Daily Peace and Crisis Report

Compiled February 22, 2026, 08:01 AEDT

Gaza/Palestine

The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 75,000, according to a household survey published in The Lancet Global Health, a figure significantly higher than the official numbers from the Gaza Ministry of Health. The study estimates 75,200 violent deaths between October 7, 2023, and January 5, 2025 (Al Jazeera). The Gaza Health Ministry reported that as of February 16, at least 72,063 people have been killed since the start of the war. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that between February 6 and 11, 20 Palestinians were killed and 80 others injured (OCHA). In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians between February 3 and 16, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in 2026 to nine. Settler violence also continues, with a 19-year-old Palestinian-American killed by an Israeli settler (NPR).

Sudan

The conflict in Sudan continues to escalate with a recent attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on el-Fasher in Darfur killing more than 6,000 people over three days in late October, according to the UN. The UN Human Rights Office described the violence as "shocking in its scale and brutality" and amounting to war crimes (NPR). In separate incidents, drone strikes attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF between February 15 and 16 killed at least 57 civilians, including 15 children, across four states (UN News).

Ukraine

Heavy fighting continues in Ukraine. Overnight on February 20-21, Russia launched a ballistic missile and 128 drones towards Ukraine, with Ukrainian forces shooting down 107 of the drones. The attacks caused dozens of injuries and damage to infrastructure. In Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks in the Belgorod region killed three people. Peace talks in Geneva between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the US, ended without a major breakthrough (Al Jazeera).

Myanmar

Five years after the military coup, Myanmar is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Nearly 4 million people are internally displaced, 1.5 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries, and about one-third of the population needs humanitarian assistance. A magnitude 7.7 earthquake in March 2025 killed over 5,000 people, exacerbating the crisis (USCRI).

Democratic Republic of Congo

Clashes between pro-government forces and M23 rebels in North Kivu province in January killed at least 50 civilians (TRT World). A ceasefire mediated by Angola has been violated by both sides, with each accusing the other of initiating the violence (The Defense Post).

Other Conflicts

In **Nigeria**, suspected Islamist militants killed at least 34 people in coordinated attacks on several villages in the northwest (Reuters). Tensions are rising between **Ethiopia and Eritrea**, threatening a return to conflict (Crisis Group). The **United States** has renewed threats of military action against **Iran** amid a buildup of military forces in the region and stalled nuclear talks (Al Jazeera).

Statistics Table