On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeast Turkey near the Syrian border, with aftershocks numbering in the thousands. In Syria, the earthquake exacerbated the effects of the ongoing war, deepening the crisis for approximately 3.7 million children. According to the U.N.

The most devastating earthquake of 2023 was the Turkey-Syria Earthquake (Kahramanmaraş earthquake) which struck on February 6, 2023. The initial 7.8 magnitude quake, followed by a powerful 7.5 aftershock, killed more than 55,000 people and displaced millions across both countries. It is considered one of the deadliest seismic events of the 21st century. The epicentre was near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, and the destruction was exacerbated by the "pancake" collapse of thousands of older buildings. Other notable but less fatal earthquakes in 2023 included the 6.8 magnitude quake in Al Haouz, Morocco (killing nearly 3,000) and a series of quakes in Herat, Afghanistan (killing over 2,000). In 2026, rebuilding efforts in the Hatay and Aleppo regions are still ongoing, with many residents remaining in temporary housing as international aid shifts from "emergency relief" to long-term urban reconstruction and psychological support for the survivors.