The new developments — no surprise — are worsening an already horrific humanitarian situation for civilians in Syria. The International Organization for Migration sent 10 trucks of critical winter supplies from Gaziantep to the country’s north-west, adding to relief items it had already prepositioned for distribution.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
In South Sudan, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there reports that the country has launched its first national task force to combat gender-based and conflict related sexual violence, with the support of the Organization.
In Lebanon, the UN is focusing on the needs of displaced people who have begun returning home, those still displaced, host communities and those who never left impacted areas. The International Organization for Migration reports that in the first 24 hours of the ceasefire, nearly 580,000 people have begun returning home.
In Myanmar, where the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate, a record 3.4 million people are now internally displaced, according to UN figures. The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which calls for nearly $1 billion, is only one-third funded. The UN appeals to Member States to urgently contribute funds.
In Haiti, as the security situation deteriorates, essential UN personnel from agencies and its political mission remain in Port-au-Prince, ensuring continued delivery of critical humanitarian programmes and assistance and political support to assist Haitian-led efforts to successfully carry out the political transition.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, heavy rainfall caused flooding in multiple sites in Khan Younis and Gaza City where displaced families are staying. People’s tents and other belongings were damaged by the rains. The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have been carrying out field visits to assess the impact of the latest rains.
The World Food Programme (WFP) today urgently appealed for $16.9 billion to address global food needs and the alarming gap between needs and resources. WFP’s Global Outlook 2025 shows that 343 million human beings across 74 countries are acutely food insecure, 10 per cent more than in 2023.
In Sudan, the World Food Programme (WFP) reports that since the war began 19 months ago there, the first domestic UN flight travelled today from Port Sudan to Kassala. The WFP-managed flights will now offer regular flights to transport aid workers and light humanitarian cargo from Port Sudan to Kassala once a week.
In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that bakeries serving as lifelines for hundreds of thousands of hungry or starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are on the verge of shutting down due to lack of flour and fuel. This comes at a time when parts of Gaza are at risk of famine.
Tropical Storm Sara has brought heavy rains and strong winds to Central America, impacting nearly 180,000 people. The teams in the region, under the leadership of Resident Coordinators, are supporting Government-led efforts on the ground in the areas of coordination, technical assistance and monitoring.