UN News Today 11 February 2026 |

Gazans still face Israeli airstrikes and life-threatening Israeli aid restrictions every day, say aid teams

Despite a ceasefire in Gaza, the enclave’s people are still coming under attack while heavy aid restrictions continue, UN relief agency OCHA says.

In its latest update, the humanitarian agency highlighted reports of airstrikes shooting and more in Gaza.

Residential areas have also been hit, OCHA spokesperson Olga Cherevko told UN News:

“We continue to receive extremely concerning reports of civilians being impacted, which includes being killed and injured in the ongoing airstrikes, bombing, shelling, navy fire, and shooting that are being reported on a daily basis. We, of course, want to stress that civilians are protected under international humanitarian law wherever they are.”

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas fighters began on 3 October last year, the UN and partners have scaled up assistance to Gaza.

There’s been progress in providing food, nutrition and health care support, along with shelter assistance, water, sanitation and hygiene.

But much more aid is needed, including X-ray machines and lab equipment, but these are “not easily approved for entry by Israeli authorities”, OCHA noted.

The vital task of helping Sudan’s survivors of sexual violence

To Sudan, where UN-supported teams are on the ground helping people displaced by the country’s brutal war; among them, children and survivors of sexual violence.

In an update, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF said that the situation is dire for the millions of youngsters now living in camps.

With more, here’s the agency’s Eva Hinds, Chief of Advocacy and Communication:

“These are places that are very difficult, difficult places to grow up in. It means that they’re in cramped spaces, they’re in spaces where there’s very limited access to safe water, food, opportunities to continue learning, their sense of safety has been shaken as they’ve been forced to flee, and they’ve seen things that many children have never seen and never should see.”

It’s almost three years since conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces; tens of thousands are believed to have been killed with millions uprooted from their homes. 

Sexual violence – including gang rape – has been widely documented across Sudan and needs are staggering, UNICEF’s Ms. Hinds said.

To help the survivors, the UN agency provides safe spaces, particularly for women and girls, offering compassion, psychosocial support and health service referrals. 

Despite a drop in funding, “the work continues”, Ms. Hinds stressed.

Measles risk increases across Europe: WHO 

A health update now and a warning from the UN that fake news is blocking efforts to eliminate measles, which can kill children or have lifelong consequences.

Across Europe and Asia, latest data shows that the number of countries with endemic measles transmission increased to 19 in 2024, up from 12 the previous year. 

This is despite a significant reduction in the overall number of cases and represents “the most significant setback in measles elimination” in Europe and Asia in recent years, warned the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

WHO underlined that fake news about vaccines is now “rampant” and preventing effective vaccine coverage in communities. Here’s the agency’s Bhanu Bhatnagar:

“False claims about vaccines, often spreading online, are creating doubt and fear, and that hesitation can mean that some parents are delaying or skipping vaccines altogether. Health leaders are clear; they say measles is preventable. But until people have access to trustworthy information and feel confident acting on it, children and adults will continue to be at risk from a disease we already know how to stop.”

Measles is around 12 times more contagious than influenza. As well as hospitalization and death, the virus can cause long-term health complications.

Just two doses of vaccine can provide lifelong protection against measles in 97 per cent of those inoculated.

Daniel Johnson, UN News