In her family’s shelter, the ground is soaked and her children cannot sleep. 

“Our situation is extremely difficult, and we want someone to help us, at least by providing us with a tent that shelters us and is a proper tent,” Amina told the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) earlier this week. 

Millions of others like Amina, who are threatened by rain, flooding and ongoing bombing need live-saving aid.  

A recent Israeli ban of dozens of humanitarian groups, however, makes that assistance out of reach. A move which a group of independent UN human rights experts warned on Thursday is a violation of international law. 

“This strategy will create conditions that force Palestinians into chronic deprivation, threatening their very survival as a group and further violating the Genocide Convention,” the experts said. “It must be stopped.”

Green light for US Gaza peace plan 

Later on Thursday, in a statement released by his Spokesperson, Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the launch of Phase Two of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, announced Wednesday. 

The plan includes the establishment of a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

“Any initiative that contributes to alleviating the suffering of civilians, supporting recovery and reconstruction and advancing a credible political horizon is a positive development,” the statement read.

Mr. Guterres highlighted that the UN will continue to support all efforts to end the occupation and the conflict leading to the achievement of the two-State solution, in line with previous UN resolutions and international law.

‘Uninhabitable’ shelters  

OCHA said that 800,000 people — nearly 40 per cent of the population — now live in sites prone to flooding, where winter storms and heavy rain have made shelters uninhabitable. 

As of Tuesday, UN partners reported that hundreds of tents and makeshift shelters were blown away or severely damaged, leaving over 3,000 people exposed to severe weather, while more than 60 inhabited buildings in Gaza City could be at risk of collapse. 

Prohibited waters

OCHA noted that the Israeli military is still deployed in more than half of the Gaza Strip, beyond the “Yellow Line”, where access is either restricted or banned to aid facilities, public infrastructure and agricultural land. 

Detonations of residential buildings have continued, along with bulldozer activity, OCHA said, including near or east of the “Yellow Line”. 

Additionally, access to the sea for Palestinians remains prohibited and there continue to be reports of Palestinian fishermen being killed or detained in the waters just off Gaza. 

Millions worth of aid blocked

Announced as a national security measure on 30 December 2025, Israel’s new regulation bans 37 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from operating in Gaza and the West Bank. 

As of 31 December, nearly $50 million in life-saving aid remained blocked amid repeated ceasefire violations, according to the group of Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts. They are not UN staff and receive no salary for their work.

In early December, UN agencies and NGOs were only able to deliver 14,600 tents for 85,000 people, leaving 1.3 million Palestinians without adequate winter shelter. 

Several people, including six children have already died from hypothermia, drowning or cold-related injuries.

“There are no words left to describe what Gaza has become,” the experts said.

Israeli forces stormed the UNRWA-operated health centre on Monday and ordered it to close for 30 days.  They also demanded the removal of UN signage. 

Furthermore, water and electricity supply to multiple UNRWA facilities are scheduled to be cut off in the coming weeks, affecting schools, health centres and other critical buildings.

Legislative campaign 

The development marks “a new step in a pattern of deliberate disregard for international law and the United Nations,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini tweeted. 

“This is a direct result of legislation passed by the Israeli parliament in December, which stepped up existing anti-UNRWA laws adopted in 2024,” he added. 

The UNRWA Jerusalem Health Centre serves hundreds of Palestine refugee patients every day, agency spokesperson Jonathan Fowler told UN News. 

“For most of them, it’s their only possibility of having access to primary healthcare,” he said.  “So, there’s a right to health involved in this.” 

He stressed that UNRWA facilities are United Nations premises, which are protected under international law, and this applies across the globe.  

‘An anti-humanitarian gesture’ 

Mr. Fowler described the impending water and power shutdown as “kind of an anti-humanitarian gesture in many ways,” saying “it’s particularly shocking.” 

He recalled that in October, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) “restated in crystal clear fashion that the State of Israel is obliged under international law to facilitate UNRWA’s operations, not hinder or prevent them. And yet this continues.” 

He also warned of the potential wider consequences. 

“These are disgraceful moves. And it’s very, very important that there be global awareness about what’s going on, because this is much more than directly in East Jerusalem,” he said. 

“It goes beyond even UNRWA. This is something which potentially has global implications because of this pattern of disregard for international law.”

Briefing ambassadors, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said recent political and security developments – particularly in the south – underscored how quickly stability could unravel without a credible, inclusive political process.

