Today’s top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, Sudan, Chad

#Occupied Palestinian Territory

Child death toll mounts in Gaza

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that civilians in the Gaza Strip continue to face intense military strikes, shelling, gunfire and naval fire, among other threats to their safety.

Today, UNICEF said that at least 300 children have reportedly been killed in Gaza in the past 300 days – amounting to an average of one child every day. Hundreds more children have reportedly been injured during the same period.

As children continue to live under difficult conditions – including overcrowded shelters and limited access to safe water and health services – the UN and humanitarian partners are doing what they can to scale up assistance.

Last week, partners supporting child protection services distributed more than 800 hygiene kits, along with water containers and detergent, to 50 displaced families, including children and caregivers. They also provided 300 child identification cards and 500 notebooks for children.

Last month, partners provided more than 500 children with disabilities with cash assistance, assistive devices, walkers, diapers, medical mattresses and rehabilitation services.

As part of efforts to address gender-based violence, partners reported the opening last week of a new safe space in North Gaza governorate. This facility offers women and girls a confidential space where they can seek support and share experiences. Across Gaza, some 8,400 women and girls take part in activities at 85 safe spaces every week. Humanitarian organizations stress that to open more safe spaces and reach more people, they need additional funding and safe access to all areas.

Settler violence, Israeli operations drive displacement

OCHA warns that settler attacks and operations by Israeli forces continue to affect Palestinians’ homes and livelihoods in the West Bank.

Last night, a group of Israeli settlers reportedly set fire to homes in the Palestinian community of Tuba, in the Masafer Yatta area of Hebron. Three families – including 14 children – were displaced and sought safety with relatives and neighbours. Several people were injured, including two children, and a solar power system and 10 tons of animal fodder were destroyed, along with other property.

Since the beginning of the year and as of the end of July, OCHA has documented more than 1,380 incidents involving Israeli settlers that resulted in casualties, property damage or both – averaging about 6.6 per day across 250 Palestinian communities. During the same period, more than 2,300 Palestinians were displaced due to settler attacks and related access restrictions. 

OCHA reiterates that Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territory must be protected, and perpetrators must be held accountable.

Meanwhile, in the Jerusalem governorate, thousands of Palestinians in Qalandia Camp remain under closure for the second straight day, after Israeli forces launched a major operation there. Humanitarian partners are unable to access the area safely, raising concerns over people’s safety and their ability to access emergency care, services and their workplaces.

#Lebanon

Humanitarian response continues amid new displacement, returns

Following yesterday’s Israeli displacement order for Mansouri in the South Governorate in Lebanon, some 30 families have been displaced to the city of Tyre, also in the South Governorate, according to local authorities.

All of these families are either now in collective shelters or staying with relatives, and humanitarian partners have mobilised immediate aid for them all.

Overnight, airstrikes in the municipality of Burj al-Shemali, near Tyre, reportedly left eight people injured, while another strike in the municipality of Tibnine in the Nabatieh Governorate killed one person and injured 12 others, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.

Humanitarian organizations also report that humanitarian needs remain high among displaced families returning to conflict-affected areas in the district of West Bekaa. Nearly 90 per cent of displaced households have returned to their villages, but most say that their homes or businesses were damaged during the conflict. Communities are also grappling with damaged schools and water infrastructure, disrupted livelihoods and growing safety concerns.

OCHA reiterates that humanitarian needs do not end when people return to their homes. Continued humanitarian assistance and early recovery support remain critical to help displaced families, returnees and host communities rebuild their lives and recover.

#Sudan

Aid expands as needs surge

OCHA reports that the UN and humanitarian partners continue to respond to growing needs as conflict, displacement and seasonal rains affect communities across Sudan.

In North Kordofan State, continued fighting is driving displacement towards the state capital El Obeid, as well as Khartoum. Humanitarian partners report that between 60 and 150 displaced families are arriving in El Obeid each day.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 107,000 displaced people are now living in the locality of Sheikan, including over 83,000 in El Obeid town, putting more pressure on humanitarian services.

Despite ongoing challenges – including underfunding and insecurity – aid operations continue to expand in the Kordofan region and beyond, following recent food distributions in North Kordofan, where nearly 73,000 displaced people in El Obeid received assistance.

In South Kordofan State, the World Food Programme (WFP) recently provided July food rations to nearly 44,000 people in the towns of Kadugli and Dilling. Food convoys also delivered additional supplies to Abassiya, Rashad and Abu Jubayhah localities. 

Meanwhile, in South and East Darfur states, UNICEF, WFP and the World Health Organization have dispatched nutrition supplies to support the treatment of more than 10,000 children with severe acute malnutrition. The pre-positioning of these supplies aims to ensure continued treatment, with the rainy season expected to make humanitarian access more difficult.

The UN and partners are also supporting families affected by recent flooding in White Nile and West Kordofan states. In White Nile, nearly 1,000 families were affected by flooding at the Khor Ajwal displacement site. In West Kordofan, flash floods have damaged 250 homes in Abu Zabad locality, as well as water and sanitation facilities in Al Udia locality, raising concerns about an increased risk of cholera.

OCHA continues to call on donors to provide additional funding. This year’s humanitarian appeal for Sudan is about 41 per cent funded, with $1.2 billion received against the $2.9 billion required.

#Chad

UN emergency funds to boost aid for uprooted families

Yesterday, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, allocated $3 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to urgently help people displaced by violence in Chad’s western Lac province.

The new funds will support thousands of displaced people with healthcare, nutrition and other essential services.

Since May, armed clashed have forced 60,000 people, mostly women and children, to flee across the departments of Fouli and Kaya. Many families arrived at displacement sites which have little or no health, nutrition and protection services.