As European Union leaders and foreign ministers prepare for meetings to discuss the situation in Israel and Palestine, some of their representatives in Brussels, and Israel’s new ambassador to the EU, have been pushing for the European Commission to amend or withdraw its proposals to sanction “extremist” Israeli ministers and suspend the EU-Israel trade deal.
As of 16 October, and since 8 December 2024, a total of 1,099,768 Syrian individuals have returned to Syria from other countries, while 1,880,432 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to areas of origin or selected locations in the country.
This report captures the current situation and Islamic Relief’s role within it. Drawing on internal field insights, humanitarian data, and strategic reflections, it lays out a clear call — as the crisis becomes protracted, the response must evolve.
From the Palais des Nations in Geneva, UN Women’s Chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp urged the international community to turn Gaza’s fragile ceasefire into a recovery led by women and girls.
At least 17 children – nine girls and eight boys, including a newborn just seven days old – were killed in an attack on the Dar al-Arqam Displacement Centre in El Fasher, North Darfur, on 11 October, according to verified reports from humanitarian partners and international media. A further 21 children were injured.
The report highlights how gaps in legislation, institutional obstacles, digital divides and entrenched social norms can exclude women and girls. Based on desk research and case studies from three countries, the report reveals how legal, cultural and economic factors hinder access to civil registration and identity documents.
Shelter Repairs in Areas of Origin: Numerous houses in rural As-Sweida and Dar’a have been looted, vandalized, or burned, requiring minor to moderate repairs to facilitate safe, voluntary, and dignified returns.
4,823 Sudanese refugee students in Chad sat the Sudanese Baccalaureate examinations, restoring their pathway to certification and future opportunities. Since January, nearly 1.4 million children have benefited from UNICEF-supported education progremmes.
One year since the hostilities escalated in Lebanon on 23 September 2024, the security situation remains volatile. Over 150,000 people remain internally displaced from their villages, struggling with rising rents and economic hardship.
In September, communities across South Sudan continued to face severe humanitarian challenges, including flooding, food insecurity, violence, displacement, and disease outbreaks. As of 30 September, over 639,000* people were affected by flooding in 26 counties across six states, with Jonglei and Unity worst hit.
Across the region, more than 4 million people have now fled Sudan to neighbouring countries, and this number rises every day. Plan International is committed to supporting affected children and families wherever they are — whether displaced within Sudan or seeking refuge in Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and beyond.
Since 8 December 2024, a total of 1,099,768 individuals have returned to Syria from other countries while 1,880,432 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to areas of origin or selected locations.
Since the onset of Yemen’s conflict in 2015, Ta’iz Governorate has witnessed one of the longest and most fragmented battlefronts in the country making number of people displaced increased sharply in a short period of time.
On 11 October 2025, DTM field teams estimated that 500 individuals were displaced from Al Fasher town in Al Fasher locality, North Darfur due to heightened insecurity. Displacement reportedly occurred from Dar Al Argam gathering site.
Since December 2024, nearly 1.86 million internally displaced persons and over 1 million Syrian refugees have returned to their areas of origin. Many are facing significant challenges due to damaged infrastructure, limited services, and ongoing insecurity.
Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan on 15 April 2023, Africa Region faced a large-scale humanitarian crisis marked by one of the most significant displacement movements in recent years. Millions of people fled the violence, crossing into Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, resumed its Assisted Spontaneous Return (ASR) programme for Somali refugees in Yemen. On 7 October, 70 refugees departed by sea from Aden to Berbera, and today the first UNHCR-supported flight transported 148 returnees to Mogadishu, Somalia.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) welcomes the announcement of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas as a vital and long-overdue step that will bring hope and relief to the more than two million Palestinians who have endured two years of Israel’s escalated bombardment, forced displacement, starvation, and siege.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday facilitated the voluntary return of 152 Syrians in vulnerable situations from Libya to Damascus, marking the first Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flight to Syria organized by IOM since 2025.
