Leaders from Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa, along with representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), have expressed concern about the widespread violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) happening in conflicts around the world. The leaders said the violations are causing significant human suffering, and are urging States and…
“Underfunded, overstretched and under attack” is how the United Nation’s top aid official has referred to the UN and the support it is providing to the humanitarian sector. Speaking on Monday to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, Tom Fletcher, who heads up the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said “we…
On World Humanitarian Day, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, honoured the courage and sacrifice of humanitarian workers in Africa and across the world. “Every day, in the most dangerous conditions, humanitarian workers save lives, ease suffering, and protect human dignity. They represent the very best of our shared humanity,”…
With the news on Tuesday that a record 383 aid workers were confirmed killed in the line of duty last year, one veteran UN aid worker based in Gaza reaffirmed the resolve of humanitarians everywhere to save lives and relieve suffering, no matter how challenging the situation. Speaking to UN News from the wartorn enclave…
United Nations, New York — Across the world, wars are being waged on the very systems set up to protect civilian populations: Health workers, hospitals, health centres and ambulances are being targeted in horrifying numbers. Attacks against health facilities doubled between 2023 and 2024, and more than 900 health workers were killed last year. Humanitarian…
The United Nations and NGOs are warning of an imminent famine in the Gaza Strip – a designation based on strict criteria and scientific evidence. But the difficulty of getting to the most affected areas in the Palestinian territory, besieged by Israel, means there are huge challenges in gathering the required data. The internationally-agreed definition…
A humanitarian aid convoy has reached Syria’s Druze-majority Suwayda province as the United Nations warns that the humanitarian situation remains critical after last week’s deadly clashes displaced thousands and left essential services in ruins. Clashes in Druze-majority Suwayda province, which began on July 13 and ended with a ceasefire a week later, initially involved Druze…
Israel has said it is prepared to open humanitarian corridors to allow UN convoys into Gaza, following weeks of international pressure and a growing hunger crisis. In a statement on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had allowed air drops of humanitarian aid to resume, the first of which consisted of seven pallets…
Nairobi — The humanitarian situation in Eastern Africa is rapidly deteriorating due to a convergence of escalating conflicts, economic shocks, disease outbreaks, and extreme climate events, a new report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has revealed. The report, published on Wednesday, paints a grim picture of the region,…
David Gritten BBC News, Jerusalem Getty Images More than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups are warning of mass starvation in Gaza and pressing for governments to take action. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam are among the signatories of a joint statement that says their colleagues and the people…
