GENEVA 

The UN humanitarian office on Tuesday raised alarm over the dire humanitarian situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as heavy fighting and atrocities escalate.

"The humanitarian situation remains extremely worrying," said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke in a UN briefing.

There are reports of gender-based violence, looting, and humanitarian facilities being hit, Laerke said, adding that hospitals in Goma are overwhelmed, electricity and water supplies are disrupted, and the city remains offline due to internet cuts.

He stressed that over 700,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of the year, with sites housing 300,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) completely emptied as frontlines advanced rapidly last week.

He added that the UN's emergency fund has allocated $17 million to support the response, but called on all parties to establish humanitarian corridors and temporary pauses in fighting to allow aid to reach civilians and evacuate the wounded.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has echoed these concerns, reporting nearly half a million displacements in North and South Kivu in January alone.

"IDP sites, intended to provide safety, have been targeted with heavy artillery, destroying shelters and killing civilians," said UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh.

While some people are fleeing across borders, many remain trapped, awaiting assistance amid life-threatening conditions, Saltmarsh said.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has also warned of a deepening food crisis in Goma, where blocked roads and closed ports are cutting off vital supplies.

"Families fleeing the fighting face unimaginable challenges, and food scarcity is becoming critical," said WFP spokesperson Shelley Thakral. WFP's operations in the region have been temporarily paused due to security risks, further compounding the crisis.

UN agencies have collectively condemned the violence and called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, ensure civilian protection, and facilitate humanitarian access.

With over 5.1 million people already displaced in North and South Kivu before this escalation, Congo remains at the center of one of the world's most urgent humanitarian emergencies.

"This is a huge test for Congolese trapped by the fighting in Goma and surrounding areas - of their resilience and the next 24 hours will be critical as people start to run low on supplies and will need to see what they can find to survive," Thakral said.