Today's top news: Ukraine, Yemen, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Afghanistan

# Ukraine UN relief chief calls for entry of vital aid as Oleshky ceasefire holds Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in a social media post that each day the ceasefire in Oleshky holds means hope for civilians in the Ukrainian city.

He stressed that that those wanting to leave must be able to do so safely and voluntarily. “Let this pave the way for vital aid to get in, and more humanitarian access on both sides of the front line,” Fletcher said. Elsewhere in Ukraine , the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the UN and its humanitarian partners are responding to the latest wave of deadly attacks in the regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Poltava.

Aid organizations provided hot meals, cash assistance, legal aid, emergency shelter materials, and temporary repairs to damaged homes. The strikes in the Chernihiv Region killed two children and injured 37 people, including five children, over the past day, according to Ukrainian authorities.

In the city of Kremenchuk, in the Poltava Region, authorities said that three people were killed and 28 others injured, including three children. Homes, shops, pharmacies and an education facility were damaged. At least 25 other civilians were injured across five other regions.

Meanwhile, two humanitarian vehicles came under drone attack yesterday. In the Zaporizhzhia Region, a clearly marked social bus was struck, killing a woman and injuring passengers and the driver. This service, which is supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund managed by OCHA, provides essential transport for a community of over 1,600 people.

In the city of Sloviansk, in the Donetsk Region, an armoured evacuation vehicle was hit, injuring two evacuees. Attacks on energy infrastructure caused further power outages. In the Dnipro Region, 190,000 consumers remained without electricity this morning, while new disruptions were reported in the regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv and Sumy.

Emergency power cuts continued in the capital Kyiv and its surrounding region. OCHA calls once again for the protection of civilians and the critical infrastructure they rely on, especially as colder weather sets in. # Yemen Hostilities displace over 290,000 people OCHA reports that more than 290,000 people have been forced from their homes in Yemen since the beginning of August, as the fighting shows no sign of easing.

Civilians continue to pay the price. The UN Human Rights Office has verified 270 civilian casualties since the beginning of August, with 68 people killed and 202 injured. Women and children make up two thirds of the casualties, and children account for half of those killed.

Pregnant women are among those most at risk. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that nearly 6,100 pregnant women are among those recently displaced, including 600 expected to give birth within the next two weeks. UNFPA has deployed mobile teams and midwives to displacement sites and delivered maternal health supplies to support the response.

The crisis is also affecting refugees already living in Yemen. UNHCR says that more than 65,000 refugees and asylum-seekers face a rapidly worsening humanitarian situation, with services disrupted and rising food and fuel prices making it harder for families to meet basic needs. Since August, UNHCR has helped more than 600 Somali refugees voluntarily return home from Yemen.

Humanitarian partners are scaling up where they can. * They have now supported nearly 249,000 displaced people – or almost three in four of those displaced – with immediate assistance, including critical food, hygiene supplies and emergency cash. OCHA reiterates its call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect international humanitarian law, and allow safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access so that assistance can reach everyone who needs it. * Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Yemen with urgent support. # Lebanon Insecurity puts families returning to southern areas at risk OCHA cautions that the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is far from over.

Despite people’s willingness to return home, continued Israeli military activity and presence in southern Lebanon are undermining people’s ability to return safely and rebuild their lives. This week, further demolitions, fires and strikes were reported across southern Lebanon, inside and outside the IDF-declared military zone.

As of Wednesday, more than 300,000 people remained internally displaced, while nearly 970,000 people had returned to their communities. However, these numbers do not tell the full story. Many people returning to their communities continue to face damaged homes, disrupted services, and limited opportunities to return back to their livelihoods.

For families who have returned, earning a living remains a major challenge. In Nabatieh Governorate, insecurity and restrictions on access to agricultural land are disrupting the olive harvest. In some villages, farmers have been able to harvest for only two days before being forced to stop.

The Lebanon Humanitarian Fund has allocated US$91 million to support displaced people, returnees, refugees and other communities affected by this year's escalation. Without safety, access to essential services, and opportunities to earn a living, families cannot rebuild their lives.

OCHA reiterates its call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, for unimpeded humanitarian access, and for all parties to facilitate the safe and dignified return of people to their homes. # Ethiopia UN, partners continue to support communities in northern areas OCHA says that the UN and its partners continue to reach people in need in northern Ethiopia , despite insecurity and criminal activity that have delayed the movement of humanitarian convoys.

In the Amhara region, the World Food Programme has provided nutrition supplies to more than 254,000 moderately malnourished women and children this month alone. In Wag Hamra Zone, humanitarian partners also continue to provide health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, as well as protection services.

In the Tigray region, partners dispatched 13 food trucks on 29 October to support more than 57,000 displaced people in four districts of Central Zone. An NGO partner dispatched medicine to two hospitals in the towns of Shire and Sheraro, benefiting more than 38,000 people. Despite these efforts, assistance remains insufficient to meet growing needs.

In the Amhara region, people who have recently returned to the districts of Abergele and Tsagbji urgently need food and other essential aid. Meanwhile, a new influx of internally displaced people arriving in the region after fleeing escalating violence in the neighbouring regions of Oromia and Central Ethiopia is also putting more pressure on an already overstretched humanitarian response. # Eritrea UN relief chief fast-tracks funds to stem effects of El Niño Emergency Relief Coordinator Fletcher has allocated $3.5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support early action for the impact of El Niño in Eritrea.

The strengthening El Niño is having a significant impact on the Horn of Africa, including in Eritrea, which is experiencing below-average rainfall affecting crop and livestock productivity, pasture regeneration and water availability. These impacts are expected to worsen following the harvest and into the 2027 lean season.

This new CERF allocation targets the districts most affected by El Niño. The Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Development Programme, UNFPA and UNICEF will work closely with Government counterparts to assist people in priority areas through integrated interventions addressing food security, livelihoods, nutrition, maternal and newborn health, and water, sanitation and hygiene.

The response will promote community ownership and build resilience to future climate shocks. Priority will go to children under the age of five, pregnant and nursing mothers, pastoral and agro-pastoral households, and female-headed households. This allocation is part of CERF's efforts to act early to respond to El Niño. # Afghanistan Fighting at Torkham crossing imperils civilians as returnees arrive from Pakistan OCHA warns that renewed clashes near the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan are putting civilians, including aid workers, at risk in Afghanistan .

On Wednesday, a child from the local community was killed and a humanitarian worker assisting families returning from Pakistan was injured in the fighting. Despite the tensions, the UN and its humanitarian partners remain on the ground, providing aid at the border and nearby reception and transit centres.

Torkham is a major crossing point for Afghans returning from Pakistan: more than 600,000 people have crossed there between January and the start of October, accounting for nearly 85 per cent of people recorded as having returned from Pakistan. Repeated clashes threaten the safety of communities living near the border, returning families and aid workers.

Previous escalations have forced the crossing to close temporarily and humanitarian partners to relocate some services. OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian personnel and facilities, and to ensure that families can safely access the help they need.