At least 350 aid workers lost their lives worldwide last year, marking a distressing increase in violence against humanitarian personnel, as reported by the United Nations. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that the death toll in 2025 showed a slight decrease from the previous year, which had recorded the highest number of fatalities on record with 387 aid workers killed globally. Apart from the fatalities, 322 aid workers were injured in attacks, and 235 were abducted during the same year, according to data from the Aid Worker Security Database.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern in a video message on World Humanitarian Day, emphasizing the escalating dangers faced by those who serve others. The Gaza Strip maintained its status as the most perilous environment for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 fatalities reported in 2025 amid the conflict in the Palestinian enclave. Additionally, Sudan witnessed 71 aid workers losing their lives last year due to the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, condemned the unacceptable toll of over 1,000 aid worker deaths in just three years. Fletcher stressed the urgent need for states to uphold international humanitarian law and deploy all available resources to safeguard civilians and aid workers, with a call for real consequences for those violating the rules.
As of the current year, OCHA reported that 82 aid workers have already been killed, with 97 injured and 39 kidnapped. Moreover, the UN raised alarms regarding the increasing use of armed drones in conflict zones. OCHA disclosed that drones have been utilized to target markets and health facilities in Sudan, resulting in 80% of civilian deaths in the early months of 2026. Notably, drone attacks in Ukraine in April of this year claimed the lives of at least 80 civilians.
Fletcher warned about the concerning trend of weaponized drones becoming a prominent threat, causing deliberate harm to civilian populations.