Daily Peace and Crisis Report — Wednesday 22 Apr 2026

Compiled April 22, 2026, 08:05 AEST  |  Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN)

Summary

Summary:

• The Middle East remains the epicentre of global conflict: Israel continues strikes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank during a nominal "ceasefire," while the fragile US–Iran truce has been extended by President Trump pending new negotiations in Islamabad.
• The Israel–Lebanon ceasefire entered its second week, but Hezbollah fired rockets and drones into northern Israel on 21 April, accusing Israeli forces of more than 200 ceasefire violations.
• Russia has seized approximately 1,700 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory so far in 2026, as peace negotiations remain stalled and Ukraine intensifies deep-strike operations against Russian infrastructure.
• Sudan's civil war has entered its fourth year with nearly nine million people still internally displaced; millions are returning home to devastated infrastructure, and the humanitarian response remains severely underfunded.
• Myanmar's military-backed president proposed new peace talks with resistance groups within 100 days, but the main opposition body and People's Defence Force immediately rejected the offer.
• Amnesty International's 2025/26 annual report, released on 21 April, describes a global human rights collapse driven by what it calls a "predatory world order," citing leaders in Israel, Russia, and the United States as principal actors.
• The Democratic Republic of Congo sees continued instability in the east, while Somalia faces a deepening humanitarian crisis as international aid funding declines sharply.

1. Gaza & the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Israeli forces killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza on 21 April 2026, including a child who succumbed to a head wound sustained ten days earlier near the al-Fakhoura clinic in Jabalia refugee camp. Three people were killed near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, one of them a recently married man; a further death was recorded in an Israeli drone strike near the Sheikh Nasser neighbourhood. In northern Gaza, a woman was killed when Israeli naval forces shelled tents sheltering displaced families northwest of Beit Lahiya. A separate drone attack set an encampment ablaze near Gaza City's Shujayea area. Al Jazeera

According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, 784 Palestinians have been killed and 2,214 wounded since the October 2025 ceasefire took effect, with 761 additional bodies recovered from rubble. Since the war began on 7 October 2023, the cumulative toll stands at at least 72,560 killed and 172,560 wounded. Al Jazeera

A new UN-backed report found that Gaza's development has been set back by 77 years, and that the territory will require close to eight decades and tens of billions of dollars to recover from more than two years of war. Africanews

Six months after the October ceasefire, aid organisations report that fuel and medical supplies remain critically low, and Israel continues to restrict humanitarian access. NPR

Hamas has rejected a Gaza disarmament plan and stated it will not advance in talks until Israel halts its military operations. BBC News

2. West Bank

Four Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank on 21 April. In the village of al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah, Israeli settlers attacked the al-Mughayyir Boys School, killing a 14-year-old student, Aws Hamdi al-Na'san, and 32-year-old Jihad Marzouq Abu Na'im. Four others were wounded. Local officials stated that Israeli soldiers opened fire while protecting the settlers. In Hebron, 16-year-old Mohammad Majdi al-Jaabari was struck and killed by a vehicle in a security convoy escorting Israeli Settlement Minister Orit Strock. A 49-year-old woman also died from injuries sustained during an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp. Al Jazeera; The New York Times

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 1,152 Palestinians — including 239 children — have been killed and more than 11,885 injured in the West Bank since 7 October 2023. At least 48 Palestinians have been killed there since the start of 2026. A new NGO report documented at least 16 cases of conflict-related sexual violence attributed to Israeli settlers and soldiers. Al Jazeera

3. Iran–US War & the Strait of Hormuz

A fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, announced by President Trump on 7 April, was set to expire on 21 April. With Iran declining to confirm participation in a second round of talks in Islamabad, Trump announced via Truth Social that the US would extend the ceasefire "until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other." He stated the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue. AP; CNN

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told state TV there had been "no final decision" on whether to attend further talks, citing "unacceptable actions" by the US — specifically the blockade of Iranian ports and the seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on 19 April. Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani stated that ending the blockade remains a precondition for Iran to rejoin negotiations. BBC News; AP

Brent crude was trading at close to $95 per barrel on 21 April — up more than 30% from 28 February, the day the US–Israeli strikes on Iran began. The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's natural gas and crude oil transits, remains disrupted. AP

Analysts at the Arab Center DC warn that the war has produced "regional devastation and future instability," with the shaky ceasefire masking unresolved structural tensions across the region. Arab Center DC

4. Lebanon — Israel–Hezbollah Ceasefire

The 2026 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire, which came into effect on 16 April, entered its second week under significant strain. Hezbollah fired rockets and a drone into northern Israel on 21 April, claiming the attacks were a response to "blatant and documented Israeli violations that have exceeded 200 breaches" since the truce began. The Israeli Defence Forces described the rocket fire as a "blatant violation" and conducted retaliatory airstrikes, killing Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon. Reuters; Times of Israel

Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold further negotiations later this week. France and Finland, along with other states, issued a joint statement calling on all parties to protect humanitarian workers in Lebanon and to uphold international humanitarian law. ABC Australia

