Today's top news: Sudan, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jordan, Hurricane Melissa
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Sudan
UN Relief Chief arrives in Port Sudan
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, arrived today in Sudan, where he will be pressing for the atrocities to stop and working to back the peace effort, uphold the UN Charter, and push for humanitarian teams to get the access and funding needed to save lives across battle lines.
In Port Sudan today, Mr. Fletcher met with authorities, humanitarian partners and the diplomatic community.
OCHA warns that the situation in North Darfur State remains volatile following the Rapid Support Forces' takeover of El Fasher on 26 October. While major clashes have subsided, sporadic fighting and drone activity continue, leaving civilians vulnerable to looting, forced recruitment and gender-based violence.
Nearly 89,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding areas since late October, with many arriving in the locality of Tawila after walking for days under threat of violence. The UN - together with local partners and international NGOs - is providing them with food, water, sanitation, healthcare and psychosocial support, though needs continue to outpace resources.*
Meanwhile, in South Kordofan State, a drone strike reportedly hit the town of Um Barmbeeta yesterday, destroying a school and injuring several displaced people. The state capital Kadugli and the nearby town of Dilling remain under siege, with widespread insecurity restricting access to thousands of families in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Humanitarian partners report that more than 12,000 people fleeing violence in the Kordofan and Darfur regions have sought refuge in White Nile State since late October - an average of 700 each day. Displaced families face severe shortages of food, shelter and water, while host communities are overstretched as they try to accommodate the new arrivals.
OCHA stresses that civilians must be protected and aid workers granted safe and sustained access to deliver assistance across the front lines.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Sudan with urgent support.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
One month since Gaza ceasefire, humanitarians deliver on 60-day scale-up
Under-Secretary-General Fletcher said in a statement yesterday that one month after the Gaza ceasefire, humanitarians are continuing to seize every opportunity to save lives. He noted that the UN and its partners have provided food to over 1 million people. Nutrition sites have been reopened, and hospital services are treating more patients. Vital immunizations are also being resumed, while water lines have been repaired, winter supplies distributed, and mental health support provided.
Despite that progress, Mr. Fletcher said that humanitarian operations in Gaza still face obstacles, including red tape and insecurity. He stressed that if these constraints are eased, humanitarians can do much more to reach more people in need with life-saving assistance.
Even given the fragile situation and ongoing impediments on the ground, OCHA says that the UN and its humanitarian partners continue reaching areas that were inaccessible prior to the ceasefire, providing vital assistance to people in need, especially the most vulnerable.
Between 7 November and yesterday, the UN Office for Project Services distributed more than 619,000 litres of diesel to partners - three quarters in the south and the rest in the north - to support critical operations, including in water, sanitation, hygiene, health, logistics, rubble removal, education, nutrition and protection.
Between 1 November and Sunday, partners provided general food assistance to some 255,000 people, distributing two food parcels per household.
One month into the ceasefire, partners working on food security are distributing about 160,000 bread bundles each day, which are produced by 19 UN-supported bakeries, nine of which are in northern Gaza.
Jordan
UN Deputy Relief Chief wraps up visit to Jordan
The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, concluded a visit to Jordan today, after meeting senior officials and humanitarian partners. She met Prince Rashid bin El Hassan, as well as the Secretary-General of the foreign ministry, Daifallah Alfayez. Ms. Msuya stressed that Jordan's humanitarian leadership is an example for many - from facilitating access to welcoming refugees.
Yesterday, the Assistant Secretary-General visited the Baqa'a Camp outside the capital Amman and expressed immense gratitude to the Government of Jordan for hosting waves of Palestinians for decades. While at Baqa'a, she spoke with refugee families and visited a health centre and girl's school operated by UNRWA, whose work provides a lifeline for millions across the region.
Ms. Msuya also met with ambassadors in Amman ahead of the Cairo conference on Gaza set to be hosted by Egypt later this month. She stressed that the humanitarian response must link with recovery and reconstruction to deliver a lasting impact, and underscored that international humanitarian law is non-negotiable, and front-line responders need our full support.
Hurricane Melissa
UN and partners continue to support hurricane response efforts
Two weeks after Hurricane Melissa first made landfall, OCHA reports that the UN and its partners continue to support government-led humanitarian responses.
In Cuba, more than 54,000 people are still living away from their homes, including 7,500 in official shelters.
The reported damage continues to exceed initial estimates. The number of affected health facilities has increased from 460 to more than 600, the number of affected homes has climbed from 60,000 to 90,000, and the number of damaged educational centres has risen from 1,600 to more than 2,000.
Over the weekend, the Resident Coordinator in Cuba, Francisco Pichón, and OCHA staff visited the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Granma to see the damage from the hurricane.
The UN system in Cuba continues to support national response efforts. The World Food Programme (WFP) has helped some 140,000 people in shelters, as well as community kitchens across the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguín. The Food and Agriculture Organization is distributing agricultural tools, roofing materials, seeds and livestock feed to help restore livelihoods.
The Pan American Health Organization is delivering supplies to strengthen disease control and prevention, including mosquito nets and fumigation kits. The UN Development Programme is providing shelter materials, while the UN Population Fund is bolstering sexual and reproductive health services by distributing medical supplies.
In Jamaica, assessments and relief operations continue. OCHA and the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team there report that 82 organizations, including 12 emergency medical teams, are assisting national efforts. Only two communities remain inaccessible, down from 27 last week, although further rainfall could isolate some areas again.
Shelter remains a major concern, with 40,000 tarpaulins unable to be delivered due to damaged and blocked roads.
WFP has helped 9,000 people in the parishes of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth and intends to extend cash assistance to up to 90,000 households.
In Haiti, OCHA reports that the UN and its partners are scaling up the response. Hurricane Melissa claimed more than 40 lives in the country and caused severe damage across several departments, including West, South, Nippes, Grand'Anse, South-East, Artibonite and North-West.
UNICEF and its partners have distributed hygiene kits across the country, as well as having restored power to the cold chain for vaccines.
WFP has supplied hot meals, other food and cash, hoping to reach hundreds of thousands of people. UNESCO and its partners delivered psychosocial support in schools, while the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF and other partners have distributed tarpaulins and other supplies.
The UN Humanitarian Air Service has expanded its operations, with five new access points to reach isolated communities.
OCHA's head of office in Haiti, Modibo Traore - together with WFP, UNICEF and the Ministry of Public Health and Population - visited the coastal communes of Petit-Goâve in the West Department and Miragoâne in the Nippes Department. People there said they urgently need shelter, food, clean water and help in rebuilding their homes and livelihoods.
Posted on 11 November 2025
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
