Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Sudan, Pakistan
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Deadly Israeli strikes hit Al-Nasser Medical Complex
OCHA warns that ongoing air strikes and hostilities in the Gaza Strip - including attacks on healthcare - are causing further civilian casualties and damaging or destroying critical infrastructure.
Today, the Israeli military hit Al-Nasser Medical Complex, in Khan Younis, twice. The Ministry of Health reported several casualties among members of the Palestinian Civil Defense, health workers and journalists. The fatalities included a female journalist, Mariam Abu Dagga, who partnered with OCHA last year on a photo essay depicting the dire situation in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces released a World Health Organization (WHO) colleague who had been detained for more than a month. In a social media post, WHO welcomed their release and called, once again, for the protection of health staff and humanitarians.
With famine conditions now confirmed in Gaza governorate, hunger and malnutrition among children are deepening. Partners working on nutrition note that in any food crisis, children with underlying health conditions are affected first - and without proper nutrition, water and care, their condition worsens more quickly. Less aid means more malnutrition, and the UN and its partners continue to call for the unrestricted flow of aid into and within Gaza.
Today, the Ministry of Health said that 11 people have died from malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of people who have died due to malnutrition and hunger to 300, according to the Ministry of Health.
Across Gaza, people continue to be displaced while seeking safety and shelter. Partners tracking population movements in the Strip report that between 20 and 24 August, some 5,000 people are estimated to have been displaced from northern Gaza to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Some 8,000 others have been displaced to the west of Gaza city. This brings the total number of new displacements since the end of the ceasefire in mid-March to more than 800,000.
Meanwhile, OCHA warns that aid convoys in Gaza continue to face delays, movement obstructions and other obstacles. Yesterday, out of 15 humanitarian missions that required coordination, the Israeli authorities facilitated seven, including the collection of fuel from Kerem Shalom crossing and its distribution to areas where it is needed most. Four missions had to be either cancelled by the organizers or were denied outright by Israeli authorities. The remaining ones were initially approved but then impeded on the ground and only partially accomplished, including the collection of food and vaccines from the crossings.
Partners working on human rights note that as children across the world are heading back to school, many in Gaza are missing out on education. Partners said several education facilities across the Strip - all used as shelters for displaced people - were attacked last week. With local authorities announcing that final exams for over 35,000 high school students are due to be held in two weeks, the UN and its partners reiterate their call for the protection of education facilities in accordance with international law.
OCHA continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages and those arbitrarily detained, who must all be treated humanely. OCHA also calls for the protection of civilians, including humanitarians, health workers and journalists. They should never be a target.
Syria
Humanitarian Coordinator meets displaced families in Dar'a
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, visited Dar'a Governorate yesterday to assess the humanitarian situation following the outbreak of violence in the area last month. He met with families who had endured difficult years in their homes but were only recently forced to flee.
The need for food, water, sanitation, hygiene and non-food items remains acute. The education sector is particularly overstretched: many schools have been destroyed, only a few remain functional, and some are now hosting displaced families. With the school year fast approaching in mid-September, urgent alternatives must be found to protect both children's right to education and families' need for shelter.
Abdelmoula also visited Harak National Hospital in rural Dar'a, rehabilitated by the local community. Today, it serves both residents and displaced families. He underlined the importance of scaling up support to reinforce such community-driven efforts.
Meanwhile, the UN and its partners continue to deliver critical aid. Today, 11 trucks from the World Food Programme (WFP) reached As-Sweida carrying over 9,000 ready-to-eat food rations. Since the escalation of hostilities in As-Sweida Governorate in July, WFP has provided emergency food assistance to over 300,000 people across the governorates of As-Sweida, Dar'a and Rural Damascus.
Commercial traffic into As-Sweida remains limited, but six commercial trucks managed to enter yesterday. OCHA says that restoring unimpeded commercial access, alongside stabilizing the security environment, is essential to ensure life-saving assistance reaches affected populations effectively and to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
Sudan
UN reaches South Kordofan with vital aid
OCHA welcomes a breakthrough in humanitarian access to Sudan's South Kordofan State. Yesterday, a UNICEF convoy successfully delivered life-saving supplies to Dilling, marking the first substantial delivery to this area by any UN agency since October 2024. The convoy will now continue to Kadugli, the state capital. The supplies will benefit more than 120,000 vulnerable people in Dilling and Kadugli, where humanitarian needs have reached catastrophic levels and communities have been under siege for months.
Meanwhile, OCHA warns that violence continues to escalate in North Darfur State. Between 19 and 20 August, the International Organization for Migration estimates that insecurity forced some 1,000 people to flee the famine-stricken Abu Shouk displacement camp, on the outskirts of the state capital El Fasher. Abu Shouk has witnessed several deadly attacks in recent weeks, with reports of abductions of women and young children from the site over recent days. OCHA is also alarmed by reports of a new wave of violence in El Fasher itself, including alleged artillery shelling of the town's main functioning hospital.
OCHA is also gravely concerned by the worsening nutrition crisis in Melit, also in North Darfur. A recent survey by Relief International found that one in three children is acutely malnourished. This places thousands of children under 5 at imminent risk of severe illness, developmental complications and death. Melit is the same area where a WFP aid convoy was attacked last week while trying to offload life-saving supplies.
The UN and its partners remain committed to providing life-saving support to people as access allows. However, insecurity, logistical challenges and severe underfunding* continue to hamper these efforts. OCHA once again calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, ensure safe and unhindered access for humanitarian workers, and prioritize the protection of civilians.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Sudan with urgent support.
Pakistan
Over 20,000 still displaced by deadly flash floods
Over the last 10 days, 400 people have been killed and more than 190 others injured in Pakistan due to heavy rains and flash floods in the areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, according to the authorities. More than 20,000 people remain displaced due to the flooding.
Pakistan's Meteorological Department says a new monsoon system is in the forecast, with heavy rainfall expected to continue in the coming days.
OCHA reports that people affected by the flooding need shelter supplies, medical assistance, cash for work, hygiene kits, clean drinking water and education - as well as protection support, particularly for women and girls.
The authorities are leading the response, with support from the UN and local partners. Over the weekend, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, released US$600,000 from the regional pooled fund to support the ongoing efforts.
Since the start of the 2025 monsoon season on 26 June, Pakistan has faced extensive destruction from heavy rains and floods, with 798 reported fatalities and more than 1,000 injuries, according to the national authorities.
Posted on 25 August 2025
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