Today's top news: Sudan, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Hurricane Melissa
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Sudan
UN Relief Chief speaks out against 'crisis of apathy'
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, told the Security Council today that the situation in Sudan's El Fasher, has descended into an even darker hell, with credible reports of widespread executions after Rapid Support Forces fighters entered the city.
Fletcher said the Sudan crisis is, at its core, a failure of protection, and our responsibility to uphold international law. Sexual violence against women and girls is systematic. Deadly attacks against humanitarian workers are normalised. Atrocities are committed with unashamed expectation of impunity, driven by complete disregard of the most fundamental obligations of international humanitarian law.
He stressed that what is unfolding in El Fasher recalls the horrors that Darfur was subjected to twenty years ago. But somehow today we are seeing a very different global reaction - one of resignation. So, this is also a crisis of apathy.
"Can anyone here say that we did not know this was coming?" asked Mr. Fletcher.
"We once pledged to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and international law can be maintained. Can we now place those pledges on the roads into El Fasher. As an apology. As a rebuke. As a challenge, and as a promise."
From Sudan, OCHA continues to be alarmed by mounting reports of atrocities against civilians and a deepening humanitarian crisis in El Fasher.
Local sources report widespread killings, abductions, maiming and sexual violence, alongside the detention and killing of aid workers. Thousands of civilians remain trapped inside El Fasher, while many others are stranded at Garni, about 20 kilometres away, unable to flee due to insecurity and lack of transport. Those still inside the city face life-threatening shortages of food, water and medical care.
Civilians who have managed to escape are sheltering in the open in the localities of Kebkabiya, Melit and Tawila, where families lack basic necessities.
Conditions in Tawila are particularly dire. Safe water meets less than half of daily needs, markets have collapsed, and supplies of food, fuel and medicines are nearly exhausted. Diseases are spreading. A UN-led assessment screened 715 children and found nearly 60 per cent of them to be acutely malnourished.
The UN and its partners are scaling up response efforts despite enormous security and access challenges.
In Tawila, mobile health clinics are providing urgent medical and nutrition services for people who have newly arrived there.
Also in Tawila, humanitarian partners have established health and nutrition sites, distributed reproductive health and cholera kits, and pre-positioned more than 8,000 cartons of therapeutic food, with another 6,000 en route.
More than 30 nutrition sites remain operational, while community kitchens, cash distributions and temporary shelters continue to support newly displaced families. Psychosocial activities for children affected by trauma will begin this week.
The UN and partners are also sustaining water, sanitation and hygiene operations across Tawila, Melit and surrounding areas, trucking safe water, installing latrines, distributing hygiene kits and conducting cholera prevention campaigns.
OCHA warns that explosive ordnance contamination continues to endanger civilians and humanitarian workers in and around El Fasher, limiting safe movement and delaying assistance. Sustained access for mine action teams and equipment is urgently needed to survey and clear hazardous areas.
OCHA reiterates its call for all parties to immediately halt hostilities, protect civilians and aid workers, and ensure sustained, unhindered humanitarian access.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Gaza: humanitarian scale-up continues, despite restrictions
OCHA says the scale-up of humanitarian operations in Gaza continues under the ceasefire, but remains constrained by ongoing restrictions and other impediments.
Yesterday, the UN and its partners collected close to 240 pallets of tarps, winter clothes and hygiene kits from the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, bringing them closer to people in need inside Gaza. They also picked up more than 170 pallets of menstrual hygiene kits. Other teams collected over 220,000 litres of diesel to power critical services. Food supplies were also collected.
But OCHA says that for the third day in a row, these collections had to be limited because of the rerouting ordered by the Israeli authorities. Convoys are now forced to go through the Philadelphi corridor - along the border with Egypt - and then up the narrow Coastal Road. This road is narrow, damaged, and heavily congested. Movement remained slower, even after World Food Programme (WFP) repaired the road. Additional crossings and internal routes are needed to expand collections and response.
WFP says its distribution channels in Gaza are back up and running. Over half a million people have received food assistance through 43 general food distribution points. That is a major increase - though it still covers only about 35 per cent of the monthly target of 1.6 million people. In a social media post, WFP said that family food boxes are a lifeline and restoring access to essential food is essential.
Today, UNRWA said it reopened one of its medical points in Gaza city, where it is providing essential care to families. In a social media post, the agency said its health teams have now provided over 15 million consultations since October 2023 - helping keep care, hope and dignity within reach.
