June 2026

Five days after two powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela, humanitarian organizations are rapidly scaling up life-saving assistance as the country’s authorities continue to lead the response. International search and rescue operations have been fully mobilized with over 70 teams and other specialized units from 27 countries. Over 2,300 personnel are currently working alongside national authorities.

The humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) reports an alarming increase in the number of children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications requiring lifesaving treatment in its therapeutic feeding centers in southern Afghanistan. The non-governmental organization (NGO) is calling on donors, health authorities, and other relevant organizations to prioritize and restore funding for nutrition programs across Afghanistan.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that the humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, with new displacements recorded across several departments due to armed violence. Meanwhile, more than 117,000 people have been forcibly returned to Haiti in the first six months of 2026, despite the ongoing emergency and calls by high-ranking UN officials and independent human rights experts to halt these returns.

Two powerful earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela in the evening hours on Wednesday, less than a minute apart. First came a 7.2-magnitude foreshock around 6 pm local time, followed seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude mainshock. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenters were in the Yaracuy region. Initial reports indicate significant destruction across several states, including the capital, Caracas.

The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) issued a report on Tuesday that documents widespread conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan since hostilities began in April 2023, and its profound long-term impact on victims, families, and communities. The report finds that sexual violence has accompanied the geographic spread of the conflict and widespread displacement, consistently being used as a tactic to terrorize and traumatize the civilian population.

A United Nations commission of inquiry has released a new report stating that Israeli authorities and security forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip, as well as war crimes in the West Bank. These findings follow the commission's conclusion last year that Israel was committing genocide against the Palestinian group in Gaza.

Three leading Christian organizations — the World Council of Churches (WCC), Caritas Internationalis (the Catholic Church's humanitarian arm), and World Vision International (WVI) — warned in an open letter on Monday that the current wave of conflicts and economic instability is pushing millions into severe hunger, even though global food production is at record levels. The faith-based organizations assert that “hunger amid abundance is a moral failure”.

The United Nations reports that Israeli military forces continue to kill civilians, including children, with impunity and a total lack of accountability in both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, despite active ceasefire agreements. Persistent Israeli military attacks have repeatedly violated the eight-month-old truce in the Gaza Strip and breached the newly announced ceasefire covering Lebanon and Iran.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) launched their first joint anticipatory appeal on Thursday, seeking US$202 million to protect almost 9 million people in 22 high-risk countries from the potential impact of a strong El Niño weather pattern. El Niño conditions are predicted to heighten the risk of droughts, floods and storms in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

Following reports of a significant troop build-up by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied forces around the town of El Obeid in Sudan, as well as intensified drone strikes and artillery shelling, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued a stark warning on Thursday that an imminent offensive could result in the commission of further serious international crimes, further deepening the already catastrophic impact on the civilian population.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned Wednesday that acute food insecurity will worsen for millions in 13 countries deemed "hunger hotspots" between June and November 2026. The latest early warning report identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, and Gaza as the world's most critical hunger hotspots in terms of hunger severity and magnitude.

United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher warned the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is rapidly accelerating, with over half of the population facing acute hunger and needing immediate international support. Briefing the 15-member Council, Fletcher stressed that without urgent intervention, "hunger will deepen. Suffering will grow. More lives will be lost."

As representatives of Iran and the United States reportedly prepared to sign a new peace agreement by the end of the week, the United Nations stressed the urgent need on Monday to open an aid corridor through the choked-off Strait of Hormuz to prevent a global hunger crisis that could lead to an additional 45 million people facing extreme hunger.

The deadly Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to spread, with a spike in child infections becoming increasingly likely in the coming days, according to a warning issued by United Nations agencies on Friday. Since the outbreak was confirmed less than a month ago, more than 670 cases and 130 deaths have been reported.

A new report released on Thursday by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reveals that, despite remaining alarmingly high, global forced displacement has decreased for the first time in a decade. At the end of 2025, one in every 70 people—or 1.4 percent of the world’s population—were forcibly displaced due to conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events that seriously disturbed public order.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued an urgent appeal to the UN Security Council, warning that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is worsening due to rising needs, operational restrictions, and severe underfunding. During her briefing on Monday, OCHA Director Edem Wosornu emphasized that sustained international support and adherence to the humanitarian exception are essential for averting famine and safeguarding vulnerable populations, especially women and girls.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned on Monday that the expansion of sanctions imposed by the United States against Cuba is causing widespread harm to the population and endangering lives. His call to halt the sanctions follows recent UN reports warning of deteriorating humanitarian conditions amid a deepening energy crisis on the island.

The United Nations in Lebanon issued an appeal on Friday for an additional US$331.5 million to provide assistance to 1.4 million people from June through August. The appeal comes amid escalating Israeli attacks and expanding displacement orders, which are taking a heavy toll on Lebanese civilians. The revised Flash Appeal brings the total request from March through August to nearly $640 million to sustain life-saving efforts.

According to a new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) released Thursday, Sudan is not only the world’s largest displacement crisis, but also the most neglected. The non-governmental organization (NGO) warns that neglected crises are particularly affected by brutal cuts to humanitarian funding by donors such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more than 24 million people across the Sahel region of Africa are in critical need of life-saving aid, as escalating violence, climate shocks, and a severe funding shortage push millions to the brink of survival. OCHA warns that donor contributions have hit a ten-year low, forcing aid agencies to slash rations or halt critical operations entirely.

Amidst the approaching ninth anniversary of the mass displacement of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) appealed to the international community on Tuesday not to abandon the 1.2 million refugees currently living in Bangladesh, primarily in makeshift camps in Cox's Bazar. UNHCR warned that significant humanitarian needs persist, and that without continued international solidarity, the situation of Rohingya families will deteriorate.

The United Nations urged all countries on Tuesday to boost their early warning systems after confirming the onset of El Niño, warning that the climate phenomenon will bring above-average temperatures "nearly everywhere" and fuel more extreme weather. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), there is an 80 percent probability that El Niño conditions will emerge between June and August, with a 90 percent chance thereafter.