“Absent a comprehensive approach that addresses Yemen’s many challenges in an integrated manner, rather than in isolation, the risk of recurrent and destabilising cycles will remain,” Mr. Grundberg said.

Tensions in the south  

While military de-escalation has been achieved in recent days, he cautioned that the security situation remains fragile, especially following rival deployments in southern governorates.

In December, forces affiliated with the separatist Southern Transitional Council sought to expand their presence in Hadramout and Al Mahra, while government-aligned forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, moved in early January to reassert control over key infrastructure.

Mr. Grundberg said the future of southern Yemen could not be determined “by any single actor or through force,” urging Yemeni leaders to pursue dialogue.

He welcomed President Rashad al-Alimi’s proposal to convene talks with a broad range of leaders in the south, calling it a potential step toward rebuilding a Yemen-wide political process under UN auspices.

Instability preys on economy

Political uncertainty is being felt most sharply in Yemen’s economy, he added, with rising prices, unpaid salaries and faltering services eroding household resilience.

“Even short-lived political and security instability can trigger currency pressure, widen fiscal gaps, and stall reform efforts,” Mr. Grundberg warned.

The economic strain is being compounded by weak institutions and irregular salary payments, particularly for public sector workers.

Mr. Grundberg urged Yemeni authorities to shield economic institutions -including the Central Bank – from political disputes, warning that erosion of confidence could further destabilise the country.

Severe humanitarian consequences

Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Humanitarian Sector for the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), said Yemen’s crisis is worsening as needs rise, and humanitarian access has become more restricted amid funding shortfalls.

More than 18 million Yemenis – about half the population – will face acute food insecurity next month, while tens of thousands could fall into “catastrophic hunger,” facing famine-like conditions, he warned.

The health system is also collapsing. Over 450 facilities have already closed and thousands more are at risk of losing funding. Vaccination programmes are also under threat and only two thirds of Yemen’s children are fully immunised, largely due to lack of access in the north.

“As a result, millions of Yemeni children are vulnerable to deadly yet vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, diphtheria, cholera and polio,” Mr. Rajasingham said.

Aid efforts restricted

Humanitarian operations are further constrained by the continued detention of 73 UN staff by the Houthi de facto authorities, Mr. Rajasingham said, calling for their immediate release. The detentions have severely restricted aid delivery in areas home to around 70 per cent of humanitarian needs nationwide.

Despite the challenges, aid continues where access allows. UN partners reached 3.4 million people with food assistance late last year and delivered emergency support during floods and disease outbreaks. But gains are fragile.

“Humanitarian action saves lives,” Mr. Rajasingham said, “but when access is obstructed and funding falls away, those gains are quickly reversed.”

A wide view of Security Council as members vote on a draft resolution concerning the Red Sea reporting mandate established pursuant to resolution 2722 (2024).

Attacks in the Red Sea

Earlier on Wednesday, the Security Council also voted to extend for six months, the monthly reporting requirement on attacks by the Houthi armed group – which controls much of Yemen – against merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The resolution was adopted with 13 votes in favour, while Russia and China abstained.

The mandate was established in January 2024 amid a surge in Houthi attacks on international shipping linked to the conflict in Gaza.

It tasked the UN Secretary-General to provide regular updates on maritime security incidents, their humanitarian and economic impact, and implications for regional stability.

This comes a day after at least 19 civilians were killed during a ground assault in the Jarjira area of North Darfur state, according to local reports. 

Another 10 civilians also were reportedly killed and nine injured in a drone attack that same day in Sinja, capital of Sennar state. 

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and military rivals the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war since April 2023, and people continue to flee their homes due to the violence. 

The International Organization for Migration estimated that on Friday, more than 8,000 people were displaced from villages in the locality of Kernoi, North Darfur state, with some fleeing within the state and others crossing into Chad. 

Since Sunday, 125 people were displaced from Kadugli, capital of South Kordofan state, while nearly 300 people fled Dilling due to heightened insecurity. 

Nutrition emergency in North Darfur state 

At the same time, a deepening nutrition emergency is unfolding in North Darfur state. UN child rights agency UNICEF and partners conducted a survey last month in three localities. 

It showed acute malnutrition levels far exceeding the 15 per cent emergency threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO), with one location, Um Baru, having the highest global acute malnutrition rate of 53 per cent. 

OCHA reiterated its call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect international humanitarian law, and enable humanitarian access. 

Donors are being urged to scale up funding to deliver life-saving assistance. 

