Occupied Palestinian territory and Israel
In a statement issued today on the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and Israel, the Humanitarian Coordinator in the oPt, Lynn Hastings, has warned that the situation will likely increase humanitarian needs, in particular in the Gaza Strip, following years of the Israeli blockade, Palestinian political divisions and recurrent escalations.
Humanitarian Coordinator Hastings said that the recent escalation has already seen children and other civilians killed and injured and it must stop to avoid more deaths and injuries.
She added that the movement of humanitarian personnel and the entry of goods to Gaza, including fuel, must be continuously allowed.
Daily Noon Briefing Highlights – 7 May 2021
Madagascar
The humanitarian crisis in the Grand Sud – which is experiencing its most acute drought in four decades – is deteriorating rapidly. More than 1.1 million people, or two in every five people, are severely food insecure. The situation is expected to deteriorate in the months ahead.
Alarmingly, in Amboasary Atsimo district, about 75 per cent of the population is facing severe hunger, with nearly 14,000 people catastrophically food insecure (IPC 5) and in famine-like condition.
The number of children admitted for treatment for life-threatening severe acute malnutrition in the first quarter of 2021 was four times the five-year average.
The United Nations, together with its humanitarian partners, is scaling up response, but more resources are urgently needed to save lives.
Daily Noon Briefing Highlights – 30 April 2021
South Sudan
On 28 April, humanitarian staff from a United Nations agency and a national non-governmental organization (NGO) were physically assaulted by youth in separate incidents in Torit town, Eastern Equatoria.
On 24 April, in Jamjang in Ruweng Administrative Area, youth entered an international NGO compound and physically attacked staff, resulting in multiple injuries.
These attacks come amid high levels of youth unemployment in the country and demands by them to be hired by humanitarian organizations.
Some organizations have been forced to relocate staff to safer areas and are limiting movements due to insecurity. Activities have been suspended or scaled down, including critical health and nutrition assistance. Referrals to the state hospital in Torit have been interrupted, while some 40 nutrition centres in Torit are temporarily inaccessible to people.