“Absolutely unacceptable,” WFP chief Cindy McCain tweeted on Tuesday, a day after the airstrike. “These deliberate attacks MUST end. Aid workers and humanitarian assets are not a target.”

The UN agency said on Monday that a warehouse used for its humanitarian operations “was targeted by a precision-guided, Iskander ballistic missile,” marking the second time the facility has come under fire in six months. 

The warehouse was storing enough humanitarian food assistance to support 130,000 people living near the frontline, with an estimated value of around $1.4 million.

Aid under attack 

“This is the second time this warehouse has been hit. In November 2025, it was damaged by a drone strike,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative in Ukraine. 

“Over the past 18 months, WFP has recorded more than 84 incidents affecting its warehouses, vehicles, distribution points, and the assets of its local humanitarian partners across Ukraine,” he added. 

He stressed that targeting humanitarians during conflict is a crime and a violation of international humanitarian law. 

Feeding thousands monthly 

In the wake of the attack, WFP teams were on site to assess the full extent of the damage, and all personnel were marked as safe.  

Despite increasing security risks, the agency said its teams continue to provide critical food and cash assistance to nearly 600,000 people every month in frontline regions of Ukraine.  

Massive attack in Kyiv 

The incident occurred a day after Russia carried out a massive drone and missile attack in the capital Kyiv and neighbouring regions, which killed two people and injured nearly 90. 

UN humanitarians said it was one of the largest combined air attacks on the country since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022. 

Russia has warned that it will carry out more strikes on the city, according to media reports. 

‘This nonsense has to stop’ 

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, visited one of the sites impacted in Monday’s attack and recorded a video that was posted on social media. 

He noted that “the whole market was burnt down” while a nearby metro station – where people were sheltering – was impacted. 

He recalled that the attack came 10 days after bombardment that left 24 dead in the city, saying “this nonsense has to stop.” 

Apart from Kyiv, attacks across Ukraine and frontine hostilities between 22 and 25 May killed nearly 20 and injured over 200 more civilians, with the regions of Kherson, Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk reportedly repeatedly impacted. 

Humanitarians provided immediate emergency support after the attacks.

More civilian casualties 

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is now in its fifth year. 

UN human rights monitors recently reported that more people were killed and injured in Ukraine during the first quarter of 2026 than in the same period in any of the last three years. 

At least 238 civilians were killed, and 1,404 injured, in April, thus bringing the number of verified civilian casualties in 2026 at the time to 815 killed and 4,174 injured.  

These figures represented a 21 per cent increase compared to January-April 2025, and a 93 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. 

UN partners also report that between January and April of this year, at least 62 incidents affecting humanitarian personnel, vehicles, supplies and facilities were recorded across the country. 

Following the airstrikes in Lebanon, families were seen spending the night in their vehicles in the capital Beirut, where some shelters have taken in dozens of families in the past 24 to 48 hours.  

Nearly one million people overall are still displaced across the country in the wake of the escalation of hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants that began on 2 March. 

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said that for the first time, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order on Tuesday for the city of Nabatieh, located north of the Litani River. 

A renewed evacuation order was also issued for the town of Mashgara in Bekaa, where rescue operations are continuing following an Israeli airstrike on Monday night. 

Health workers killed 

The World Health Organization (WHO) said nine attacks on healthcare were recorded in four days, 21-24 May, resulting in eight health workers killed and 45 injured.  

On 23 May alone, 25 medical staff were injured at the Hiram Hospital in South governorate, following several airstrikes in the immediate area.  

That same day, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the Civil Defense Center in Nabatieh, including firefighting and rescue equipment, as well as heavy machinery, impacting the already overstretched emergency response capacity.  

Two other hospitals, in South and Nabatieh governorates also sustained damage from nearby strikes in recent days.  

“We reiterate that attacks on health workers and health facilities are unacceptable. All parties to conflicts must immediately stop them and ensure protection for healthcare,” said Mr. Haq. 

Record airspace violations 

He also provided an update on the work of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. 

