Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Hurricane Beryl, Ukraine

Occupied Palestinian Territory

OCHA warns that Israel's instruction for people to leave Gaza city will only fuel mass suffering for Palestinian families, many of whom have been displaced again and again. Today's directive comes on the heels of evacuation orders affecting several parts of Gaza city in recent days. 

These civilians must be protected – and their essential needs must be met, whether they flee or stay. This is what we mean when we say that all parties must respect international humanitarian law, at all times.

The UN and our partners continue our efforts to meet the needs of displaced communities in Gaza, wherever they are. But these evacuation orders are also forcing the humanitarian community to reset their aid operations over and over again.  

The World Food Programme says the unpredictable and volatile situation in Gaza city is limiting its operations – at a time when kitchens supported by WFP are often the only food source for families.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, says that aid workers are responding, but what they can deliver falls far short of the needs in Gaza. In a social media post today, Hadi stressed that more funding and a safe environment are urgently needed for humanitarian operations inside Gaza, following his visit to Deir Al Balah yesterday.

Hadi witnessed firsthand the consequences of the breakdown in public order and safety as he entered and exited the Kerem Shalom crossing. He saw groups of men with sticks waiting for trucks to leave the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. All trucks he passed were badly damaged, with broken windshields, mirrors and hoods.

The Humanitarian Coordinator observed bags of fortified flour from WFP and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) scattered alongside the road coming out of Kerem Shalom. He also saw that the city of Khan Younis has largely been reduced to sand and rubble, without a single structure left untouched.           

While in Gaza, Hadi met with women’s groups who spoke of harrowing conditions at sites for displaced people. Many women have cut off their hair due to lice, difficulties in accessing hygiene products such as shampoo, and the lack of privacy. Others voiced despair over their inability to provide for their families, especially for relatives living with disabilities and those who are sick. They told Hadi that their children go to bed without eating and drinking.

The Humanitarian Coordinator also heard from women about how extreme overcrowding in displacement sites can lead to tensions within communities. One woman said that living with many different families in the same room meant that she wasn't removing her hijab for days and that she couldn't brush her hair or change clothes without being watched. Others told Mr. Hadi that overcrowding, despair and the breakdown in public order and safety are fueling an increase in sexual and gender-based violence.

At the IMC Field Hospital in Deir al Balah – which he visited alongside Dr. Hanan Balkhy, the Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) – Mr. Hadi said he was humbled to see how doctors and nurses provided trauma care for hundreds of patients with severe wounds, despite nearly impossible operational conditions, including the inability to get basic medical supplies such as gauze.

Meanwhile, OCHA reported today that it has documented more than 1,000 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank since October – leading to casualties and damage to property, trees and saplings. Moreover, nearly 1,400 people – including 660 children – in more than two dozen Bedouin and herding communities have been displaced during that same period due to settler violence and access restrictions.

OCHA also says Israeli forces in the West Bank killed 14 Palestinians between 2 and 8 July, the vast majority during two operations in Jenin and Tulkarm cities and their adjacent refugee camps.

Hurricane Beryl

The UN and partners launched a response plan calling for US$9 million to support 43,000 people affected by Hurricane Beryl in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

In Grenada, humanitarians are seeking $5 million people to assist 24,000 people – and $4 million to assist 19,000 people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Regional Overview and Planned Response Plan is aligned with government-led response efforts and provides a preliminary estimate of the impact and funding required to address the urgent needs of affected people across the two countries from this month through December.

Assessments continue, amid access challenges due to power cuts and infrastructure damage. The response plan will be updated if needed.

The islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada and Union Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, have been particularly affected, with over 90 per cent of houses and infrastructure damaged.

Humanitarian colleagues stress that immediate action is crucial to meet the urgent needs of those affected by Hurricane Beryl, particularly in light of what’s expected to be a very intense hurricane season this year.

Ukraine

The UN and partners continue to support the Ukrainian authorities’ efforts to address the impact of Monday’s deadly attacks in the capital, Kyiv.

Local authorities say the attacks killed at least 34 civilians, including 5 children. More than 120 people, including 10 children, were injured. Some 130 buildings were damaged. Rescue services are still on-site clearing debris.

Meanwhile, at the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, rescue operations have now concluded. Six children injured in the attack there are receiving assistance, and some 600 child patients have been moved for treatment to other medical facilities in the city and across the region, according to Government officials and partners on the ground.

Humanitarian organizations provided emergency medical and psychological support, and distributed drinking water, hygiene kits, and other items. They also helped move pediatric and cancer patients, including children with war-related amputations and trauma, to other medical facilities. 

Aid workers have registered people for cash assistance, including families whose relatives were killed or injured, as well as those whose homes were damaged.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization and other partners continue to work with medical authorities to provide support and medical equipment.