Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
UN Chief Reaffirms Support for UNRWA Amid $80 Million Funding Shortfall

UN Chief Reaffirms Support for UNRWA Amid $80 Million Funding Shortfall

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reaffirmed his full commitment to defending the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and its critical work, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. The Secretary-General has called for UNRWA's vital work to be fully funded, following a statement from the agency warning of unprecedented financial pressures, declining global contributions, and increasingly restrictive operating conditions. UNRWA currently faces an $80 million cash-flow deficit, with accumulated liabilities and recurring financial obligations posing long-term challenges to its sustainability. The agency continues to provide essential services, including education, healthcare, and relief, to Palestinian refugees across its five areas of operation: Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. In recent years, Israel has presented legal, administrative, and practical challenges to UNRWA's operations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
AP NewsAP News
Tens of thousands march in Amsterdam, pressing the Dutch government on Gaza and Israel

Tens of thousands march in Amsterdam, pressing the Dutch government on Gaza and Israel

Tens of thousands of people, many dressed in red, have marched through Amsterdam, demanding the Dutch government take stronger action against Israel over Gaza
ReutersReuters
Heavy rain floods tents housing Gaza displaced people, aid shortages hamper response

Heavy rain floods tents housing Gaza displaced people, aid shortages hamper response

By Dawoud Abu Alkas and Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA/CAIRO, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Heavy rains have flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians crammed into encampments across the Gaza Strip, washing away shelters and soaking blankets and mattresses, local authorities said on Saturday.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
UN Agency Reduces Food Aid in Gaza by One-Third Amid Funding Shortages

UN Agency Reduces Food Aid in Gaza by One-Third Amid Funding Shortages

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a significant reduction in food aid to Gaza, cutting assistance by approximately one-third. This decision, attributed to funding shortages, will impact around half a million Palestinians who rely on critical food assistance. The cuts include reducing food rations by half, meaning families will now receive one food parcel per month instead of two, and a smaller bag of wheat flour. Additionally, the WFP has decreased the number of daily hot meals provided from 250,000 to 150,000. Families in hard-to-reach areas, particularly near the yellow line of Israeli military control, will now receive hot meals every other day instead of daily. The value of cash assistance for 75,000 families will also be reduced. This comes as an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians, or 67% of Gaza’s population, are experiencing acute food insecurity at 'crisis levels or worse,' with 200,000 people in 'emergency conditions' requiring immediate food assistance to prevent deaths ...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
International Court of Justice Orders Israel to Ensure Unhindered Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

International Court of Justice Orders Israel to Ensure Unhindered Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued orders requiring Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure the unhindered provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians throughout Gaza. This directive, issued on March 28, 2024, mandates Israel to cooperate fully with the United Nations, increase the capacity and number of land crossings, and maintain them open as long as necessary. The Court also instructed Israel to prevent its military from committing acts that violate protected rights under the Genocide Convention, specifically including the prevention of humanitarian deliveries. Furthermore, on May 24, 2024, the ICJ reaffirmed its earlier measures and ordered Israel to keep the Rafah crossing open for humanitarian aid, linking this to the deteriorating conditions caused by military operations in Rafah. The Court also required Israel to halt its military offensive and any other actions in the Rafah Governorate that could lead to the physic...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Islamic Relief Intensifies Winter Aid Efforts in Gaza Amidst Humanitarian Crisis

Islamic Relief Intensifies Winter Aid Efforts in Gaza Amidst Humanitarian Crisis

Islamic Relief is expanding its Winterisation Programme in Gaza to support vulnerable populations facing extreme hardship as winter approaches. The organization plans to provide one-time unconditional cash assistance to displaced individuals in shelters across Gaza. This cash aid allows recipients to purchase essential items such as warm clothes, heating materials like firewood and gas, food parcels, or cover medical bills, offering dignity and flexibility in a volatile market. Islamic Relief prioritizes the most vulnerable, including the poorest families, older people, individuals with disabilities, widowed mothers, orphaned children, and displaced persons, coordinating with the UN cluster system to identify those most in need. Despite significant challenges, including Israel's blockade restricting aid entry and the ongoing security risks, Islamic Relief staff and partners are delivering daily aid and constantly adapting their operations to ensure assistance reaches those affected.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Charity Kitchen Closures in Khartoum Threaten Thousands with Hunger Amid Funding Shortages

Charity Kitchen Closures in Khartoum Threaten Thousands with Hunger Amid Funding Shortages

Thousands of displaced individuals in Khartoum, Sudan, are facing severe hunger as numerous charity kitchens have either closed or significantly reduced their operations due to a lack of funding. Supervisors like Al-Sadiq Siddiq in Omdurman report dwindling donations, forcing them to cut back on the number of meals provided. This situation is pushing more families into extreme food insecurity, with some resorting to physical altercations over meager portions of food. Many residents now subsist on a single meal per day. For instance, a charity kitchen in the East Nile area, which previously served over 800 families, has closed, and another in eastern Al-Jarif shut down eight months ago after funding from the East Nile Emergency Response Room ceased. These closures are compounded by soaring food prices, making basic necessities unaffordable for many households.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
UN World Food Programme Reduces Aid to Gaza Amid Funding Shortages, Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

UN World Food Programme Reduces Aid to Gaza Amid Funding Shortages, Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has significantly reduced its food aid to Gaza, cutting assistance by approximately one-third and impacting half a million Palestinians. This reduction, announced on October 19, includes halving food rations from two parcels a month to one, decreasing the size of wheat flour bags, and reducing daily hot meals from 250,000 to 150,000. Families in hard-to-reach areas near Israeli military control will now receive hot meals every other day instead of daily. Additionally, cash assistance for 75,000 families has been reduced. These cuts come as an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians, or 67% of Gaza’s population, face acute food insecurity at 'crisis levels or worse,' with 200,000 people in 'emergency conditions' requiring immediate food assistance to prevent starvation. The WFP attributes these reductions to funding shortages. This situation exacerbates an already dire humanitarian crisis, with residents like Al-Abd Abu Beid expressing despair over the loss of essent...
Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Macklemore Says Nine U.S. Venues Turned Down ‘Free Palestine’ Tour: ‘They Got Me F-cked Up’

Macklemore Says Nine U.S. Venues Turned Down ‘Free Palestine’ Tour: ‘They Got Me F-cked Up’

The rapper performed three sold-out shows in Europe with special guests in support of organizations providing aid to Gaza, but says bringing the tour stateside has been more challenging
Rapid ReadRapid Read
UNRWA Reports 94% of Gaza's Population in Urgent Need of Humanitarian Aid

UNRWA Reports 94% of Gaza's Population in Urgent Need of Humanitarian Aid

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has reported that approximately 94% of Gaza’s population, totaling 1.98 million people, requires urgent humanitarian assistance. This critical need is primarily for shelter and non-food items, exacerbated by deteriorating living conditions and persistent shortages of essential services. According to a report published by UNRWA, 58% of the population faces critical or catastrophic shelter needs. An assessment of 113 displacement sites identified 18 emergency shelters as unsafe due to structural integrity risks, with four facing an extremely high risk of collapse. Furthermore, 84% of Gaza’s population experiences frequent and irregular disruptions in access to safe and clean water, and 89% of households lack sufficient basic hygiene supplies. These findings underscore the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
AP NewsAP News
US military carries out new targeted strikes on Iran as Tehran's leaders weigh mediator's proposals

US military carries out new targeted strikes on Iran as Tehran's leaders weigh mediator's proposals

President Donald Trump says the U.S. military has carried out new limited strikes on Iran, targeting air defense systems