Syria: Thousands still displaced in Aleppo following recent clashes 

In other humanitarian news: 

Nearly 120,000 people remain displaced following recent hostilities in the Syrian city of Aleppo, while roughly 29,000 have returned to their homes. 

Deadly clashes resumed last week between troops from the transitional government and the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) following a brief pause after the ceasefire announced in late December 2025. 

Access to the neighbourhoods of Ashrafiyeh and Ash-Sheik Maqsoud is gradually improving but is limited by the continued operations to clear explosive remnants, OCHA said.  

Public services, including the restoration of the water supply to approximately three million people following the reactivation of the Babiri water station, are gradually resuming. 

Schools still shut 

However, schools remain closed for an additional 15 days, and flights to and from Aleppo continue to be suspended.  

Humanitarians on the ground continue to provide shelter, health, nutrition, food and other aid while closely monitoring population movements.  

OCHA and partners also remain on standby to adjust and scale up response as required, amid ongoing access constraints and other challenges. 

$1.5 billion humanitarian appeal for South Sudan  

Humanitarians are seeking $1.5 billion to support 4.3 million people in South Sudan this year. 

The UN and partners launched the appeal, together with the Government, in the capital Juba on Tuesday.   

The priority is to raise $1 billion fast, to reach 4 million people.  

South Sudan is one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world as conflict, climate shocks, disease outbreaks, deepening economic challenges – and the spillover from the war in neighbouring Sudan – continue to drive needs. 

It is estimated that 10 million people, roughly two-thirds of the population, will need humanitarian aid in 2026, with over 600,000 refugees among them. 

More than 7.5 million people are projected to face food insecurity during the lean season from April to July. 

Ketia and her husband are both teachers. Before Hurricane Melissa swept through the Caribbean this past October, they were able to support their three children. However, when, the storm struck, their coastal community of Petit Goâve was among the most affected.  

“I lost everything I owned: my furniture, my car, everything I had in my home,” lamented Ketia.

Ketia and her family are among approximately 225,000 people receiving assistance from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in the wake of the storm. She is receiving assistance from a voucher system which allows families to purchase goods from selected retailers – a programme which supports those affected by the storm while also helping stimulate the local economy.  

“The shop is using an electronic system which records the transactions which are happening, and WFP pays the retailer,” explained Channon Hachandi, Head of Supply Chain for WFP Haiti. “It’s a good method to support affected families, because instead of going to receive assistance at a distribution, the recipient is acting like a normal shopper, going to the market.”  

Even before Hurricane Melissa, more than half of the residents in the most affected regions were already facing acute food insecurity, an indication of the acute humanitarian crisis that Haiti has been facing for many years.  

It is a good method to support affected families – instead of receiving assistance at a distribution, they are like a normal shopper at a market
– Channon Hachandi, WFP

The storm killed more than 40 Haitians, and many others lost their homes, businesses and belongings. In a region highly dependent on small-scale agriculture, there was widespread damage to farmland and a near total loss of harvests.  

WFP provided assistance before, during and after the hurricane. Together with the government, the agency sent 3.5 million early warning text messages via cellphones, and provided cash payments to people to help them prepare and mitigate the effect of the hurricane. 

During the storm itself families who relocated in temporary shelters were provided with rations. Immediately after, as families assessed the devastation, food rations for 15 days were distributed.  

To help the community rebound, the response has evolved, through provision of cash and vouchers thus giving families what WFP described as “the dignity of choice.” 

Right now, approximately 10 per cent of Haitians receiving assistance after Hurricane Melissa are benefitting from the voucher programme- an approach WFP aims to expand.

Wilfred Nkwambi, Head of Programmes at WFP in Haiti, emphasized that vouchers are more than simply a means of feeding people — they are a breath of fresh air for the local economy.  

“In this shop alone, the owner employs eight additional people for these distributions. In this part of Petit Goâve, there are five other shops, employing a total of 40 people, mostly women and young people. Not only is it good for the recipients, but also for the city’s merchants and local producers,” explained Mr. Nkwambi.

At the same time, WFP employs day labourers for logistics, generating additional income for local families. This approach benefits everyone, transforming aid into an engine for economic recovery.

Placing dignity and choice at the heart of intervention demonstrates humanitarian assistance can be synonymous with resilience for the Haitian people, according to WFP.

“Thanks to the food voucher distribution, we won’t go hungry in the coming weeks, and we have the chance to start rebuilding our lives,” said Ketia, as she loaded her groceries onto a motorcycle taxi and headed back to her family.