Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Ukraine, Burkina Faso, Madagascar
#Occupied Palestinian Territory
Limited medical evacuations from Gaza continue
OCHA reports that health partners say that medical evacuations from Gaza continue on a daily basis, albeit still in limited numbers.
Today and yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners supported the evacuation of 55 patients and 72 companions. Three quarters exited through Rafah crossing and one quarter exited through Kerem Shalom. Since the re-opening of the Rafah crossing, nearly 260 patients have been evacuated through the two routes of about 18,500 who require treatment that is not available locally.
While WHO continues to call for the re-opening of the medical referral route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, their priority is to scale up local health services and rehabilitate damaged facilities to reduce the need for evacuations.
Meanwhile, today, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it has distributed more than 1,800 metric tons of animal feed and provided veterinary kits to over 2,300 livestock holders in the past four months, alongside cash assistance.
In a social media post, FAO noted that the conflict has caused widespread destruction of agricultural infrastructure. Between October 2023 and November 2025, livestock survival rates dropped to 33 per cent for goats and 20 per cent for sheep, while about 37 per cent of cropland is now accessible for cultivation.
Humanitarians say that meeting people’s needs in Gaza requires the increased entry of a wide range of humanitarian supplies and equipment, including items that are currently difficult to gain approval for entry. It also requires enabling all humanitarian partners to operate unimpeded.
#Sudan
Drone strikes across the country compound the humanitarian crisis
OCHA is deeply alarmed by continued attacks against civilian infrastructure across Sudan.
Drone strikes continue to be reported across the country, resulting in civilian casualties and deepening the humanitarian challenges.
Earlier today, local sources reported that a drone struck the town of El Sunut in West Kordofan State, killing and injuring a yet unknown number of civilians.
On Sunday, a strike on a market in the Al-Safia area in North Kordofan State reportedly hit during market hours, resulting in casualties.
Days earlier, strikes were also reported on a fuel storage facility near a market in Adekong, near the Sudan-Chad border in West Darfur State, and on a primary school in Dilling in South Kordofan.
OCHA reiterates that civilian and civilian infrastructure, including schools and markets, must be protected, in line with international humanitarian law.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Sudan with urgent support.
#Ukraine
Strikes across Ukraine leave civilians dead, vital infrastructure damaged
Between 16 February and the early hours of today, authorities reported more than 20 casualties in front-line regions.
In the Donetsk Region, workers were killed while on duty as energy facilities came under attack once again. In Kherson City, two health workers were injured when a medical facility was struck.
Overnight attacks on energy infrastructure left some 100,000 people in Odesa City without electricity, heating or water. The Ministry of Energy also reported power disruptions following a combined missile and drone attack affecting the regions of Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. In Sumy city, heating supply was disrupted. Railway infrastructure was damaged in four regions.
These incidents reflect a pattern of targeted strikes on energy facilities, as temperatures in many parts of the country remain below zero, increasing hardship and risks for vulnerable people.
Humanitarian teams deployed to affected areas to provide shelter repair kits and materials, protection consultations and psychological first aid. In Odesa City, partners are supporting municipal heating points with hot meals, blankets and other essential items.
At the same time, evacuations from frontline areas continue. Between 13 and 16 February, 550 people - including more than 190 children - were evacuated from the Donetsk Region.
Despite the challenges, assistance at scale continues as the full-scale war is about to enters its fifth year. In 2025, more than 651,000 people received multipurpose cash assistance, enabling the most vulnerable war-affected people to meet their basic needs amid the hardships caused by the war.
*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Ukraine with urgent support.
#Burkina Faso
UN and partners seek $658.5 million to help over 2 million people
The UN and humanitarian partners today released the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, in support of the National Humanitarian Response Plan.
The Plan seeks $658.5 million – it is aligned with national priorities and supports Government-led efforts across key sectors including food security, health, and essential services.
Burkina Faso continues to face a complex humanitarian crisis driven by insecurity, displacement and climate shocks, which deepens vulnerabilities across the country. Some 4.5 million people require humanitarian assistance.
This year, the UN and humanitarian partners aim to support 2.7 million people in 13 regions where needs are most severe.
However, funding shortfalls continue to affect the scale of assistance.
In 2025, only one-third of required funding was received, forcing humanitarians to make difficult choices - less than half of the people targeted for assistance were reached.
Access remains a challenge, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where assistance often relies on air transport or escorted convoys, increasing operational costs.
Without more donor support, humanitarian partners warn that hard-won gains could be reversed, undermining resilience and recovery efforts.
#Madagascar
Response scales up as death toll rises after twin cyclones
The Government has reported at least 52 deaths following Tropical Cyclone Gezani that made landfall on 10 February near Toamasina on the eastern coast of Madagascar. In addition, more than 800 people have been injured and nine remain missing.
Preliminary reports indicate that more than 470,000 people have been affected by Cyclone Gezani and over 35,000 people have been displaced, including 3,200 people in 19 temporary sites. Combined with the impact of Tropical Cyclone Fytia, which made landfall on 31 January, the total number of people affected by the two cyclones exceeds 680,000.
The UN and its partners are providing lifesaving food, water and sanitation, health care, protection, nutrition and shelter, among other essential services.
Following aerial assessments, humanitarian partners estimate that some US$49 million is urgently required to support 382,000 people over the next two and a half months. This amount is part of the Government’s appeal on 14 February for $142 million to address urgent humanitarian, recovery and reconstruction needs.
At the Government’s request, OCHA yesterday deployed additional teams to strengthen coordination. The Southern African Development Community and the European Union also deployed teams on Monday.
In a positive forecast, Cyclone Gezani is expected to gradually weaken over the coming days.
The UN and its partners thank donors and Member States that have demonstrated solidarity with the people of Madagascar and backed it with urgently needed financial resources - and urge the swift disbursement of funds to scale up the response.