The United Nations revealed that at least 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally last year, marking another tragic year for violence against aid workers. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that the death toll in 2025 saw a slight decrease from the deadliest year on record in 2024, which claimed the lives of 387 aid workers worldwide.
In addition to the fatalities, 322 aid workers were wounded in attacks, and 235 individuals were abducted in 2025, as reported by the Aid Worker Security Database. UN Secretary General António Guterres emphasized the escalating dangers faced by those serving others, particularly on World Humanitarian Day, in a video message on Wednesday.
According to OCHA, the Gaza Strip remained the most perilous area for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 fatalities in the midst of Israel’s conflict in the Palestinian enclave. Meanwhile, Sudan witnessed the deaths of 71 aid workers last year due to the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces since 2023.
UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, expressed strong condemnation, stating that over 1,000 aid workers have been killed in just three years, deeming such losses as completely unacceptable. Fletcher stressed the crucial need for states to uphold international humanitarian laws and deploy all available resources to safeguard civilians and aid workers, while also ensuring repercussions for violators.
As of this year, OCHA reported that 82 aid workers have already lost their lives, with 97 individuals sustaining injuries and 39 being taken hostage. The UN also raised concerns regarding the increasing use of armed drones in conflict areas, highlighting their detrimental impact on civilian populations. Drones have been used in attacks on civilian spaces in Sudan, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties, and were responsible for the deaths of 80 civilians in Ukraine in April 2026.
Fletcher warned that weaponized drones represent a modern threat, causing deliberate harm to civilian lives in conflict zones.