gaza, the toll on children is tragic and their future is at stake.

He said that more than half a million girls and boys are out of primary and secondary school in Gaza. Every day of war deepens the scars, risking a lost generation vulnerable to exploitation.  Children are being robbed of childhood.

This needs to be reversed, he said, starting with a humanitarian ceasefire.

And Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that with the Gaza hostilities entering their fifth month, hope is dwindling for the millions of people affected and the humanitarians striving to assist them.

He said that more than half of Gaza’s population is now crammed in Rafah, a town of originally 250,000 people right on Egypt’s doorstep. Their living conditions are abysmal — they lack the basic necessities to survive, stalked by hunger, disease and death. He said he is increasingly concerned about their safety as the war encroaches further into Gaza.

The unprecedented density of Rafah’s population makes it nearly impossible to protect civilians in the event of ground attacks.

OCHA says the congestion in Rafah has reached a point where normal routes are blocked by tents set up by families seeking any flat, clean space available. In the last three months, the city has produced the equivalent of a year’s worth of garbage, according to municipal authorities.

OCHA says the scarcity of food, clean water, health services and sanitation facilities have led to preventable diseases and deaths.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jamie McGoldrick, says that fuel, generators and spare parts are urgently needed to improve people’s access to clean water, noting that the southern Gaza desalination plant is only working at up to 15 per cent of its capacity.

Our humanitarian partners estimate that about 100,000 families in Gaza need shelter support, including tents for winter weather and other supplies. Since 7 October, they have distributed some 40,000 tents, primarily in the areas of Rafah, Khan Younis and the Middle area. An additional 28,000 tents are in the pipeline, according to our humanitarian colleagues.

Just last week, they also distributed about 3,000 bedding items and 5,000 dignity kits in Khan Younis and the Middle Area, as well as 1,500 bedding items in north Gaza to those who are not residing in UNRWA shelters or with host families.

Haiti

OCHA is deeply concerned about the impact of escalating unrest in the capital Port-au-Prince and other major cities. 

According to the UN Human Rights Office, more than 1,100 people have been killed or injured since January this year, the deadliest month in the last two years.

In recent days, outbreaks of deadly violence amid demonstrations have caused major disruptions to humanitarian operations – affecting our plans to reach civilians in need, especially those at displacement sites. There are more than 313,000 people displaced around the country.

Road blockages and movement restrictions are also impacting health care workers and compromising people’s ability to access basic social services.

In the south of Haiti, the distribution of life-saving aid has been affected by difficulties accessing roads and ports. One humanitarian organization in the Department of Sud was also looted, which will have a major impact on its operations in the coming days.

More than 1,000 schools across the country, including in Port-au-Prince and other urban areas, have also been temporarily closed since mid-January due to ongoing demonstrations. 

The violence has also pushed up the price of food items by almost 25 per cent. 

Ukraine

Hostilities in the east and south of the country continue to damage civilian infrastructure.

According to national authorities, more than 120 houses and civilian infrastructure facilities, including education institutions and a health facility, were damaged between today and yesterday.   

Since February 2022, the World Health Organization has documented 1,555 attacks on health services, impacting healthcare providers, supplies, facilities, warehouses and transport, including ambulances. These attacks also killed 112 civilians, including healthcare workers and patients, and injured many more.

Schools have also been affected, with more than 3,800 schools reportedly damaged or destroyed across the country during the same period. That’s according to the Government. 

Our humanitarian colleagues warn that these attacks are also disrupting access to critical health services and education, often in areas heavily affected by the war, where people are already vulnerable, including older persons, children and people with disabilities who rely on assistance.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

OCHA is concerned about escalating violence in the Masisi territory in North Kivu province, which is in the east of the country.

Heavy clashes in the town of Sake on 7 February led to the deaths of at least seven people and the displacement of some 17,000 people to Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. That’s according to our humanitarian partners.

In recent months, the fighting has pushed many people from their homes towards Goma, putting additional constraints on humanitarian resources and the city’s ability to accommodate new arrivals with shelter and basic services. Goma is already hosting 500,000 displaced people. Although some have started returning to their homes, the volatile security situation means there is a risk of further displacement.

South Kivu is also impacted by the current crisis in Masisi territory. Since 2 February and according to humanitarian workers on the ground, some 100,000 people fled the region to seek refuge in Minova and Bunyakiri, both in South Kivu.

Despite the security situation and challenges, humanitarian workers are providing aid, including clean water, healthcare, and basic necessities, to displaced people in North Kivu and South Kivu.