Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Intensified strikes imperil civilians and life-saving services in Gaza city
OCHA reports that intensified strikes on Gaza city continue to cause heavy casualties and displacements, with attacks over the past week hitting tents, residential buildings and infrastructure. This is threatening the continued operation of life-saving services, including ambulances, health facilities, nutrition treatment support and community kitchens.
Although people continue to flee the Israeli offensive in Gaza city, hundreds of thousands still remain there, at a time when the humanitarian community's ability to support them is eroding.
Today, all attempts by the UN to coordinate its staff and partners' access to, or within, the north were denied by Israeli authorities, except for a single mission that had to be canceled by the organizers. This prevented the implementation of planned missions as critical as water trucking. Over the past week, even missions that were approved by Israeli authorities often took hours to complete, with teams compelled to wait on dangerous or congested roads. Following the closure of Zikim crossing on 12 September, the denial rate of humanitarian movements to northern Gaza rose to 40 per cent by 22 September, compared with 18 per cent over the previous 11 days.
OCHA stresses that civilians in Gaza city and the north require sustained humanitarian support at scale, which in turn requires continued access and reliable safety guarantees for aid workers.
In the south, humanitarian teams continue to collect supplies from Kerem Shalom crossing. Yesterday and today, they were able to bring food, health supplies and fuel closer to where they are desperately needed in southern Gaza. Teams also carried out field assessments to further inform humanitarian planning.
Meanwhile, the UN continues to receive reports of people being killed or injured while seeking food or aid. According to the UN Human Rights Office, between 17 and 22 September, 21 fatalities were reported in this context, including near three militarized supply sites and along the Morag route south of Khan Younis. Since 27 May, at least 2,340 people have been killed while seeking food or aid - just over half near militarized supply sites and the rest along convoy routes.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
UN Relief Chief fast-tracks funds for Ebola response
The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, yesterday allocated US$2.5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to support the Government-led response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kasai province.
The funds will go towards scaling up the response in Bulape area to contain the outbreak and prevent its spread to neighbouring provinces. They will support infection and prevention control, vaccination, strengthened surveillance measures and logistics.
The outbreak is occurring in a remote area with limited infrastructure. The local health system is overwhelmed and lacks sufficient capacity for timely diagnosis, isolation and treatment.
Health partners are currently providing active support to national authorities across key response pillars, including case management, surveillance and laboratory capacity, community engagement and vaccination activities.
As of 22 September, the Ministry of Health has reported a cumulative total of 58 cases. Of particular concern are five confirmed cases reported among health workers.
More than 1,000 contacts have been identified and are currently under active follow-up.
Haiti
Cholera takes toll on displaced and host communities
OCHA reports that cholera continues to affect displaced and host communities in Haiti.
During the second week of September, the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) reported 30 suspected cases of cholera across more than a dozen communes in five departments, bringing the total number of cases to more than 3,100 this year. Most of these new cases were in the West department, including several in displacement sites. Two active transmission hotspots were identified: Saint-Raphaël in the North department, and Saint-Michel in the Artibonite department.
Three quarters of the cases were treated in nine health facilities supported by WHO/PAHO, with one death recorded. Humanitarian partners - including WHO/PAHO and Médecins Sans Frontières - are supporting health authorities in Haiti with treatment, community awareness-raising, and water, sanitation and hygiene assistance.
The recent visit of Emergency Relief Coordinator Fletcher to Haiti underscored the immense challenges facing the health sector, where less than a third of health facilities with inpatient capacity remain fully operational. The system is struggling to cope with recurring cholera cases, rising malnutrition and increasing violence.
OCHA warns that communities have limited access to clean water, sanitation conditions are poor at displacement sites, and insecurity has constrained access to affected areas.
Armed violence continues to take a toll on civilians across the country. On 20 September, armed attacks in the commune of L'Estère, in the Artibonite department, displaced more than 6,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration - with most seeking safety in the municipalities of Desdunes and L'Estère.
With just three months left in the year, the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Haiti is 13 per cent funded - with only $118 million received of the $908 million required - severely constraining humanitarians' ability to respond at the necessary scale. Additional support is urgently needed to save lives*.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Haiti with urgent support.
Posted on 25 September 2025
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