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

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

UN, partners mobilize support for survivors of Gaza building collapse

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, said in a statement that he was devastated by reports of people trapped under the rubble following the collapse of a war-damaged residential building in Gaza city before dawn today.

Search and rescue efforts were led by the Civil Defence and supported by Egypt and teams from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which quickly mobilized excavators, wheel loaders and dump trucks to the site.

The Civil Defence reported that its teams had retrieved 21 bodies and rescued dozens of people with injuries. Dozens more had been helped out of the area overnight shortly before the collapse, when the building started cracking. Local health authorities say that among those killed are 12 children.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and its partners visited the site today to assess the situation and mobilize a rapid response to support survivors. The UN and its partners have joined forces with local responders, international organizations and bilateral donors – namely the United Arab Emirates and Qatar – by providing shelter, healthcare, and other critical items and services. UNICEF and its partners are providing psychological first aid to children and their families, as well as ensuring that local healthcare providers have the medicines and medical supplies they need to better support those injured.

Across Gaza, people are living in unsafe structures that have been damaged by hostilities, for lack of better options. People in tented displacement sites face poor conditions, including overcrowding and lack of privacy. Ahead of the rains during winter, the humanitarian community is supporting those who choose to relocate from such buildings, as well as from flood-prone areas.

However, funding shortfalls and Israeli restrictions on the import of a wide range of critical items are slowing down efforts to provide life-saving assistance.*

In his statement, Dr. Alakbarov called for the urgent approval of the entry into Gaza of heavy machinery, specialized equipment, engine oil and fuel. He also stressed that tents, tarpaulins and other non-food items must reach the most vulnerable communities in the coming weeks.

In a social media post, UNDP called for sustained access to construction materials and transitional shelters to address unsafe buildings, manage debris, and provide safer alternatives for families. The agency said that 330,000 families in Gaza need dignified shelter, calling for swift action “before the next emergency.”

*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory with urgent support.

#Democratic Republic of the Congo

Deadly violence displaces civilians, complicates Ebola response

OCHA says that ongoing violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to drive displacement and complicate efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak.

In the province of Ituri, local sources indicate that at least 60 civilians have been killed in attacks in Mambasa Territory since the start of the month, triggering fresh displacement.

In the neighbouring province of South Kivu, humanitarian partners report that clashes in Fizi Territory have displaced more than 40,000 people since July. In North Kivu, active fighting in parts of the province continues to force families to flee their homes.

These developments are unfolding in areas affected by Ebola, where insecurity and population movements continue to hamper surveillance and response efforts. As of 14 September, national health authorities had reported more than 7,300 confirmed cases and over 3,500 deaths.

Despite these challenges, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to scale up their response. In North Kivu province, where Ebola cases continue to rise, three additional treatment facilities are under construction, while screening and control points are being expanded to support early detection.

UNICEF is also supporting the Ministry of Education in providing infection prevention and control supplies to 190 schools in outbreak hotspots in North Kivu. The World Food Programme continues to provide nutritional support to Ebola patients, caregivers and frontline health workers.

OCHA again calls on all parties to protect civilians and ensure safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access. Maintaining access to communities in need is essential to delivering life-saving assistance, supporting public health interventions, and bringing the outbreak under control.

#Sudan

Drone attacks imperil civilians, critical infrastructure

OCHA warns that drone attacks and other hostilities continue to take a heavy toll on civilians and critical infrastructure across Sudan.

In South Kordofan State, local sources report that 13 civilians were killed and several others injured when a drone struck a commercial truck in Al-Kewaik village along the road between the state capital Kadugli and the town of Dilling last Friday.

Critical infrastructure also continues to come under attack. Yesterday, drones were reportedly intercepted near the Siteet and El Girba dam power stations in Gedaref and Kassala states, before causing any damage.

The latest incidents come just days after six civilians were reportedly killed when multiple drone strikes hit petrol stations in Ed Damazine, the capital of Blue Nile State. The strikes have also caused severe fuel shortages in the city.

Despite the ongoing insecurity, as well as funding challenges, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to provide critical assistance to people in need across Sudan.

To support newly displaced families, the International Organization for Migration recently distributed 2,000 hygiene kits to displaced people in North Kordofan and White Nile states. The assistance was supported by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which is managed by OCHA.

Once again, OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to allow aid to reach people quickly, safely and without obstruction, for as long as needed.

OCHA also urges donors to provide additional funding for the humanitarian response. This year’s humanitarian appeal for Sudan is 42 per cent funded, with US$1.2 billion received against the $2.9 billion required.