Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Mozambique, Ukraine
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UN Relief Chief calls for renewed commitment to peace and aid delivery in Gaza
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, stressed today that "we must not fail to see through in full" the implementation of the agreements made under President Trump's peace initiative.
In a statement issued earlier, he said that while humanitarians were able to kick off their scale-up in Gaza earlier this week after months of frustration and blockages, there were further setbacks yesterday to the implementation of the deal.
"We are now tested to see whether we can ensure that these do not prevent the progress on which President Trump, the UN Secretary-General and so many leaders have insisted," he added.
Fletcher called on Hamas to urgently make strenuous efforts to return all bodies of deceased hostages as agreed, also expressing his concern about the evidence of violence against civilians in Gaza. He said that Israel must allow the massive surge of humanitarian aid as agreed - thousands of trucks a week - on which so many lives depend and on which the world has insisted, and he reiterated that the facilitation of aid is a legal obligation.
The Under-Secretary-General paid tribute to the humanitarian community, which is determined to save lives, no matter the obstacles*. "We will not accept any interference with our aid distribution," he added.
He recalled the 60-day plan to scale up vital assistance and said he remains in the region this week to coordinate it. Fletcher is in Cairo today and in constant contact with regional actors, the United States and humanitarian teams on the ground "as we unblock obstacles to delivering life-saving aid in Gaza."
Today, OCHA reports that humanitarian efforts on the ground continue**.
In a social media post yesterday, UNICEF noted that the agency is trucking water, as well as supporting wells and desalination, to reach 1.5 million people - while stressing that the needs remain immense.
Partners are also supporting the production or delivery of hundreds of thousands of meals and bread bundles every day.
On Monday, the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings were closed for the entry of humanitarian supplies by the UN and its partners - with priority given to the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees - which meant that no cargo could be offloaded and that only limited supplies could be collected.
Yesterday, both crossings remained closed to humanitarian supplies coming from the Israeli side, but the UN and its partners were able to collect cargo from them inside Gaza to support health, water, hygiene, sanitation and food operations.
Humanitarian teams are required to coordinate their movements inside Gaza with the Israeli authorities in fewer areas, compared with previous weeks. Yesterday, all seven such humanitarian missions were facilitated, with only one impeded on the ground - although that mission was nevertheless accomplished. Through those coordinated movements, teams collected supplies from crossings and advanced the clearance of the road to Zikim crossing in the north, in anticipation of its opening.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza and the West Bank with urgent support.
**New OCHA footage and soundbites from Gaza are available in OCHA's Media Centre
Sudan
Increasing attacks imperil civilians in El Fasher
OCHA warns of a grave escalation in violence against civilians in El Fasher, the besieged capital of Sudan's North Darfur State.
A new analysis of satellite imagery confirms a sharp rise in attacks reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces on shelters, mosques, hospitals and markets in September and October. The findings point to a sustained pattern of violence against some communities, raising serious concerns of systematic targeting and potential crimes under international law.
Local sources report that El Fasher is now under siege from all directions. The city's remaining residents face critical shortages of food and water, markets are empty, and prices of whatever goods are still available have soared. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, as earthen barriers erected around El Fasher are blocking the movement of people and supplies. Earlier this week, local responders in El Fasher reported further closures of community kitchens serving as a last line of support.
Meanwhile, insecurity continues to displace families in other parts of Sudan. In Blue Nile State, nearly 200 people fled their homes in the locality of At Tadamon on 11 October, as fighting spread across the area. The situation remains tense and fluid, with humanitarian partners closely monitoring conditions on the ground.
OCHA once again urges all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and allow safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all in need.
At the same time, Sudan's cholera crisis continues to claim lives. Since July last year, the Ministry of Health has reported more than 3,400 deaths and nearly 122,000 suspected cases.
Infection rates are rising across all states in the Darfur region, where cholera is spreading rapidly among communities already devastated by conflict, hunger and collapsing health services. The fatality rate is well above emergency thresholds, and funding for the response is running out.
OCHA calls on donors and the wider international community to urgently step up support for the people of Sudan. The US$4.2 billion humanitarian appeal for this year is less than 27 per cent funded, with $1.1 billion received so far.
Mozambique
Escalating violence displaces tens of thousands
OCHA warns that northern Mozambique continues to face a sharp escalation of violence, with new waves of displacement in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula.
The number of incidents involving civilians has nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025, according to OCHA, with 633 incidents recorded so far this year.
OCHA says that the sharp rise in kidnappings, killings and use of improvised explosive devices since the start of the year has put 2025 on track to surpass previous years in the number of instances of violent attacks.
This surge has also triggered new displacement. Partners report that between 22 September and yesterday, more than 90,000 people have been displaced across Cabo Delgado province and some parts of Nampula province.
Civilians have reported abductions, killings and widespread destruction of property across several districts. Earlier this month, armed groups looted food and other relief items and burned more than 45 homes and a school, health facility and shops in Nampula province. Civilians were also reportedly abducted and killed during these attacks.
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the response - despite the challenges and limited funding.
The World Food Programme provided food to newly displaced people, and UNICEF provided therapeutic food to support hundreds of children experiencing severe acute malnutrition.
This renewed surge in conflict - following months of intensified insecurity and three major cyclones earlier in the year - has further stretched humanitarian capacity.
The $352 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Mozambique is just over 21 per cent funded, with $75 million received.
Ukraine
Hostilities take devastating toll on healthcare
OCHA reports that hostilities continue to impact civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, across Ukraine.
On 13 October, a hospital in the city of Kharkiv was severely damaged, injuring seven patients and prompting an emergency evacuation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 50 people experienced acute stress reactions - as the hospital's roof was destroyed, windows shattered and medical equipment damaged. Nearly 100 patients were relocated to safer facilities.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, which visited the site, reported that about 120 patients and 10 medical staff were present when a glide bomb struck.
Humanitarian partners quickly mobilized to assist - evacuating patients, offering psychological support, covering windows and distributing hot meals.
The conflict has taken a devastating toll on Ukraine's health system. The country accounts for nearly half of all verified attacks on healthcare worldwide this year. WHO has verified 448 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine in 2025 - out of some 1,070 globally - resulting in 19 deaths and 174 injuries among patients and health workers.
Meanwhile, civilians continue to bear the brunt of ongoing hostilities. Over the past day, six civilians were killed and another 30 injured, according to authorities. The regions of Kherson and Kharkiv were most affected. In Kherson, shelling also damaged a health facility and dozens of homes. In Kharkiv, three large-scale attacks on gas production sites were reported last week, compounding energy insecurity as winter approaches.
Amid intensifying hostilities, authorities announced a mandatory evacuation of families with children from 40 settlements in the Kupiansk area of Kharkiv, where more than 600 children are expected to be relocated. Humanitarian organizations are supporting evacuation efforts, ensuring safe transport, and providing aid at transit and collective sites.
The UN and its partners also continue to support the response across the country. From January to August of this year, partners provided water, sanitation and heating support to 3.2 million people. This included repairs to water systems serving 1.3 million people and emergency water for 800,000 people. Access to safe water remains critical, as damaged systems threaten both drinking water and access to heating ahead of winter.
Posted on 15 October 2025
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