At least 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally last year, marking another unfortunate year of violence against aid workers, as reported by the United Nations. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that the death toll in 2025 saw a slight decrease from the previous year, which recorded the highest number of fatalities with 387 aid workers killed worldwide.
Alongside the fatalities, 322 aid workers suffered injuries in attacks, and 235 were abducted during the year, according to data from the Aid Worker Security Database. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern, stating that the act of serving others has become increasingly perilous.
The Gaza Strip remained the most dangerous area for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 individuals losing their lives in the region last year during Israel’s conflict in the Palestinian enclave. Moreover, Sudan witnessed the loss of 71 aid workers in 2025 due to the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since 2023.
Highlighting the alarming trend, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, emphasized that over 1,000 aid workers had been killed in just three years, deeming it unacceptable. Fletcher stressed the importance of upholding international humanitarian law and implementing measures to safeguard civilians and aid workers.
In the current year, OCHA reported that 82 aid workers have already been killed, with 97 sustaining injuries and 39 being kidnapped. The UN also expressed concerns about the increasing use of armed drones in conflict zones, citing instances of drone attacks causing civilian casualties in Sudan and Ukraine.
The utilization of weaponized drones in attacking civilian areas has raised significant concerns, with Fletcher describing them as a modern threat to civilian lives through deliberate or reckless actions.
