UN aid agencies say ‘largest’ number of people displaced so far in war of attrition in Gaza
UN humanitarian agencies issued a fresh warning on Thursday of food rations being cut in Gaza, where new evacuation orders by the Israeli military have triggered the “largest wave of displacement since October” across the enclave.
In addition to deep concerns for all those forced from their shelters and homes, the United Nations World Food Programme (World food program) warned that delivering life-saving rations was even more difficult than before, as many distribution points were forced to close.
As of July, WFP had provided food aid to more than 600,000 people in Gaza and food parcels and flour to more than 500,000 people.
According to an update from the UN aid coordination office, the organization has reported having to further cut food rations in Gaza City to ensure wider coverage for the newly displaced. OCHAalso reported that the Israeli military on Wednesday blocked all aid from reaching the northern Wadi Gaza, the river valley that divides the enclave in two.
“This means humanitarian workers are unable to reach any of the hundreds of thousands of people in need,” OCHA said, adding that aid groups were also “unable” to “collect supplies from the northern Erez West gateway – the border crossing between northern Gaza and Israel”.
The UN relief office also recorded multiple reports of military activity along the Israeli military road dividing north and south Gaza, as some 450 people crossed from Gaza City in the north to Deir al Balah province further south on Wednesday alone, compared with just over 1,000 the previous day.
Some new arrivals told aid workers that Israeli troops fired on people trying to cross the border, forcing some to turn back, the UN aid agency said.
UN experts: Human rights violations in CAR detention centres need urgent addressing
United Nations Human Rights Office, OHCHRhas joined the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, or CAR, to call for immediate action to address human rights abuses in detention centers there.
In a new report released on Thursday, OHCHR and the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA described evidence of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, along with lack of food and water.
Thousands of people are being held in overcrowded centres across CAR with limited access to basic resources.
Here is OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan:
“Some detainees have been waiting for trial for years. That is why authorities need to accelerate the reforms they have already begun, experts say. For example, more resources are needed to provide better health care and nutrition. Authorities should also fully enforce legal time limits on detention, pre-trial detention should remain the exception and, of course, those responsible for violations should be held accountable.”
The report covers the period from January to December 2023 and highlights that detention terms are being missed and pre-trial detention is being overused.
The report found that malnutrition, poor health care and sanitation had led to outbreaks of disease in some prisons. It called for more resources to meet the basic needs of detainees.
However, the report also noted some progress. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSCA Valentine Rugwabiza acknowledged the Government’s efforts to address these issues, including more regular trials and prison reforms. They pledged the UN’s support for respect for human rights and the rule of law in CAR.
UNFPA: Every two hours a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth in Yemen
Although the nine-year war in Yemen has eased – the destruction of the healthcare system means a woman dies every two hours during pregnancy or childbirth.
According to the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency United Nations Population FundYemen has a high rate of preventable maternal mortality, with 5.5 million women having no or limited access to reproductive health services, the report said.
UNFPA notes that six in 10 births occur without a skilled midwife, increasing the risk of complications and death.
On July 10, the Yemeni government announced a 70% cut in international funding to the health sector and called on regional and international organizations to provide sustained support to maintain essential health services.
The UN says the war has devastated most sectors in Yemen, including healthcare, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The needs are huge, with 18.2 million people – more than half the country’s population – in need of humanitarian assistance and protection services.
