Today, many deeply dehumanizing events are unfolding across the world, yet they rarely receive sustained attention in the mainstream news. Even when these events are being covered, the focus is often shifted: they do not include historical context or update continually. Social media plays a role as well; the mind-numbing and endless scrolling discourages individuals to fact-check the information that they see online. Additionally, the media moves on quickly, and headlines don’t last. As a result, many are suffering in silence as we speak. Two of the major humanitarian crises that exemplify this pattern are Palestine and Sudan. These two countries have faced countless violence, displacement, and loss of life while the media coverage remains inconsistent.
The situation in Palestine is not new, and I’m sure many of you have heard of or have a basic understanding of what’s going on. The roots of this conflict stretch back decades; displacement of Palestinians followed the establishment of Israel in 1948 and occupation and violence has continued since then. While understanding the history of this conflict is essential, it is equally important to examine what is happening in the present. Despite the announcement of multiple ceasefires, violence has not entirely ceased. The current ceasefire put in place, Trump’s 20-point plan, is on its second phase as of January 14th, 2026, but has remained deadlocked. But what was the first phase? The first phase was designed to “immediately halt the fighting, facilitate the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian captives, set a boundary for Israeli withdrawal from parts of Gaza, open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, allowing full entry of humanitarian aid” (Haddad 4), but was this actually delivered? No, it wasn’t. The number of attacks has decreased overall, but 449 Palestinians were killed and around twice that many were injured. In terms of captives, all the living have been returned. Also, the Israeli withdrawal from parts of Gaza has not happened as Israel “continues to extend beyond the yellow line” (Haddad). Finally, allowing the full entry of humanitarian aid, and opening the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has also not happened as Israel continues to restrict aid and the crossing remains closed. As we move onto phase two of the ceasefire, the main focus is to establish long-term governance, which will, according to Hamas, terminate its Gaza government upon the new Palestinian body taking over. Steve Witkoff explains this marks the beginning of “the full demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorised personnel.” While this phase is aimed toward longterm stability, it remains unclear whether these goals will actually be fulfilled. Palestine, however, is not the only place in a severe crisis. In Sudan, an equally severe humanitarian crisis continues, yet it receives even less coverage. While there have been clips on social media, this does not represent the depth of the situation. Sudan is now on the brink of the worst famine in the world as well as a civil war, with 25 million (half the population) in dire need of humanitarian assistance according to the UN refugee agency. In addition, more than seven million people are being internally displaced and two million are fleeing the country. Sudan’s civil war started in April of 2023, after it experienced decades of instability due to a power struggle between its army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)– a paramilitary force that operates independently under the government and currently fighting to control the country– which is now being provided financial and military support by the United Arab Emirates, a modern-oil rich country. Due to both the RSF’s control of major gold mining areas and the UAE’s desire for control of Sudan’s agriculture and oil richness, the UAE wants to fund RSF’s operations. Furthermore, the UAE seeks to secure its influence over Sudan’s Red Sea coast. The Sudanese people have already endured severe hardship long before the current conflict escalated. With the aftermath of previous conflicts, such as the first and second civil war, people are left struggling to survive.
Overall, the crises in Palestine and Sudan highlight how unfulfilled political efforts and ongoing power struggles allow for humanitarian suffering to continue for years without resolution. In Sudan, the conflict between Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF shows how internal divisions and a need for control can turn into violence that affects many civilians, forcing millions of people to flee their homes. Many Sudanese families now live in overcrowded refugee camps and unfinished buildings, or go to neighboring countries like Egypt. Others remain displaced in Sudan, moving from place to place to escape violence with little access to medical care, proper food and water. Families go days without food, and many people are separated from their loved ones, wondering when they will be able to reutrn home. Similarly, in Palestine, long standing tensions and intense armed conflicts lead to high civilian casualties, displacement, and blockades, which have made it difficult to achieve a socalled “peace,” leaving generations of people being wiped away. The impact of these crises are far beyond simple headlines. Families are forced to flee their homes and children lose their education. Men, Women, and Children are murdered, and communities struggle to survive without food or medical care. These aren’t problems that a population can easily recover from, for these problems can create lasting cycles of displacement and reshape the entire population. I challenge you to go beyond relying on the media for information, and open your eyes to see that many countries are suffering, including places like Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, and many more. If you want to delve into more detail, look into credible sources like Doctors Without Borders, Al Jazeera, or the official UN website. The importance of getting your information from credible, impartial, and independent sources is underscored in the age of social media and flashy headlines. For a full list of sources for this article, please visit https:// thespectrumabrhs.com/