At least 350 humanitarian and aid workers were killed worldwide last year while trying to assist vulnerable people in conflict-ridden and high-risk areas, with Gaza and Sudan recording the highest numbers of fatalities. For the third consecutive year, Gaza has been identified as the world’s most dangerous place for humanitarian workers.
The figures were revealed in statistics released by the United Nations on Monday (August 17) to mark World Humanitarian Day. The UN described attacks against aid and charity workers as completely “unacceptable” and called for international humanitarian law to be effectively enforced to ensure the safety of personnel delivering humanitarian assistance in conflict zones.
According to data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and research organization Humanitarian Outcomes, 186 aid workers were killed in Gaza last year. This was the highest number recorded in any conflict zone worldwide. Sudan ranked second, with 71 humanitarian workers killed in the African country during the same period.
Although the global number of aid worker deaths declined slightly from 2024, the situation remains deeply concerning. A total of 377 aid and charity workers were killed worldwide in 2024. The death of more than 350 humanitarian workers in a single year underscores the severe security risks facing humanitarian operations.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said more than 1,000 aid workers had been killed worldwide over the past three years. He stressed that simply condemning attacks would not be enough to protect humanitarian personnel. States must take concrete and effective measures to protect civilians and aid workers while fully complying with international humanitarian law.
Fletcher also called for those who violate international humanitarian law to be held accountable and subjected to appropriate punishment. According to him, the loss of humanitarian workers’ lives while delivering assistance can never be considered normal or acceptable.
Attacks on and deaths of aid workers have continued in 2026. According to OCHA data, another 82 humanitarian workers have been killed worldwide since the beginning of this year. During the same period, 97 workers were injured and at least 39 were abducted.
The UN humanitarian affairs agency has also expressed growing concern over the rapidly expanding use of armed drones in conflict zones. According to the agency, the increasing deployment of such drones is enhancing the capacity for deadly attacks on the battlefield while also increasing the risk of devastating explosive attacks in densely populated areas.
The severity of drone warfare has been particularly evident in Sudan. The report said that 80 percent of civilians killed in the country during the first four months of this year were victims of drone attacks. Many of these attacks reportedly targeted civilian facilities, including markets and healthcare centers.
The UN also highlighted the devastating impact of drone attacks in the Russia-Ukraine war. The growing use of this modern warfare technology is placing not only civilians but also humanitarian operations at increasing risk in conflict-affected areas.
Fletcher said armed drones have become a new manifestation of an old danger—the reckless endangerment and destruction of civilian lives. He stressed the need for stronger and more effective international action to protect humanitarian personnel operating amid war and conflict.
The figures released on World Humanitarian Day once again demonstrate that the human cost of war and conflict is not borne solely by the parties involved in fighting. Aid workers risking their lives to save vulnerable people are increasingly being exposed to devastating levels of danger.
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Humanitarian Outcomes.