24 April 2026 – Peace and Security
The United States has announced a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire following talks in Washington, offering a potential pause in hostilities. Concurrently, humanitarian concerns are escalating due to shortages in Iran and Gaza, and another UN peacekeeper has tragically died after being targeted. Stay with us for continuous live updates.
Key Highlights
- Iran Health Concerns Grow: Warnings are escalating regarding potential shortages of essential medical supplies, with damage to health facilities and production capacity severely impacting access to critical care.
- Lebanon Humanitarian Crisis Persists: While many are returning home following the ceasefire, a significant number remain displaced, facing limited access to shelter, water, and basic services.
- UNIFIL Peacekeeper Dies from Injuries: An Indonesian peacekeeper serving with UNIFIL has succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion last month.
- IMO Urges Seafarer Protection: The UN maritime agency has reiterated its call for enhanced safeguards for crews in the Strait of Hormuz, which remains impacted by multiple vessel attacks and casualties.
Production team: Vibhu Mishra, Matt Wells and Ana Carmo in New York, Daniel Johnson in Geneva
UNESCO, the UN agency dedicated to defending press freedom, has issued a stark warning that more journalists were killed in conflict zones last year compared to non-conflict settings.
“It’s a vicious circle when you know that journalists are killed,” stated Sylvie Coudray, Director for Freedom of Expression at UNESCO, as she called for an end to impunity.
Support for Southern Lebanon
A new initiative has been launched to support rural communities in southern Lebanon severely affected by the ongoing conflict.
The joint project by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture aims to assist approximately 230 vulnerable farming households involved in crop and livestock production.
This initiative will also empower families to sustain food production and generate income, simultaneously strengthening local agri-food systems. FAO reports that women, including those heading households, will constitute at least 30 percent of the beneficiaries.
The program’s overarching goal is to help families maintain food production and income, while bolstering local agri-food systems and enhancing their resilience to future shocks.
Women’s Health in Conflict Zones
“Even during labor, I was afraid. I could hear sirens and kept thinking about my children,” recounted Haneen*, a mother of six from a village in the occupied West Bank. Movement restrictions, pervasive insecurity, and an overstretched health system are making it increasingly challenging for women to access essential care.
During her previous pregnancies, Haneen had to travel to the nearby city of Qalqilya, with each visit proving both exhausting and costly.
UNFPA, the UN’s reproductive health agency, is actively bridging this critical gap through mobile clinics that deliver antenatal and emergency services directly to remote communities.
For women like Haneen, these dedicated teams represent a lifeline, providing not only crucial healthcare but also a sense of safety and support in an otherwise volatile environment.
UNFPA further deploys midwives to ten safe motherhood centers, specifically established to mitigate the impact of movement restrictions and to bring essential care closer to pregnant women, particularly when complications arise.
Journalist Killed in Southern Lebanon
The head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has strongly condemned the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in southern Lebanon.
UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany called for a thorough investigation into her tragic death, emphasizing the vital role journalists play in providing information during conflict and underscoring the imperative need to ensure their protection.
Amal Khalil, a dedicated reporter for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, was killed while on assignment, traveling to report on developments in Bint Jbeil. Disturbingly, she had reportedly received death threats related to her work in September 2024.
UNESCO reiterated that journalists are civilians under international law and called upon all parties to unequivocally respect their safety.
Among its core responsibilities, UNESCO is tasked with the crucial mission of defending press freedom and protecting journalists worldwide.
Strait of Hormuz Security Concerns
The head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has voiced grave concern over escalating incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, issuing a warning about the growing risks to shipping and crew safety in the vital waterway.
Alarmingly, at least 29 vessels have been attacked in the region, resulting in the reported deaths of 10 seafarers. Furthermore, there are concerning reports of some ships being boarded and seized.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez asserted that freedom of navigation in the strait must be upheld and cautioned against any measures lacking international legal basis. He also specifically called for the immediate release of all detained crew members.
Global Food Crisis Deepens
Acute food insecurity and malnutrition continue to be alarmingly high worldwide, with crises increasingly concentrated in a limited number of countries, according to a significant new report released today by UN agencies, the European Union, and their partners.
The 2026 Global Report on Food Crises reveals that acute hunger has doubled over the past decade, with the unprecedented declaration of two famines last year.
A healthcare worker measures the arm circumference of a young child in South Sudan for signs of malnutrition. © UNICEF
The report warns that ongoing conflicts, severe climate shocks, and persistent economic instability are projected to maintain food insecurity at critical levels throughout 2026.
The escalation of the Middle East conflict is exacerbating these pressures, elevating risks of disruption to global food and fertilizer markets, and consequently increasing costs for vulnerable communities, especially in import-dependent nations.
Higher energy and transport costs are already eroding purchasing power, and the report cautions that continued disruptions could trigger broader global spillover effects on food systems.
UNIFIL Peacekeeper’s Death Confirmed
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has officially reported the death of an Indonesian peacekeeper who sustained critical injuries at the end of last month in southern Lebanon.
Corporal Rico Pramudia, 31, tragically died in a Beirut hospital after sustaining severe injuries in a projectile explosion at his base on March 29.
UNIFIL extended its deepest condolences to his family, the Indonesian Army, and the Government of Indonesia.
The mission also urged all parties to uphold international law and ensure the safety of UN personnel, unequivocally stressing that attacks on peacekeepers constitute serious violations that may amount to war crimes.
Iran Healthcare Access Concerns
Concerns are mounting over access to essential healthcare in Iran following weeks of conflict, despite the recent ceasefire.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns that hundreds of health facilities have been damaged or destroyed, raising fears of severe shortages in critical services.
Speaking after a visit to Tehran, IFRC official Cristhian Cortez Cardoza noted that while the ceasefire provided some immediate relief, “a ceasefire does not mean the conflict is over,” with its profound impacts expected to endure for months and even years.
Particular concern centers on the production of vital medical supplies, including crucial dialysis filters, with one key facility reportedly possessing only a few months’ worth of raw materials.
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