Since last Friday, UNIFIL has observed extensive Israeli military activity as well as non-State armed group attacks – presumed to be by Hezbollah – on Israeli forces in its area of operations, despite the cessation of hostilities.  

On Monday, peacekeepers detected 91 airspace violations – the highest number since the ceasefire came into effect on 17 April.   

They also reported 399 firing incidents attributed to Israeli forces and 11 trajectories of projectiles attributed to Hezbollah. 

UNIFIL has also facilitated several humanitarian missions in coordination with UN and other aid agencies.

Open more Gaza crossings 

Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Mr. Haq said UN humanitarians report that movement of supplies into Gaza continues to be restricted. 

Over the weekend, Israeli authorities informed that the Zikim Crossing will remain closed this week, leaving Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem as the only operational crossing for cargo.  

“We continue to call for more crossings to open and for more critical supplies, such as back-up generators and fuel, to be let in, regularly, predictably and in sufficient volumes,” he said. 

Rodent control campaign 

Humanitarian efforts to address public health risks and improve sanitation across the Gaza Strip continue. 

Earlier this month, the UN and partners brought three tonnes of rodenticides and 3,000 litres of pesticides into the enclave to tackle infestations. 

They launched response efforts across 1,700 locations to spray, take rodent control measures and raise people’s awareness.  

Engine oil shortage and flooding threat 

Mr. Haq said aid partners working in water and sanitation report that severe shortages of engine oil continue to disrupt critical operations.   

They estimate that roughly 7,000 litres are needed each month to keep operations running, and “life‑saving activities are increasingly curtailed.”  

He cited the example of the Sheikh Radwan stormwater lagoon in Gaza City which had to shut down on 11 May to preserve the lifespan of a generator.  

“Since then, water and wastewater levels have risen significantly, raising the risk of flooding in the coming weeks and posing further public health threats,” he said. 

Support in the West Bank 

Meanwhile, UN partners provided more than 14,000 households across Gaza with shelter and essential items.  

“Our partners are also responding in the West Bank, mainly to Palestinian communities affected by conflict-related damage, escalating settler violence, the increasing risk of forcible displacement of entire communities and deteriorating shelter conditions,” said Mr. Haq.  

They reached more than 40,000 people last month alone, providing shelter repairs, cash assistance, tents and other supplies, in addition to installing fences and doors.  

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia have been battling their former allies in Sudan’s military government for control of the country since April 2023.

According to local sources, at least 12 people were killed in attacks on two towns in North Darfur near the Sudan-Chad border, the UN’s Deputy Spokesperson told journalists on Tuesday. 

Additional strikes in the towns of Al Tina and Kornoi earlier this week also caused multiple deaths and injuries, including attacks that reportedly killed children and wounded civilians.

The UN warned that the growing use of drone attacks is increasing the danger for civilians in areas already struggling with displacement, insecurity and limited humanitarian access.

Diplomatic efforts continue

At the same time, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, is continuing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and civilian protection. 

The UN – alongside regional and international partners – is also working to support preparations for a future Sudanese-led political dialogue.

The UN again called on all combatants to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and allow humanitarian aid to reach communities in need, warning that millions across Sudan urgently require assistance.

Violence in Haiti’s capital shows no sign of abating

The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported on Tuesday that conditions continue to deteriorate in and around the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, with gang-related violence spiking since 10 May – particularly in the neighbourhood of Cité Soleil

According to new estimates from UN migration agency IOM, some 17,500 people – that’s more than 4,200 households – have been displaced in the past two weeks. 

More than 80 per cent of the displaced are sheltering in 33 sites, while others are hosted by already vulnerable families, OCHA said. 

Needs rapidly grow

Assessments at the displacement sites point to rapidly growing needs for food, clean water, healthcare and hygiene supplies. 

Conditions at the sites, including poor lighting, are also raising concerns over safety. 

“Children separated from their families, pregnant women and people with disabilities are at greater risk as a result,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters at the daily briefing. 

“Our humanitarian partners continue to respond despite the insecurity and access constraints, with OCHA coordinating the effort to ensure we can reach people in need more effectively.” 

