At least 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally last year, marking another tragic year for 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 saw a slight decrease compared to the previous year, which recorded the highest number of fatalities with 387 aid workers killed worldwide.
Aside from the fatalities, the Aid Worker Security Database revealed that 322 aid workers were injured in attacks, and 235 were abducted in 2025. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed in a video message on World Humanitarian Day that serving others has become increasingly perilous.
According to OCHA, the Gaza Strip remained the most dangerous area for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 casualties reported last year during Israel’s conflict in the Palestinian enclave. Additionally, Sudan recorded 71 aid worker deaths last year due to the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since 2023.
UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, condemned the alarming trend of over 1,000 aid worker fatalities in just three years, emphasizing the urgent need for states to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers.
OCHA highlighted that 82 aid workers have been killed, 97 injured, and 39 kidnapped so far this year. The UN also expressed concerns about the increasing use of armed drones in conflict zones, with drones being deployed to target markets and health facilities in Sudan and Ukraine, resulting in significant civilian casualties.
Fletcher warned that weaponized drones represent a new form of endangerment, leading to the deliberate or reckless destruction of civilian lives.