The humanitarian crisis in Haiti continues to worsen largely due to the persistent violence, a UN spokesperson said.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, nearly 4,900 people were killed in Haiti between January and September this year.

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More than 700,000 people have been displaced internally, over half of whom are children. In Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, the deteriorating violence has displaced 12,000 people in recent weeks, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the UN agency.

Food insecurity continues to rise, the office said. Some 5.4 million people, half of the population, are hungry. For the first time since 2022, pockets of famine-like conditions are seen in several areas where displaced people are living.

Ulrika Richardson, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, warned earlier this week that the situation in Haiti is very critical, especially in the capital. Many neighbourhoods there are completely under the control of gangs who impose brutal violence, rape women, and recruit children into their ranks, and that is extremely worrying.

Despite these challenges, the UN and partners continue to deliver humanitarian aid in the country, the spokesperson said. In the first half of the year, they have reached nearly 1.9 million people with humanitarian assistance, including food and cash.

Humanitarians have distributed hundreds of thousands of hot meals and water to displaced people in the capital since the end of February.

More supplies are needed to meet soaring needs in the crisis-striken country. The spokesperson said that the $684 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is currently funded with $288 million, or 43 per cent.

The spokesperson called for real and long-lasting solutions to end the persistent violence and bolster development in Haiti.