Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Syria, Madagascar, Southern Africa, Ukraine

Occupied Palestinian Territory

The UN and partners continue to warn about the catastrophic impact a ground operation in Rafah would have on civilians as well as the aid operations supporting them.

Rafah is a major hub for these aid operations. Through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, lifesaving assistance is transshipped to Gaza.

It is where dozens of aid organizations store the life-saving supplies they deliver to civilians across the Gaza Strip. Rafah is absolutely central to our ongoing efforts to provide food, water, health, sanitation, hygiene and other critical support to people across Gaza.

Just a few examples of that:

•  UN Population Fund operate clinics for sexual and reproductive health at field hospitals in Rafah.
• UNICEF and partners provide outpatient treatment for acutely malnourished children at more than 50 sites in Rafah.
• The World Food Programme and its partners are distributing nutrition supplements to children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women in Rafah.
• Three of UNRWA’s eight health centres in Gaza are in Rafah. They provide primary care, medication, vaccination, pre- and post-natal services and wound dressings for injured patients.
• And most importantly – there are hundreds of thousands of civilians who have fled to Rafah to escape bombardment, famine and disease. For them, a ground operation would mean more suffering and death – and that would be a tragedy beyond words. Civilians must be protected. International humanitarian law must be respected. 

Sudan

In Sudan, UN and partners continue to be deeply disturbed by the situation for civilians in and around El Fasher, where clashes and tensions have escalated.

We are particularly alarmed about restrictions on civilian movements and reports that civilians are being attacked and robbed while attempting to flee south from the city – which as you know is the capital of North Darfur State.

A major assault on El Fasher would put more than 800,000 civilians in grave danger – including more than 200,000 people internally displaced since the start of the war a year ago.

Fighting in and around the city has already cut off humanitarian access to civilians who desperately need assistance.

If the violence in El Fasher escalates, more than 360,000 people will be deprived of food assistance and livelihood support, and more than 100,000 people will lose out on shelter assistance. It could also impede humanitarian access to other states in Darfur.

We reiterate our call for an immediate de-escalation and for the parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects. This includes allowing civilians to leave for safe areas. Civilians must receive the essentials they need to survive – including food, shelter and health services.

Pulling back, we also want to flag our deep concern about the wider humanitarian crisis in Sudan. A group of 10 Emergency Directors from UN agencies and NGOs wrapped up a joint mission to Sudan today to sound the alarm over the absolutely devastating situation across the country, including catastrophic food insecurity levels and a growing risk of famine.

Humanitarians urgently need expanded access – across conflict lines and borders – to reach people in need wherever they are. They also need more resources; despite generous pledges made in Paris two weeks ago, the Sudan humanitarian appeal remains only 10 per cent funded. 

Syria

Thousands of people affected by flooding in the north-west of the country urgently need tents and other shelter support.  

Heavy rainfall yesterday caused flooding in Idleb and northern Aleppo, affecting nearly 2,500 people and damaging some 250 tents and more than 180 shelters.

OCHA is among those working to assess the damage, and our partners on the ground are distributing tents, mattresses, blankets, insulators and other assistance.

The UN and partners have been working to move some 800,000 people in northwest Syria to safer and more durable shelters, amid recurrent flooding since the start of the year.

However, funding shortfall are challenging efforts to provide support to the area. Just 8 per cent of the US$1.4 billion needed for the cross-border humanitarian response to north-west Syria has been received to date.

Ukraine

Ukraine's Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown was in the Kharkiv region in the east of the country today, condemning the recent wave of attacks.

Attacks have also continued for a third day in a row in Odesa, causing dozens of civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. That is according to local authorities.

The UN and partners have warned about the impact of the increase in attacks on education institutions and health facilities in recent months. In the first four months of this year alone, nearly 90 schools were damaged in attacks across the country, according to our partners.

Humanitarian organizations are mobilized and providing the emergency repair materials, psychological and legal assistance.

Southern Africa

A severe drought has reportedly affected some 30 million people in Southern Africa.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths has released US$13.5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to shore up support to address the El Niño-induced disaster. The funds will go towards providing food, cash, support for irrigation systems and drought-resistant seed for planting, among other support.

This latest allocation brings the total amount earmarked to confront the El Niño crisis globally to more than $60 million.

Madagascar

In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Gamane's impact on Madagascar in late March, humanitarian efforts continue to evolve. 

The UN continues to support the Government-led response, focusing on the health response due to the risk of epidemics. Humanitarian organizations have provided medicine, mosquito nets and water purification products. They are also providing training on the treatment of water.

The education sector is also a priority as it is the last semester of the school year. Humanitarian aid organizations have distributed tents for temporary classrooms in the next two months.

More than 530,000 people have been affected by the storm. Hundreds of houses, schools and health centers were flooded and damaged.

Roads have also been impacted and our colleagues from OCHA say that access to some affected areas remains challenging as the national road connecting the north-east, one of the most affected regions is still cut-off. Both humanitarian supplies and staff need to be transported by sea or air which increases the cost of the response.

Humanitarian partners are calling for additional resources to support relief efforts.

The flash appeal for Madagascar – which will require some $90 million this year – is under 13 per cent funded, with $11.5 million received to date.