We all commute to work, have our food daily, get busy with our work, watch a little news and pay a little attention some tensions in the middle east and then go about our routine. The reality is that the globe is currently fractured by multiple, compounding humanitarian crises. As we enter late August 2026, the devastating situation in Gaza continues to worsen, but it is happening concurrently with massive, underreported tragedies in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Myanmar – this is our update on Gaza and the forgotten wars around the world.
Gaza and the Forgotten Wars Around the World
1. Gaza: A Deepening Catastrophe
The situation in the Gaza Strip remains the most highly publicized conflict in the world, yet the sheer scale of the devastation continues to outpace relief efforts.
Despite ongoing ceasefire talks, the human toll is staggering. As of mid-August 2026, the reported death toll from the war has surpassed 76,600 (including over 74,500 Palestinians). The crisis is severely compounding the dangers for medical and aid workers, with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) confirming that 393 of its colleagues have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 45 direct attacks on healthcare facilities this year alone. With over 100,000 injured and an ever-shrinking safe zone, the civilian population remains under constant threat from both bombardment and a total collapse of medical infrastructure.
2. Sudan: 200,000 Newly Displaced
While Gaza dominates the headlines, Sudan is currently facing what the UN describes as one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
In just the past eight months, intensifying clashes and targeted strikes on critical infrastructure in Sudan’s greater Kordofan region have forced over 200,000 people to flee their homes. Drone strikes on the main electrical transformers in El Obeid have paralyzed municipal water pumping systems, hospitals, and telecommunications networks.
Across Sudan, the total number of internally displaced persons has now reached a massive 8.6 million. These families are fleeing collapsing basic services only to face critical shortages of water, electricity, and medical care in temporary camps, a crisis compounded by severe seasonal flooding.
3. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): The Ebola Crisis Multiplier
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the ongoing armed conflict involving various armed groups has created a continuous cycle of mass displacement. In July 2026 alone, South Kivu saw over 55,500 households newly displaced due to intensified fighting.
However, this conflict is now severely complicated by a deadly disease outbreak. The DRC is battling its deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. The combination of mass displacement and the virus has created a nightmare scenario for children. Save the Children recently reported that the outbreak has orphaned at least 180 children (equivalent to nearly two children every day) since the virus was declared 100 days ago. With families torn apart by both bullets and disease, thousands of children are left vulnerable to exploitation and severe psychological distress.
4. Myanmar: Deliberate Attacks on Civilians
Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, Myanmar has been engulfed in a fractured civil war since the military seized power in 2021.
In a report published this August, UN investigators documented a sustained campaign of deliberate military attacks on civilians. The military is increasingly utilizing motorized power gliders and drones to launch airstrikes on homes, schools, hospitals, and even camps for displaced people, making it incredibly difficult for civilians to seek shelter in time. Investigators also gathered extensive evidence of widespread torture and sexual violence within military-run detention facilities.
Verdict
While it is crucial to continue advocating for a permanent resolution and immediate humanitarian relief in Palestine, the international community cannot afford to look away from the rest of the world. The millions of displaced families in Sudan, the orphaned children in the DRC, and the targeted civilians in Myanmar are enduring unimaginable suffering that desperately requires global attention and intervention.