Yesterday, the UN Office for Project Services distributed nearly 210,000 litres of fuel across southern and northern Gaza - helping keep critical operations running in support of water, sanitation, health, food, rubble removal, essential telecommunications, education, protection and humanitarian logistics.
Turning to the West Bank,today, Ramiz Alakbarov, the Deputy Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, led a field visit to the Ramallah area, to highlight challenges faced during the ongoing olive harvest.
Briefing diplomats from several Member States who joined him, he stressed the urgent need to ensure safe access to groves. This comes amid a spike in settler attacks and ongoing access restrictions that - combined - undermine people's livelihoods, wellbeing and dignity and pressure families to abandon farming and leave their communities.
In Al Mughayyir village, Mr. Alakbarov deplored that what would be a festive season has become one of increased insecurity, and reminded participants that the olive season is central to Palestinian culture and economy.
So far this month, 126 settler attacks related to the olive harvest have caused casualties or damage across 70 villages. That is according to OCHA's records as of Monday. Farmers have been assaulted, crops and tools have been stolen, and over 4,000 trees have been vandalized. In total, 124 Palestinians have been injured.
During the visit, Mr. Alakbarov urged the Israeli authorities to protect Palestinians and their livelihoods, including through holding violent setters accountable. Participants met farmers from Al Mughayyir village; spoke with partners providing protective presence and other critical services; and were briefed on the latest trends and policies.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza and the West Bank with urgent support.
Hurricane Melissa
Response underway as Melissa leaves trail of devastation across Caribbean
OCHA reports that Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation after crossing Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas, with severe effects also felt in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and parts of Central America. The hurricane caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and crops, with the Pan American Health Organization reporting that health facilities have been particularly affected.
The UN and partners - already mobilized before the storm's impact - are delivering assistance and supporting damage assessments, coordination and logistics in close collaboration with national authorities.
A three-person OCHA team is deploying to Jamaica today to reinforce the Resident Coordinator's Office and support national emergency operations. Additional specialist teams remain on standby should Governments request further support.
In Jamaica, authorities report severe flooding, landslides, and power outages. WFP has begun logistics operations to deliver relief supplies from the Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub in Barbados, including 2,000 emergency food kits for airlift and additional items arriving by sea. We and are partners are also providing support in logistics, health, sanitation, early recovery, and protection.
In Cuba, the UN and its partners are also delivering critical assistance. With the Anticipatory Action Plan activated ahead of landfall, UN agencies have been able to deliver early assistance, including health supplies, tarpaulins, generators, mattresses, and also agricultural materials.
In Haiti, OCHA reports that heavy rains and strong winds linked to Hurricane Melissa have caused severe flooding, landslides, and destruction across several departments, particularly in West, South, Nippes, and Grand 'Anse. More than 14,000 people sought refuge in over 100 temporary shelters across the country.
According to the authorities, 24 people have died, 17 have been injured, and 18 remain missing, most of them in the commune of Petit-Goâve in the West department, where the La Digue River overflowed, sweeping away dozens of homes and claiming the lives of 10 children. Flooding has also been reported in the commune of Jacmel in the South East department, along and in the South department, where intermittent rain and strong winds continue to affect areas such as the communes of Aquin and Les Cayes in the South department.
Humanitarian needs remain significant, particularly in clean water, hygiene supplies, and sanitation. Shelter materials, blankets, and transport support are also required to reach isolated communities.
However, anticipatory action and preparedness measures have allowed partners to respond quickly. The International Organization for Migration is supporting the management of more than 150 evacuation shelters and has distributed over 1,200 shelters.The World Food Programme has launched emergency food distributions for more than 5,000 people in the department of Grand 'Anse and the commune of Les Cayes, while UNICEF has pre-positioned hygiene kits and water supplies for 14,000 people.
The Food and Agriculture Organization is assessing agricultural damage and preparing to deploy emergency livelihood kits to assist affected farmers. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners are prepared to carry out protection screening and monitoring in hurricane-affected areas, identifying vulnerable individuals and ensuring timely referrals to appropriate services.
Under OCHA's coordination, UN agencies and humanitarian partners continue to support the Government of Haiti in organizing and implementing the emergency response.
In the Dominican Republic, UNHCR is supporting the Government's response, maintaining close coordination with national authorities and partners to ensure assistance reaches hard-to-reach and vulnerable communities. Core relief items have been provided to affected areas, and coordination is underway with UN partners to facilitate potential cross-border support to Haiti.
Posted on 30 October 2025
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