Daily Peace and Crisis Report — Thursday 23 Apr 2026

Compiled 08:11 AEST  |  Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN)

Summary

Summary:

• The US-Israeli war on Iran enters its 54th day; President Trump has extended the ceasefire indefinitely while maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports, which Tehran calls an "act of war." Iran seized two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on 22 April, keeping the waterway effectively closed and Brent crude above US$100/barrel.
• Israel-Lebanon: a fragile 10-day ceasefire is under severe strain, with Israeli strikes killing at least four people in southern Lebanon on 22 April and both sides accusing each other of violations. A second French UNIFIL peacekeeper has died of wounds sustained on 18 April.
• Gaza: violence continues despite the October 2025 ceasefire framework, with at least 786 Palestinians killed and 2,217 injured since the ceasefire came into effect. The cumulative death toll since 7 October 2023 now stands at 72,553, with 172,242 injured.
• Ukraine: Turkey is actively working to revive Russia-Ukraine peace talks, with Kyiv formally requesting Ankara host a leaders-level meeting. Russia's Chief of General Staff claims 1,700 sq km seized in 2026; ISW data shows a net Russian territorial loss of 5 sq miles in the past week.
• Sudan enters its fourth year of civil war as the world's largest humanitarian crisis; UNICEF reports at least 245 child casualties in the first 90 days of 2026, with drone attacks accounting for nearly 80% of all killings and injuries.
• Myanmar's military-backed government invited armed opposition groups to peace talks by end of July, but two key rebel groups — the Kachin Independence Army and the People's Defence Force — quickly rejected the offer.
• The UN Secretary-General's noon briefing on 22 April noted a massive humanitarian crisis looming in the Middle East, landmine dangers intensifying globally, and insecurity deepening in Sudan's Darfur region.

1. Iran — US-Israeli War (Day 54)

The US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on 28 February 2026 with massive joint strikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, entered its 54th day on 22 April. President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire, stating the US would wait for Iran to present a "unified proposal" before resuming negotiations. However, the US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, a measure Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described as an "act of war" and a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire. Al Jazeera

On 22 April, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz — the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas — and fired on a third, the Euphoria. Iran's parliament speaker said the Strait would not be reopened while the US blockade remained in place. The seizures represent the most significant escalation since the ceasefire was announced on 7 April. AP News; Time

Iran's state-run Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs reported 3,468 Iranians killed in the war as of 19 April. The Pentagon confirmed 13 US service members killed and 415 wounded in the conflict. An investigation by The Intercept revealed the US government had previously scrubbed 15 wounded-in-action troops from its official casualty count. The Intercept

Oil prices climbed on 22 April, with Brent North Sea trading above US$100/barrel and West Texas Intermediate above US$90, as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed. The Reuters analysis described the disruption as "the biggest oil supply disruption on record by daily output lost." Reuters

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told German Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 22 April that the Iran war was "starting to weaken Europe," and that Turkey was working to end both the Iran conflict and the Ukraine-Russia war through peace-oriented approaches. Al Jazeera

2. Israel-Lebanon

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered by the United States and announced on approximately 17 April, is under severe strain. On 22 April, Lebanese state media reported at least four people killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, while Israel said it was responding to rocket fire from Hezbollah. Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce. Anadolu Agency

A second French UNIFIL peacekeeper, Chief Corporal Anicet Girardin, died on 22 April of wounds sustained in an attack on a UNIFIL patrol in southern Lebanon on 18 April. French President Macron confirmed the death. The UN Secretary-General expressed deep sadness at the loss. US News; UN News

Since Israel launched its offensive on Lebanon on 2 March 2026, approximately 2,300 people have been killed and over 7,500 wounded, with more than one million displaced. Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon needed US$587 million in humanitarian aid to address the ongoing fallout. Washington is set to host ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, with Beirut's primary objective being a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Anadolu Agency

