Humanitarian aid
UN condemns Myanmar market strike, funds drought response in Africa and notes surge in West Bank violence
A UN‑led briefing highlighted a deadly airstrike on a Myanmar market, new CERF drought funding for three African nations, and a sharp rise in settler attacks displacing thousands in the West Bank.
Myanmar market strike and forced returns
On Monday an airstrike hit a market in Kyauktaw township, Rakhine state, killing at least 50 people and injuring at least 58, including women and children among the more than 200 shops that were operating. UN Secretary‑General António Guterres called for accountability, while UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned that the attack raised serious concerns about respect for international humanitarian law. Hours later Malaysia began deporting roughly 5,000 Myanmar nationals under a plan it says involves voluntary repatriation, a process UNHCR says it was not consulted on. UNHCR urged an immediate halt to returns, noting that conditions in Myanmar remain unsafe and that about 1,500 people have already been sent back.
Anticipatory drought funding in Africa
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher released emergency funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund to address an El Niño‑driven drought affecting South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Chad. Six million dollars will support early actions for more than 10 million people already needing aid in South Sudan, covering food, health, nutrition, protection, water and sanitation. Four million dollars will be used in Zimbabwe for anticipatory food, health and nutrition assistance before the drought hits. In Chad, 3.6 million dollars will help 350,000 people prepare for dry conditions, funding cash assistance, livestock feed, malnutrition screening, disease surveillance and gender‑based violence prevention.
Escalating settler violence and displacement in the West Bank
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded more than 1,600 settler attacks in the West Bank this year, an average of 6.7 per day, up from five daily incidents in 2025. These attacks have displaced over 4,300 Palestinians, with villages such as Jalud experiencing house damage and forced evacuations. In Gaza, UNRWA reported that 1,394 Palestinians have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire and that 94 percent of the population still need shelter assistance. OCHA stressed that civilians, including aid workers, must be protected amid the rising violence.