Today's top news: Haiti, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Nigeria, Ukraine
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Haiti
UN Relief Chief arrives in Port-au-Prince
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, today arrived in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, where people continue to be affected by escalating violence engulfing the country.
In a social media post, Fletcher said he will meet communities, front-line responders, partners and the authorities. "Needs are soaring while funding is at historic lows," he warned. "We must try to protect lives and restore hope."
Haiti is one of the proportionally least funded of the UN's global appeals - with less than 12 per cent received to date of the US$908 million needed to respond and save lives.
This is in a country where almost 6 million people - half the country's population - need vital aid this year. A similar number are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, while more than 8,400 Haitians are already enduring famine-like conditions.
Meanwhile, over 1.3 million people are internally displaced, the highest number ever recorded in Haiti due to violence and insecurity. Many of those who fled their homes are now living in extremely dire conditions.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Window "closing fast" to prevent spread of Gaza famine, UN Relief Chief warns
Under-Secretary-General Fletcher yesterday demanded urgent action to halt the spread of famine and suffering in Gaza.
In a statement, Fletcher warned that there is a narrow window - until the end of September - to prevent famine from expanding to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, adding that this window is closing fast.
Fletcher called for aid to be let in - unimpeded and at the scale humanitarians can deliver - and for civilians to be protected, for the International Court of Justice's provisional measures to be implemented, for the hostages to be released, for arbitrarily detained Palestinians to be freed, and for a ceasefire.
Since the confirmation of famine in Gaza governorate, the Ministry of Health reports that more than 100 people - a quarter of them children - have died from starvation and malnutrition across the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, hostilities continued to kill and injure people over the weekend. In just the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported 67 deaths and 320 injuries. This brings the total toll of people killed since end of the ceasefire in mid-March to almost 12,000, according to the health ministry.
Amid the ongoing offensive in Gaza city, the Israeli military has issued more orders over the past day for people to leave specific buildings or areas within Gaza city, warning of imminent attacks.
Meanwhile, in the past two days, at least one partner organization has been hit in Gaza city, killing several people, including at least one aid worker and one child.
Over 80 per cent of Gaza is either under displacement orders or within militarized areas.
With the Israeli military instructing people to move from parts of Gaza city southward, OCHA warns that people are in dire need of food, water and shelter items.
While humanitarians were able to support the entry of a limited number of tents in the past weeks, much more is needed to support hundreds of thousands of people in all parts of the Gaza Strip - north and south alike - as many are repeatedly displaced.
Meanwhile, in most areas, the Israeli authorities continue to require any movement of humanitarian personnel to be coordinated with them in advance. Yesterday, 11 out of 24 missions requiring coordination were facilitated, including the collection of fuel from Kerem Shalom crossing and the transfer of fuel supplies to the north. While three missions were denied, another four missions had to be canceled by the organizers.
Although the remaining six missions were impeded, humanitarians were nevertheless able to distribute water in the north and collect food cargo from Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says it has received more than 570 wheelchairs to distribute for hospitals and partners across the Strip. These include 260 wheelchairs for children. In a social media post yesterday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this will help cover urgent needs for hospital use in mass casualty management and rehabilitation.
Today, at least six Israelis were killed and many others injured in Jerusalem in a shooting attack. The two Palestinian perpetrators were also killed and subsequently, Israeli forces operated in and around the Ramallah governorate, where they came from.
OCHA says that such killings are prohibited and unacceptable.
Last Friday, OCHA recorded the killing of another Palestinian by Israeli forces in Nablus.
OCHA reiterates that civilians must be protected, and that any use of force by Israeli forces in the West Bank must follow internationally recognized law enforcement standards.
Afghanistan
Tens of thousands reached with vital aid after earthquakes
OCHA reports that the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to respond to the devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan*.
Partners have distributed ready-to-eat meals, including high-energy biscuits, to more than 40,000 people across all affected districts. They have also provided clean water, tents, shelter, blankets and winter clothing. In addition, six child-friendly spaces have been established.
OCHA says that the UN and its partners continue to carry out assessments and have so far completed them in 49 villages across the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Lagham. They have found that dozens of water sources have been damaged, increasing the risk of the spread of waterborne diseases, including cholera.
An emergency appeal to support the response to the earthquakes is currently being finalized.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Afghanistan with urgent support.