3. Gaza and the West Bank

Violence in Gaza continues despite the ceasefire framework that came into effect on 10 October 2025. On 22 April, at least two Palestinians were killed and four injured in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported a cumulative death toll of 72,553 Palestinians killed since 7 October 2023, with 172,242 injured — a figure revised upward this week after the Ministry certified additional previously unrecorded deaths. Al Jazeera

Since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October 2025, at least 786 Palestinians have been killed and 2,217 injured by Israeli fire, according to the Gaza Health Ministry as reported by Anadolu Agency. The UN said on 22 April that violence in Gaza had surged to its highest level since the ceasefire, with incidents rising nearly 50% compared to earlier ceasefire months. Anadolu Agency

UNRWA's Situation Report #218, published 22 April, covering 15–21 April 2026, reported that the amount of aid entering Gaza fell by 37% in January–March 2026 compared to the first three months of the ceasefire. An estimated 67,000 displaced people remain in 83 UNRWA-managed collective emergency shelters. All UNRWA international staff continue to be barred from entering the Occupied Palestinian Territory. UNRWA

In the occupied West Bank, between 7 October 2023 and 22 April 2026, 1,081 Palestinians — at least 235 of them children — were killed, according to OCHA. On 16 and 17 April, two Palestinians including a child were shot and killed by Israeli forces in separate incidents in Beit Duqqu and Khirbet Salama, with their bodies withheld. Israeli settlers from the Carmel settlement used barbed wire to block the route children use to reach school in Umm al Khair since 19 April. The Israeli cabinet officially inaugurated the Sa-Nur settlement south of Jenin on 19 April, which remains illegal under international law. UNRWA

A peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet found that more than 3 million years of life have been lost due to the conflict in Gaza since October 2023. A UN Women report released on 17 April found that more than 38,000 women and girls were killed in Gaza between October 2023 and December 2025, an average of 47 women and girls killed daily. UN Women

4. Ukraine — Russia

Turkey is actively working to revive peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. On 22 April, President Erdogan met NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Ankara and confirmed Turkey was "working to revive negotiations and start talks at leaders' level." Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed Kyiv had formally asked Turkey to host a leaders-level meeting between Presidents Zelensky and Putin. The Kremlin said Putin would be ready to meet only to "finalise agreements," with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating the meeting must have a productive purpose. Al Jazeera

Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed on 21 April that Russian forces have seized 1,700 sq km (656 sq miles) of Ukrainian territory in 2026, advancing on the so-called "fortress belt" in Donbas. However, analysis by Russia Matters using ISW data shows that Russian forces suffered a net loss of 5 square miles in the past week (14–21 April), and a net loss of 2 square miles over the past four weeks (24 March–21 April). Anadolu Agency; Russia Matters

Since the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, Russia has captured approximately 29,152 square miles (13% of Ukraine) according to ISW data. Including Crimea and pre-2022 occupied Donbas, Russia controls approximately 45,777 square miles, or about 20% of Ukraine. Ukraine holds a 4 sq mile foothold in Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions. Russia Matters

On 15–16 April, Russian forces carried out what media described as Russia's largest and deadliest air attack on Ukraine this year, firing 44 missiles (including 24 Iskander ballistic missiles) and 659 attack drones. Ukraine intercepted 92% of drones in March 2026, but intercepted none of 12 ballistic missiles launched that month. Ukrainian military intelligence told the Financial Times that Russia is preparing a new ground offensive in southeast Ukraine, with the objective of capturing all of Donbas by September. Russia Matters

OHCHR's March 2026 report recorded at least 211 civilians killed and 1,206 injured in Ukraine in March alone — the highest monthly toll since July 2025, representing a 49% increase from February. In the first quarter of 2026, civilian casualties totalled 556 killed and 2,731 injured, 20% higher than Q1 2025. Cumulative verified civilian casualties since 24 February 2022 stand at 15,364 killed and over 41,000 injured, per UN data. OHCHR Ukraine

Russian perspective: Russian state media TASS (Rus) reported that Russia accused Ukraine of ceasefire breaches and claimed its forces were advancing to secure Russian-claimed territories in Donbas.

