Last year, a total of 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally, marking a distressing escalation in violence against aid workers, as reported by the United Nations. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) disclosed that the death toll in 2025 had a slight reduction compared to the previous year’s record of 387 aid worker fatalities. Furthermore, incidents in 2025 also resulted in 322 aid workers sustaining injuries and 235 being abducted, according to the Aid Worker Security Database.
On World Humanitarian Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the increasing peril faced by those dedicated to serving others. Notably, the Gaza Strip emerged as the most dangerous area for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 fatalities attributed to Israel’s actions during the conflict in the Palestinian enclave. Sudan also witnessed significant risks, with 71 aid workers losing their lives amid the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
Expressing grave concern, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, condemned the unacceptable toll of over 1,000 aid worker deaths in just three years. He stressed the imperative for states to uphold international humanitarian law to safeguard civilians and humanitarian workers, advocating for concrete repercussions for violators.
OCHA’s recent data indicates that 82 aid workers have already been killed this year, with 97 sustaining injuries and 39 being abducted. Additionally, the UN has drawn attention to the concerning use of armed drones in conflict zones, citing instances of drones targeting civilian establishments in Sudan and Ukraine, resulting in substantial civilian casualties. Fletcher highlighted the devastating impact of weaponized drones on civilian populations, labeling them a modern manifestation of the longstanding threat to civilian lives.