Between 1 February and 31 March 2026, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 494 Palestinians killed and at least 489 injured in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire in place since 10 October 2025.
Despite generous support from our donors, 50 per cent of UNICEF’s response remained unfunded in 2025. Urgent additional support is needed in 2026 to sustain and scale lifesaving services for the most vulnerable children.
In 2025, the MENA region faced overlapping crises including conflict, displacement, economic collapse, disease outbreaks, and climate shocks, placing children at risk and disrupting access to services.
In Yemen's northern Hajjah and Hudaydah governates, shrinking humanitarian funding and the withdrawal of services is leading to the closure or reduction of health services, leaving families with fewer options for care.
Ceasefire extended amid continued violations on the ground: Following U.S.‑facilitated talks in Washington, Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the ceasefire for a further three weeks, with the stated aim of preventing escalation and creating space for continued diplomatic engagement.
Across Lebanon, women and girls navigate continued displacement, loss, and returns home – often multiple times – as uncertainty remains part of daily life.
Lebanon continues to confront a massive humanitarian crisis, despite the entry into effect of a 10-day ceasefire on 17 April, with hundreds of thousands of people remaining internally displaced and in urgent need of assistance.
Six months on from the announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is being forgotten as the world’s attention shifts elsewhere in the Middle East, despite conditions within Gaza deteriorating at an alarming pace.
As of the eve of the ten-day ceasefire announcement, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon continued to deteriorate, with prolonged displacement of people who have fled, leaving everything they own and jobs behind**, and are facing difficulties accessing safe and dignified shelter, and basic services**.
At least 2,196 people have been killed, including 172 children, and 7,185 wounded, including 661 children, following weeks of deadly airstrikes and military operations in Lebanon.
Hostilities across Lebanon continued during the reporting period, following the large‑scale airstrikes of 8 April and amid ongoing military operations in southern Lebanon, parts of the Bekaa and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Continued attacks on healthcare were reported during and following the deadliest day of the ongoing conflict on 8 April 2026, constituting a blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law and a clear breach of UN Security Council Resolution 2286, which mandates the protection of health personnel and facilities.
Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, people continue to be exposed to high levels of violence and restrictive policies, resulting in casualties and property damage, prolonging existing displacement, triggering new displacement and deepening humanitarian needs.
8 April marked the deadliest day of the conflict, with at least 303 people killed, including 33 children, and over 1,150 injured, including 153 children. The escalation has sharply increased protection risks for children, highlighting the acute threat to their safety, wellbeing, and access to essential services.
Hostilities continued to escalate through the Easter period between 3 and 6 April, with intensified airstrikes reported across densely populated areas, including Beirut, the Bekaa, and southern Lebanon.