5. Sudan

Sudan's civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered its fourth year in April 2026 as the world's largest humanitarian crisis. UNICEF reported on 16 April that at least 245 children were killed or injured in Sudan in the first 90 days of 2026, with drone attacks accounting for nearly 80% of all killings and injuries. UNICEF

According to IOM data from April 2026, nearly 10 million people are internally displaced within Sudan, representing the largest internal displacement crisis in the world. The Stimson Center's North Africa Regional Outlook of 22 April described Sudan's war as "grinding into a prolonged regional crisis." The US State Department marked the third anniversary of the conflict on 15 April by imposing new sanctions and calling for a humanitarian truce. US State Department

Death toll estimates vary widely, with CSIS noting figures ranging from 150,000 to 300,000 deaths since April 2023. Both the SAF and RSF have been accused of committing atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The UN's humanitarian chief criticised the global community's inadequate response to the crisis on 22 April. Stimson Center

6. Myanmar

Myanmar's military-backed government invited armed opposition groups to peace talks, seeking negotiations within 100 days (by end of July 2026). However, two key rebel groups — the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the People's Defence Force (PDF) — quickly rejected the offer, with the KIA stating it would not negotiate with a government it does not recognise. Al Jazeera; Reuters

The Conversation assessed on 16 April that the Myanmar civil war is at a stalemate, but that anti-junta forces may be gaining the upper hand in key regions including Rakhine State. Gyrocopter attacks killed 17 people in the Sagaing Region capital in the past week. Myanmar was identified in 2025 as the most severely conflict-affected country in the world by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). The Conversation

7. Mozambique

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame threatened to withdraw Rwandan troops from Mozambique's conflict zone unless the European Union provided adequate funding for the deployment. The threat puts Europe in a strategic dilemma, as Rwandan forces have been a key stabilising factor in Cabo Delgado province. On 21 April, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Mozambique's President Daniel Chapo in Beijing, with economic cooperation and security discussed. ACLED

8. Yemen

Yemen's Houthi movement, closely aligned with Iran, continued to threaten shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, warning that the waterway "cannot be safe" if Iranian interests are under threat. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, concluded meetings in Oman on 22 April as part of continuing regional engagements aimed at sustaining the fragile peace process. Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with the conflict now in its eleventh year. UN Yemen Envoy

9. UN and Global Peace Developments

The UN Secretary-General's noon briefing on 22 April highlighted: the extension of the US-Iran ceasefire as a "key step toward de-escalation"; deep sadness at the death of a second French UNIFIL peacekeeper in Lebanon; a massive humanitarian crisis looming in the Middle East; and growing insecurity in Sudan's Darfur region. UN Secretary-General

UN landmine clearance experts issued an alert on 22 April, highlighting increasing dangers posed by unexploded ordnance in conflict zones globally, with an estimated 100 million people living under landmine threats. The UN Peacekeeping Department noted that missions are under strain from funding cuts and new threats, with the US reducing its assessed contributions. UN Geneva

Amnesty International's annual global human rights report, released on 21 April, described the leaders of Israel, Russia, and the United States as "voracious predators" of human rights and international law. The UN Security Council held a session on 22 April on Libya, with the UN mission chief lamenting a lack of progress towards national renewal.

The UN General Assembly debated the Strait of Hormuz closure on 16 April, following China and Russia's use of the veto on 7 April to block a Security Council resolution. The Strait of Hormuz closure has caused the biggest oil supply disruption on record by daily output lost, according to Reuters. UN Press

Key Statistics — Table 1: Casualties (Killed / Wounded)

Note on Ukraine — Russian-occupied territory: OHCHR has been denied access to Russian-occupied territories (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea); independent verification of civilian casualties in those areas is not possible. The cumulative figure of 15,364 killed covers primarily Govt-controlled areas (97% of verified casualties per OHCHR).

Key Statistics — Table 2: Numbers (Non-Casualty Figures)