Pakistan
UN fast-tracks support for flood response
Emergency Relief Coordinator Fletcher yesterday allocated $5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to support the response to the floods that continue to devastate large parts of Pakistan.
This complements a $600,000 allocation from OCHA's Asia and the Pacific Regional Fund, as well as the $250,000 allocated from the Pakistan Country-Based Pooled Fund for local NGOs.
These resources will support cash transfers, shelter, food, health, water and sanitation, among other urgent needs.
OCHA reports that many villages remain submerged, with some reports of water depths up to 10 metres, delaying humanitarian access and assessments. Priority needs include health, shelter, food, and water, sanitation and hygiene. Partners working in health have expressed concerns over a rise in waterborne diseases across several districts.
The UN and its partners continue to support the Government-led response, and OCHA has deployed staff to the affected area in Punjab to support coordination efforts.
OCHA says that while these new funds will enable life-saving aid, existing resources are nearly exhausted, and urgent additional funding is critically needed.
Sudan
UN and partners assist hundreds of people after South Darfur landslide
OCHA reports that the UN and its humanitarian partners have assisted at least 1,000 people affected by the landslide that struck the village of Tarsin in the locality of Sharg Aj Jabal, in Sudan's South Darfur State, on 31 August.
Between last Thursday and today, an inter-agency assessment and response mission comprising a dozen local and international NGOs and UN agencies delivered food and other critical items, as well as health, water, sanitation, hygiene and protection services.
A report by the UN Satellite Centre shows that the landslide destroyed about 10 houses and damaged agricultural land. Tomorrow, OCHA will meet with partners to discuss the mission's findings, needs in the area, and ongoing response efforts.
Across Sudan, floods continue to displace thousands of people. Over the weekend, flooding in Wad Al Shaer village, in the south-eastern state of Gedaref, displaced about 2,500 people and destroyed some 500 houses, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
IOM reports that hundreds of others were displaced by flooding last week in parts of Red Sea State - in the east of the country - and South Darfur, in the west. The recurrent floods are deepening humanitarian needs, as thousands of families seek urgent support and shelter.
Meanwhile, the UN is deeply alarmed by the findings of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan, released on Friday. The report documents large-scale atrocities committed by both the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces.
It points to deliberate attacks on civilians and widespread destruction of critical infrastructure - including hospitals, markets, water systems and displacement camps. The findings underscore the urgent need for accountability and protection of civilians amid the ongoing conflict.
OCHA once again calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, unimpeded humanitarian access and steps to ensure the protection of civilians, and increased international support to meet soaring needs across Sudan.
Nigeria
Humanitarian Coordinator condemns deadly attack on civilians in Borno State
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, condemned in a statement yesterday the killing of dozens of civilians in the north-east of the country.
A preliminary report by the authorities indicates that more than 50 civilians were killed on 5 September following an attack by suspected members of a non-state armed group on the village of Darajamal in Borno State. An unknown number of people were also allegedly abducted, with others fleeing with injuries. At least 28 houses were also reportedly burned during the attack.
Fall called for the immediate release of those abducted and for the perpetrators of this heinous attack to be brought to justice. He added that this recent attack is yet another grim reminder of the toll of rising violent attacks and insecurity in Borno State, with hundreds of civilian deaths recorded this year alone.
Fall called on all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including protecting civilians.
Ukraine
Deadly attacks cause scores of civilian casualties
OCHA says that Ukraine experienced a massive wave of attacks over the weekend, killing and injuring dozens of civilians across the country.
Authorities have reported more than 80 civilian casualties, including children. Homes, government buildings and energy facilities were also damaged during the attacks.
In the capital Kyiv, attacks during the night of 6 September killed three civilians - including a child - and injured 18 others. Among the victims were an aid worker from a national NGO - a partner of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund - and her two-month-old son. The strikes also damaged several multi-storey residential buildings, as well as the Government of Ukraine headquarters.
Casualties were also reported in the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih and Kherson.
Strikes also targeted energy infrastructure, disrupting power and water supplies, ahead of the winter season. Repair crews are working to restore services, though temporary outages continue.
Aid organizations joined first responders in the cities of Kyiv, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, providing medical care, psychosocial support, hot meals, child protection services and hygiene kits.
Meanwhile, support to front-line communities continues. On 5 September, the UN and its partners delivered aid - including medical kits and hygiene supplies - to some 1,000 people in several villages in the Donetsk region. This was the tenth convoy to the region this year.
Posted on 8 September 2025
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