The UN estimates that in 2026, 16.5 million people across Syria need humanitarian assistance. Since the political transition in December 2024 until the end of January 2026, over 1.3 million Syrians have returned home from countries of asylum.
As part of the Syria Earthquake Emergency Appeal, CHF 6 million was made available to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) in December 2024 to support the continuation of planned response and recovery activities.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remained severe throughout January 2026, despite a ceasefire, with the population facing acute shelter needs, displacement, and challenges in aid delivery amid harsh winter conditions.
In Syria, despite the end of the war, people continue to live with the heavy legacy of fourteen years of brutal conflict. Years of aerial attacks and protracted hostilities, including in rural areas around Homs, Hama, Aleppo, and Idlib, have destroyed homes and essential infrastructure, left countless families with no choice but to flee.
WFP continues to expand its plans for cash-based assistance in Gaza, with a growing proportion of beneficiaries targeted to transition from receiving in-kind food assistance to monthly digital transfers via e-wallets.
As of 5 February, UNHCR estimates that 1,413,967 individuals have returned to Syria since 8 December 2024 while 1,712,744 internally displaced persons have returned home.
The situation in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa governorates has largely stabilized in recent days, following the agreement announced on 30 January 2026. Active hostilities have subsided, bringing a greater sense of calm, even as localized incidents, precautionary security measures, and community concerns persist in many areas.
As of 01 February, an extended ceasefire and integration agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces is holding (announced 30 January). The agreement aims to further stabilise conflict-affected areas across North East Syria (NES).
A critical escalation in military clashes between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) erupted on January 6, 2026, marking the most intense conflict in Aleppo since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
At the crossroads of Africa and Europe, Tunisia is exposed to complex movement patterns involving refugees and migrants along the central Mediterranean route.
Children in Gaza are exposed to harsh winter conditions, including cold temperatures, heavy rainfall, strong winds of 30-40 km/h (19-25 mph), and contaminated floodwaters.
South Sudan continues to face severe humanitarian emergencies driven by climate shocks, relentless violence, multiple disease outbreaks and a struggling economy.
On 11 January, a ceasefire agreement was announced, following which initial, limited return movements were observed, particularly to the Ashrafiyeh neighbourhood. Returns to Ash-Sheikh Maqsoud remain gradual, pending authorization and completion of UXO clearance.
Since 6 January, clashes in Aleppo Governorate have continued between government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). As of 10 January, the Aleppo Health Directorate reported a total of 23 deaths and 104 injuries.
Two infants died due to extreme cold in two IDP camps in Harim, northern Idleb countryside, following a snowstorm that hit northern Syria on 31 December 2025, affecting 90 IDP sites across Aleppo, Idleb and Al-Hasakeh governorates, impacting around 158,000 displaced people.
The situation in Hadramawt Al Wadi has continued to stabilize following the recent shifts in territorial control earlier this month. Reports indicate a decline in hostilities, supported by reported prohibitions on carrying weapons within city centers.
Escalating violence and sieges in Kordofan are trapping civilians, destroying essential services, driving famine risks and displacement, and severely restricting life-saving assistance.
