World news summary: Floods add to misery in Gaza, UN aid chief in Sudan, civilians attacked in Syria

Citing the report of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Monday that overnight rain damaged tents and furniture in Khan Younis and Gaza City, where many displaced families are taking shelter.

“OCHA and our humanitarian partners have conducted field visits in many areas to assess the impact of the latest rains and mobilize response efforts. Our partners estimate there are about 1.6 million people living in temporary shelters across Gaza,” he told reporters at a regular news conference in New York.

Recent months have seen vital preparations for the rainy season hampered by restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, with humanitarian partners having identified around 100 areas. Flood-prone areas host more than 450,000 men, women and children in Khan Younis, Deir al- Balah and Rafah areas.

“In most of these locations, local groups are assisting with preparations for possible floods. For example, sandbags have been installed at 20 locations. However, for 90% of the areas assessed by our partners, there are no viable contingency plans if flooding makes these locations uninhabitable,” Mr. Dujarric added.

Meanwhile, in Gaza City, dozens of families were displaced following an evacuation order issued by Israeli authorities on Saturday. The affected areas, including Zeitoun and Turkuman Al Jadeda, cover an area of ​​approximately two square kilometers.

Additionally, in North Gaza province, Kamal Adwan Hospital has been attacked repeatedly over the past 48 hours, adding further strain to Gaza’s fragile healthcare system.

Mr. Dujarric said the strikes had injured 14 more people, including the hospital director and a small group of remaining medical staff.

Top UN aid official highlights Sudan crisis

Tom Fletcher, the newly appointed United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is making his first on-site visit to Sudan, where he is highlighting the importance of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

“The Sudan crisis is staggering in scale and it demands the world’s attention,” Mr. Dujarric said at the same news conference, quoting Mr. Fletcher.

In meetings with Sudanese authorities, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Mr. Fletcher discussed important issues such as removing barriers to aid delivery , increasing the presence of humanitarian workers in hard-hit areas and scaling up cross-border and conflict aid operations.

He also emphasized the need to focus on the suffering of people across the country.

In the eastern province of Kassala, Mr. Fletcher visited a center for children displaced by violence and a camp for displaced people. Then, in Port Sudan, he participated in a marking event International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Mr. Dujarric said the next delegation will take Mr. Fletcher to Chad, where he will meet with Sudanese refugees and host communities, as well as local authorities and aid partners.

Separately, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has announced the launch of a second domestic route for its Humanitarian Air Service, with the first flight connecting Port Sudan to Dongola, in the Northern State, completed yesterday.

The route will expand the reach of aid workers in northern Sudan, allowing faster access to key areas such as Al Dabbah, a key aid distribution hub.

Syria: Crisis is deepening due to lack of funding

In the wider Middle East, attacks over the weekend against civilians in Syria have further increased tensions. catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

The United Nations deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, David Carden, condemned the attacks that took place in the northwest of the country.

According to reports, at least three civilians, including one child, were killed and 27 others, including 12 children, were injured.

“Civilians are not targets, [and] children are not targets,” Mr. Carden said in a post on social media platform X, emphasizing “they must be protected without exception.”

Some injured people were treated at hospitals supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The attacks come at a time when more than 80 medical facilities were completely or partially suspended late last month due to lack of funding.

Limited resources have also hampered vital humanitarian efforts to help people in need.

During the last few weeks of the year, the $4.07 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria in 2024 was 30% underfunded and had received only $1.2 billion. Fully funded, the Plan aims to reach 10.8 million of the most vulnerable people in the country.