Tue Oct 01 09:20:35 UTC 2024: ## UN Warns of Potential Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen and Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflicts

**New York, September 30, 2024** – The United Nations has issued warnings regarding potential humanitarian crises in Yemen and Gaza, both regions already grappling with ongoing conflicts.

In Yemen, UN humanitarian officials expressed concern over the disruption of food imports following Israeli strikes on the crucial port of Hudaydah. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted that the war-torn nation heavily relies on these imports, particularly for food and fuel. The Houthis, who control the ports, claimed they launched missile and drone attacks on Tel Aviv and Ashkelon in recent days.

OCHA also raised alarms about the impending rainy season in Gaza, emphasizing that ongoing Israeli military operations have hampered aid delivery. With Israel continuing its bombing and ground war against Hamas, the agency stressed that the lack of unimpeded access will hinder preparations for the anticipated flooding. The agency warned that the flooding could worsen already dire living conditions, escalate health risks, and potentially displace hundreds of thousands of people.

Separately, the UN condemned a Russian attack on a hospital in the Ukrainian city of Sumy, which reportedly resulted in casualties. Matthias Schmale, the UN’s top aid official in Ukraine, emphasized that health centres must not be targeted in the ongoing conflict.

Adding to concerns about the ongoing human rights situation in Algeria, UN experts urged the authorities to overturn a prison sentence handed down to poet Djamila Bentouis for her participation in the Hirak social protest movement. Bentouis received a two-year prison sentence and a fine for expressing her views through song and poetry. The experts, including the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, highlighted that the charges against Bentouis appear directly linked to her exercising her right to freedom of expression. They expressed hope that the Algerian appeals court will uphold the right to freedom of expression when it considers the case on Wednesday.

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