5. Ukraine–Russia War

Russia has seized approximately 1,700 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in 2026 to date, according to Ukraine's top military commander, with Russian forces continuing to push in the Donbas, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. Reuters

Ukraine has intensified a deep-strike campaign against Russian military assets and energy infrastructure. On the night of 19–20 April, Ukrainian forces struck the oil tank farm at the Tuapse refinery in Krasnodar Krai, causing large fires confirmed by geolocated footage. Earlier strikes in April targeted the Sheskharis oil terminal, an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate near Novorossiysk, and multiple oil pumping stations. Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Swedish military intelligence assessed that Russia's economy has failed to recover despite rising oil prices from the Middle East war. Lieutenant General Thomas Nilsson stated that Russia needs Urals crude above $100 per barrel for at least a year to close its budget deficit, and that true Russian inflation is likely closer to 15% — significantly higher than the Kremlin's official figure of 5.86%. ISW

Russian forces attempted to assassinate a Ukrainian Ministry of Defence drone and electronic warfare advisor, Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov, using four Shahed drones on 20 April. He was injured and his home destroyed. Peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow remain stalled, with Trump envoys criticised as "disrespectful" by Ukrainian officials. The Independent; ISW

Ukraine also announced that the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil to Europe and was shut following a Russian attack in late January, is expected to resume operations by the end of April. Al Jazeera

6. Sudan

Sudan's civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) passed its three-year mark on 15 April 2026. The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on 21 April that nearly four million displaced people have returned to their places of origin, but are encountering destroyed infrastructure, damaged irrigation systems, and collapsed health services. Almost nine million people remain internally displaced, with more than 4.5 million having crossed into neighbouring countries at the height of the conflict. UN News

The Sudan Conference in Berlin, held on 15 April 2026, demonstrated international determination to pressure the belligerents, but the EU noted the crisis remains "overshadowed" by other global conflicts. The Soufan Center described Sudan as an "abandoned crisis," with humanitarian conditions described as catastrophic and the response severely underfunded. Up to 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the war began in April 2023. The Soufan Center; European Council

The Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026 estimates that 33.7 million people — more than two-thirds of Sudan's population — require humanitarian assistance, the largest such figure of any crisis globally. ReliefWeb

7. Myanmar

Myanmar's newly installed military-backed President Min Aung Hlaing, who took office on 10 April following a widely criticised election, proposed on 21 April that all armed resistance groups join new peace talks by 31 July — a 100-day deadline. The proposal was immediately rejected by the National Unity Government (NUG), the main body coordinating opposition to military rule. NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt stated: "We all already understood that the military's fake invitations are aimed at prolonging people's subjugation under military rule." AP

An estimated 16 million people — nearly one in three citizens — are projected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026, as conflict-driven displacement and natural disasters compound the crisis. ReliefWeb

8. Democratic Republic of Congo

Ugandan and Congolese forces reported the rescue of at least 200 civilians from captivity by ISIL-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants in eastern DRC on 20 April. The new MONUSCO chief visited Beni to assess the security situation in the Grand Nord and discuss civilian protection. Despite a nominal peace process, violence continues across eastern Congo, with M23 and other armed groups maintaining their presence. Al Jazeera; Africanews

Human Rights Watch reported on 21 April that peaceful protesters in the DRC face military trial after being arrested in March 2026 for organising a demonstration calling for access to safe drinking water. Human Rights Watch

9. Somalia

Somalia faces a deepening humanitarian crisis driven by prolonged drought, armed conflict, and a sharp decline in international aid funding. Up to 6.5 million people are projected to face acute hunger, with over 1.8 million children at risk of malnutrition. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned that the situation is worsening at the precise moment that international funding is being cut. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted airstrikes targeting ISIS-Somalia on 20 April in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia. Médecins Sans Frontières; AFRICOM

10. Global Human Rights — Amnesty International 2025/26 Report

Amnesty International released its annual State of the World's Human Rights report on 21 April 2026, documenting human rights conditions in 144 countries during 2025. The report describes a "predatory world order" in which powerful states and actors are systematically undermining accountability and international law. Amnesty identified leaders in Israel, Russia, and the United States as primary drivers of this trend. The report warns that multilateralism and international human rights frameworks are under severe attack, with authoritarian practices intensifying worldwide. Amnesty International; DW

11. Mozambique — Floods

Mozambique continues to respond to severe flooding, with the National Institute for Disaster Management reporting that more than 724,000 people have been affected. Humanitarian agencies are coordinating emergency response operations. ReliefWeb

Key Statistics

This report is compiled from publicly available news sources. All figures are as reported by cited sources and may be subject to revision. The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) does not endorse any party to any conflict. Source bias tags are applied per editorial policy: (Rus) = Russian state-affiliated; (Ukr) = Ukrainian state-affiliated; (Chin) = Chinese state-affiliated. Well-known international outlets carry no tag.