World News in Brief: Floods compound misery in Gaza, UN relief chief in Sudan, civilians under attack in Syria

Citing reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that overnight rains damaged tents and belongings in Khan Younis and Gaza City, where many displaced families are sheltering.

“OCHA and our humanitarian partners have been carrying out field visits in multiple areas to assess the impact of the latest rains and to mobilize response efforts. Our partners estimate that about 1.6 million people live in makeshift shelters across Gaza,” he told reporters at the regular news briefing in New York.

Recent months have seen critical preparations for the rainy season hindered by restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian supplies into Gaza, with humanitarian partners having identified about 100 flood-prone areas hosting more than 450,000 men, women, and children in Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, and the Rafah area.

“At nearly all of these sites, local groups are supporting with preparations for potential rains and floods. For example, sandbags have been installed at 20 sites. However, for 90 per cent of the areas assessed by our partners, there are no workable contingency plans if flooding were to render the sites uninhabitable,” Mr. Dujarric added.

Meanwhile, in Gaza City, dozens of families have been displaced following evacuation orders issued on Saturday by Israeli authorities. The affected areas, including Zeitoun and Turkuman Al Jadeda, cover approximately two square kilometres.

Additionally, in North Gaza governorate, Kamal Adwan Hospital has come under repeated attack over the past 48 hours, adding to the strain on Gaza’s fragile healthcare system.

The strikes caused 14 additional injuries, including to the hospital’s director and a small group of remaining medical staff, Mr. Dujarric said.

UN’s top relief official highlights Sudan crisis

Tom Fletcher, the newly appointed UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is making his first field visit in Sudan, where he underscored the magnitude of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

“The Sudan crisis is one of staggering proportions and it demands the world’s attention,” Mr. Dujarric said at the same press briefing, quoting Mr. Fletcher.

During meetings with Sudanese authorities, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Mr. Fletcher discussed critical 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-line aid operations.

He also emphasized the need to focus on the suffering of civilians nationwide.

In the eastern province of Kassala, Mr. Fletcher visited a centre for children evacuated due to violence and a camp for displaced people. Later, in Port Sudan, he participated in an event marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

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

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

This route will expand aid workers’ reach in northern Sudan, enabling quicker access to key areas like Al Dabbah, a vital hub for aid distribution.

Syria: Crisis deepens amid funding shortfall

In the wider Middle East region, attacks over the weekend against civilians in Syria have further compounded a dire humanitarian crisis.

UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, David Carden, condemned the attacks that took place in the country’s northwest.

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

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

Some of the wounded were treated at a hospital supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The attacks came at a time when more than 80 health facilities had fully or partially suspended operations by the end of last month, due to lack of funding.

Limited resources have also hamstrung critical humanitarian efforts to help civilians in need.

Into the final few weeks of the year, the $4.07 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria for 2024 is less than 30 per cent funded, having received only $1.2 billion. Fully funded, the Plan aimed to reach 10.8 million among the most vulnerable people across the country.