Overview
- UN aid chief Tom Fletcher warned that the expanding Middle East war is straining humanitarian operations worldwide by disrupting supply chains and slowing life‑saving deliveries.
- Movement through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf airspace has been largely blocked or constrained, affecting shipments to Gaza and key routes serving sub‑Saharan Africa.
- Freight rates and oil prices have surged, making UN air deliveries much more expensive just as agency budgets face significant donor cuts.
- Fletcher urged parties to grant humanitarian exemptions and secure corridors, including through the Strait of Hormuz, so relief can reach people based on need rather than politics.
- The UN’s 2026 appeal seeks $23 billion, with about $8.7 billion pledged so far including $2 billion from the United States, and Fletcher warned of a massive funding gap that could cost millions of lives.