Daily Peace and Crisis Report

Compiled Friday, February 20, 2026

Daily Peace and Crisis Report

Compiled February 20, 2026, 08:10 AEDT

Gaza/Palestine: UN Warns of Ethnic Cleansing, Death Toll Exceeds 75,000

A United Nations Human Rights Office report released on February 19, 2026, has raised serious concerns over potential **ethnic cleansing** by Israeli authorities in both Gaza and the West Bank. The report, covering the period from November 2024 to October 2025, highlights intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods, and the denial of humanitarian assistance, which appear aimed at a permanent demographic shift. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated, "Impunity is not abstract – it kills. Accountability is indispensable."

The report documents that at least **463 Palestinians died from starvation**, including 157 children, directly resulting from the blockade on humanitarian aid. It also notes that 79 Palestinians died in Israeli detention during the reporting period. These actions, the report suggests, could constitute war crimes and potentially crimes against humanity or even genocide. [UN OHCHR]

Corroborating the devastating human cost, a new study published in The Lancet Global Health, the Gaza Mortality Survey (GMS), estimates that there were **75,200 violent deaths** in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 5, 2025. This figure is 34.7% higher than the numbers reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health and represents approximately 3.4% of Gaza's pre-conflict population. The study, which interviewed 2,000 households, also estimated **16,300 non-violent excess deaths** due to the collapse of the medical sector and living conditions. [Al Jazeera / The Lancet]

Amidst the ongoing crisis, former US President Donald Trump hosted an inaugural "Board of Peace" meeting in Washington, DC, where countries pledged $7 billion for Gaza's reconstruction and troops for a 20,000-strong stabilization force. However, Trump has been criticized for including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes. Despite Trump's claim that the "war in Gaza is over," the Gaza Government Media Office reports that Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement at least **1,620 times** between October 10, 2025, and February 10, 2026. [Al Jazeera]

Sudan: UN Investigators Find ‘Hallmarks of Genocide’ in El Fasher

A UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan has found that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out actions with the **“hallmarks of genocide”** during their takeover of El Fasher, North Darfur, in late October 2025. The report, released on February 19, 2026, details ethnically targeted killings, widespread sexual violence, and enforced disappearances against the Zaghawa and Fur communities.

The mission concluded that the RSF acted with the intent to destroy these non-Arab ethnic groups in whole or in part. The report documents an 18-month siege that deliberately deprived civilians of food, water, and medical care, followed by a brutal assault. Survivors reported hearing RSF fighters make explicit threats, such as, “If we find Zaghawa, we will kill them all.” Mission Chair Mohamed Chande Othman stated the crimes were not random but part of a “planned and organized operation that bears the defining characteristics of genocide.” The mission warned that the risk of further genocidal acts remains “serious and ongoing.” [UN News]

Ukraine-Russia: Stalled Peace Talks Amidst Staggering Casualties

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues with devastating human and material losses, as peace talks remain deadlocked. According to a January 2026 estimate from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Russian military casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) have reached a staggering **1,200,000**, with as many as 325,000 killed. Ukrainian military casualties are estimated between 500,000 and 600,000, with up to 140,000 fatalities. Civilian deaths total 15,954 in Ukraine and 7,254 in Russia. [Russia Matters]

On the battlefield, Russia continues to make slow but steady gains, capturing approximately 2,102 square miles of Ukrainian territory over the past year. The conflict has displaced 10.6 million Ukrainians, representing 24% of the pre-invasion population. This week, the third U.S.-mediated meeting of 2026 between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators ended without a breakthrough, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accusing Russia of employing "delay tactics."

Other Global Crises

• Afghanistan: The country is facing a catastrophic hunger crisis, with nearly half its population (21.9 million people) requiring humanitarian assistance. Aid cuts have forced the World Food Programme to turn away three in four children seeking help. The crisis is exacerbated by a moribund economy, severe drought, recent earthquakes, and the return of 5.3 million Afghans from neighboring countries. [Washington Post]
• Haiti: Relentless and worsening gang violence has displaced nearly 1.4 million people, with children accounting for over half of the displaced. The country is experiencing a deepening child protection crisis as gangs increasingly rely on children. [Global R2P]
• Sahel Region (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger): The region remains one of the most lethal and fastest-growing terrorism hotspots globally. A wave of military coups, weak governance, and porous borders have enabled terrorist expansion. Post-coup regimes are increasingly relying on Russian forces for security, and the area has been described as the "epicenter of terrorism on the globe." [Crisis24]

Key Statistics