Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Yemen
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Gaza: More hostilities and starvation
OCHA warns that Israeli bombardment is causing further casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure across the Gaza Strip.
Today, the Ministry of Health reported that five people died over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition and starvation, bringing the total number of malnutrition-related deaths to 227 people, including 103 children, since October 2023.
The World Food Programme warned in a social media post earlier today that starvation and malnutrition are at the highest levels ever since the conflict began.
Yesterday, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) emphasized that almost everyone in Gaza lives with trauma after 676 days of war, adding that people are being starved, children are being killed, and families have lost everything. UNRWA said that political will and leadership can stop an escalation and end the war.
Against this backdrop, humanitarian supplies entering Gaza remain far below the minimum required to meet people's immense needs.
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to do everything possible to bring assistance into Gaza. However, humanitarian movements face significant delays and other impediments that prevent aid from being delivered at scale.
Yesterday, the UN requested to coordinate 16 missions with the Israeli authorities - including the collection of food, medical supplies and fuel - from the two operational crossings, Kerem Shalom and Zikim. Other missions involved moving goods and personnel within Gaza, from south to north or within the southern part of the Strip.
Four missions were facilitated and three were denied; another four were impeded but eventually were fully accomplished.
Of the remaining missions, two were cancelled by the respective organizations. Two other missions that involved collection of food and health supplies from Kerem Shalom were impeded and unable to be completed, while another was impeded but is still ongoing.
Efforts to coordinate humanitarian movements often drag on for hours due to unpredictable clearances by the Israeli authorities, wasting precious time.
West Bank: Violence displaces Palestinian Bedouin community
OCHA reports that yesterday, another Palestinian Bedouin community in the West Bank was displaced due to violence by Israeli forces and settlers.
Israeli forces raided the community of Ein Ayoub in Ramallah governorate and ordered the immediate eviction of its approximately 100 Palestinian residents.
OCHA reports that the forces surrounded residential structures on 10 August and forced women and children out, telling them to go to a nearby village, without presenting any official eviction order. Before leaving, they told all residents - who have no alternative shelter - to evacuate.
Over the weekend, Israeli settlers from a recently established outpost near the community raided the area, set fire to one of the residential caravans, threatened residents, and ordered them to leave within 24 hours.
Yesterday, all residents of the community were displaced from their homes and had to relocate to nearby villages.
This long-standing community, in existence for more than 40 years, has faced daily incursions by both settlers and Israeli forces, who remain in the area throughout the day and continuously intimidate residents.
Sudan
Dozens of civilians reportedly killed in Abu Shouk camp
OCHA is deeply alarmed by reports of a large-scale attack yesterday on the El Fasher area, the besieged capital of Sudan's North Darfur State, also affecting the adjoining Abu Shouk displacement camp.
The attack has been attributed locally to fighters from the Rapid Support Forces, with local sources reporting that at least 40 civilians have been killed within Abu Shouk, and 19 others injured.
In a statement released today, the Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, said he was appalled by reports of the attack. He unequivocally condemned all deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Sudan. Yett said parties to conflict have clear obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians. Displacement camps and other places of refuge for civilians must not be targeted.
Amid this escalation of violence in and around El Fasher, there are also reports that exit routes from the city have been blocked, trapping civilians under siege and cutting them off from safety and aid. The situation remains tense and highly fluid, with insecurity displacing at least 500 people from Abu Shouk to other locations in North Darfur, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan said that the immediate provision of safe and unhindered passage for people seeking to flee El Fasher and other areas of active hostilities is critical. He also reiterated the UN Secretary-General's call for a humanitarian pause in and around the city to allow the delivery of food, water, medicine and other life-saving supplies to those trapped there and facing acute hunger and starvation.
Meanwhile, OCHA remains concerned by escalating violence in the Kordofan region. In South Kordofan State, IOM estimates that more than 3,000 people fled Kadugli town between 6 and 10 August due to intensified insecurity. Humanitarian access to the town remains extremely limited, with virtually no road access. The primary supply route from Al Obeid in North Kordofan State is inaccessible due to active hostilities. This has worsened economic conditions and led to shortages of vital goods.
In North Kordofan, some 400 people were displaced from Markz Alziadiya village in Gharb Bara locality on 8 August, following escalating conflict. The violence has resulted in widespread civilian casualties, mass displacement, and restricted humanitarian access to large parts of the region.
OCHA once again reminds all those engaged in the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law: They must not direct attacks against civilians or civilian objects and must take constant care to spare them in all circumstances. They must also facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to everyone in need of assistance.
Yemen
Urgent action needed to prevent starvation
OCHA told the Security Council today that Yemen is one of the most food insecure countries in the world, warning that more than 18 million people could go hungry by February next year.
"Starvation is preventable," said Ramesh Rajasingham, the Director of OCHA's Coordination Division. "And humanitarian organizations remain on the ground despite limited resources and operational challenges, with the singular goal of reaching those most at risk before it is too late."
Rajasingham told the Council that humanitarian partners have prioritized the food response for 8.8 million of the most at-risk people - all in emergency or catastrophic situations - but stressed that such efforts require both political and financial support. The Yemen Humanitarian Fund will be releasing $20 million to address the negative impacts of food insecurity.
He called for increased funding* now to scale up urgent emergency food and nutrition support, as well as direct financial support to the Yemen Humanitarian Fund. "Given the right tools, local partners can make a huge difference," Mr. Rajasingham said.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Yemen with urgent support.
Posted on 12 August 2025
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