UN warns Afghan women are ‘no longer equal before the law’

The UN gender equality agency, UN Women, is raising alarm over the latest Taliban decree which further erodes Afghan women and girls of their rights, nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power.

Decree No. 18, issued by Afghanistan’s de facto Ministry of Justice on 14 May, outlines rules for separation from a spouse and has sparked concerns over an increase in child marriage and women’s ability to leave abusive relationships.

Unlike laws in place before the Taliban takeover, the decree sets no minimum age for marriage and instead rules that child marriage can only be annulled only after a girl reaches puberty. 

The move risks normalizing child marriage in Afghanistan.

Power imbalance 

The decree also places heavier legal burdens on women seeking separation from a spouse, including requiring multiple witness testimonies, while allowing husbands greater authority in marital disputes.

“This again highlights that men and women are no longer equal before the law in Afghanistan,” said Susan Ferguson, the UN agency’s Special Representative in the country.

UN Women is calling on Taliban authorities to reverse course to ensure that laws and policies conform to international human rights standards.

Dire conditions in Gaza marked by continuing violence, rodent infestations and the spread of infectious disease, are being made worse by blockages preventing essential medical supplies from entering the enclave.

‘I feel like I’m in prison’ 

Umm Ahmad lives with her family in a camp in western Gaza City, where she arrived after a journey of displacement that forced the family to move four times – after being displaced from Jabalia in the north.

“This tent broke our backs; we can’t even stand up in it. I feel like I’m in prison,” she says, entering her flimsy makeshift home.

Pointing to a bag of bread hanging at the entrance to the tent, she told our correspondent: “We hang food so that it is away from mice. Mice and rodents sleep among us in the tent. This is more difficult suffering than the war itself.”

Water scarcity 

In a narrow corridor between the tents, Umm Ahmad stands in front of a small counter on which a bowl of soap and water has been placed for washing dishes and cups. Due to scarcity, families rely on storing water manually in plastic containers in quantities that do not meet daily needs.

“There is very little water, when it is available we can clean it. The possibilities are limited, as you can see, and the situation is disgusting. This is the life in tents.”

UN partners on the ground report that access to water remains a major challenge, with three out of four families relying on truck deliveries. Humanitarian partners are delivering around 24,000 cubic metres of water this way every day through approximately 2,000 distribution points. 

However, those deliveries depend on generators and machinery that are at risk of breaking down due to shortages of maintenance and repair supplies. Humanitarian organisations continue to stress that essential supplies must urgently be allowed into Gaza to prevent the collapse of critical equipment.

Life turned to rubble

Sitting on a small plastic barrel, Umm Ahmad recalls the spacious home and the life she once had: “We used to live in a five-storey house equipped with all the necessities of life, with apartments for our children to get married in, but it was destroyed by the war.

“We had everything, we were living in luxury and suddenly our lives were turned upside down and we are living in tents. This is our fourth displacement; we have been on the streets for three years now.”

More than two-and-a-half years after Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel leading to a massive counter-offensive, the cloth tents scattered across Gaza are no longer merely temporary shelters for displaced people, but have become a prolonged daily reality for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

‘Life of humiliation’

Overcome with frustration and sadness, she tells our correspondent: “No matter what I tell you, I can’t describe what life is like in tents. In the winter, the tent was flooded with rain every day and the wind blew it. We re-erected it, and we couldn’t dry our clothes or mattresses. 

“In the summer, the suffering is even more severe due to mice, other rodents and insects. It’s a life of humiliation; I can’t take it anymore.”

When our reporter asked her about privacy in the tents, Umm Ahmad said, “There is no privacy. We all crowd together in the tent. Now two of my sons are getting married, we are trying to pitch two tents for them, but the space is not enough. You can’t imagine what we’re experiencing. Bathrooms and sanitation are another matter.”

The health situation in the enclave is devastating. 22 attacks on healthcare have been reported in Gaza this year and barely half of the hospitals are partially functional, while not a single hospital can be considered fully operational.

Umm Ahmad smiled only when her two grandchildren approached her and she began to comfort them. Where once there was space and plenty, life in the camp is a constant struggle to secure even the most basic necessities.