Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Gaza: insecurity undermines humanitarian response, imperils civilians
OCHA warns that insecurity continues to undermine aid operations and endanger civilian lives in the Gaza Strip. OCHA reiterates that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected and should never be a target.
Between 26 November and Tuesday, partners monitoring population flows in Gaza recorded more than 20,500 movements, compared with over 17,000 the preceding week.
Over the past month, displacement has been driven mainly by heavy rainfall and flooding. Partners helping manage displacement sites say that they are able to oversee less than a third of the known locations where displaced people are sheltering due to access constraints, security, and lack of supplies. As a result, more than a million people at these sites are going without key support - including drainage of wastewater, as well as the construction and repair of community structures.
Meanwhile, new waves of displacement were reported over the past week due to shifts in the yellow cement blocks marking the so-called "Yellow Line."
The UN also continues to coordinate humanitarian missions within Gaza. OCHA reports that on Wednesday, six out of seven such attempts were facilitated by Israeli authorities. Through these missions, humanitarian teams collected fuel, medical supplies, diapers, dignity and hygiene kits, soap, winter clothing, and other essential items from the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
Overall, between 26 November and Tuesday, humanitarian organizations coordinated 54 missions with the Israeli authorities - of which 38 were facilitated, seven were cancelled, five were impeded, and four were denied.
West Bank: operations by Israeli forces affect tens of thousands of Palestinians
OCHA warns that Israeli forces' operations in northern areas of the West Bank are intensifying and triggering new displacement, movement restrictions, school closures, and service disruptions in communities already affected by recurrent operations since early 2025.
Over 95,000 Palestinians were affected by expanded operations by Israeli forces in the northern areas between 25 November and Monday - particularly in Jenin and Tubas governorates - including due to curfew and other movement restrictions, displacement, damage or destruction of private property and public infrastructure, as well as school closures - with access to basic services disrupted.
Settler attacks also continue unabated. So far this year, OCHA has documented 1,680 attacks by Israeli settlers that caused casualties or property damage in more than 270 communities across the West Bank - an average of five incidents per day.
Israel as the occupying power has a legal obligation to protect Palestinians and maintain public order and safety in the West Bank in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law. Any use of force by Israeli forces must follow internationally recognized law enforcement standards.
OCHA also reiterates the urgent need for concrete action by the international community, particularly by those with influence, to address settler violence and the rapid expansion of settlements and outposts, which continue to imperil Palestinians and increase humanitarian needs across the West Bank.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Attacks cause civilian casualties in South Kivu
OCHA says that hostilities continue unabated across South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in more civilian deaths, injuries and displacement.
Since 2 December, intense fighting - including the use of heavy weaponry and shelling - has been reported in several villages across the territories of Uvira, Walungu, Kabare, Fizi and Kalehe. These attacks have damaged critical infrastructure and homes.
Local civil society sources have reported that at least 20 civilians were reportedly killed on 2 December.
Meanwhile, local health authorities in Walungu territory say that at least 13 civilians have been admitted to hospital. Intense fighting and roadblocks have rendered evacuations impossible, preventing an unknown number of injured civilians from reaching medical facilities. Thousands of residents who could not flee remain confined to their homes without access to food or basic supplies.
The violence has forced people to flee their homes, though the exact number cannot yet be determined due to the volatile security situation. As of the end of October, there were 1.2 million displaced people in South Kivu.
Between January and September of this year, the UN and its partners provided food, shelter and protection and health services to 1.5 million people in South Kivu.*
Once again, OCHA urgently calls on all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and protect all civilians and civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian access must be guaranteed to allow life-saving assistance to reach those in need.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with urgent support.
Ukraine
Deadly hostilities damage civilian infrastructure, disrupt critical services
OCHA reports that attacks and hostilities continue to kill and injure more civilians across Ukraine every day, while also damaging civilian infrastructure and disrupting critical services amid the cold weather.
Between 3 December and this morning, authorities recorded more than 120 casualties, with 12 civilians - including two children - killed.
In the city of Kherson, strikes damaged energy infrastructure, leaving more than 40,000 people without heating as nighttime temperatures near zero. In the city of Odesa, 60,000 people were left without electricity following strikes.
Yesterday, a local bakery supported by the World Food Programme in the city of Kherson was hit by heavy shelling, injuring three bakery workers. Two delivery trucks were destroyed, and the bread facility was damaged.
Despite the challenges, the UN and its partners continue to support the response. In 2025, they provided winter-related humanitarian assistance - including heating and warm clothing - to 1 million people in Ukraine.
Humanitarians also continue to send aid convoys to deliver assistance to front-line communities in the Kherson region, one of the most affected front-lines areas amid the recent escalation of hostilities near the town of Lyman.
In the Donetsk region, national NGOs - with the support of UN agencies - delivered emergency shelter materials and provided protection services to residents affected by the latest wave of attacks in the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Posted on 5 December 2025
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