Dhaka, August 19 – The United Nations reported that a historic number of 383 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally in 2024, with almost half of them dying in Gaza amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as the organization observed World Humanitarian Day with a somber message regarding increasing dangers faced by individuals providing critical assistance.
The U.N.’s top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, stated that the increase in deaths should act as a “wake-up call” to safeguard civilians and individuals providing aid.
Fletcher stated, ‘Such large-scale attacks, without any consequences, represent a disgraceful criticism of global passivity and lack of action.’ He added, ‘We urge decision-makers to safeguard citizens and relief personnel, as well as ensure those responsible face justice.’
As per the Aid Worker Security Database, deaths increased from 293 in 2023 to 383 in 2024 – with over 180 incidents recorded in Gaza. The majority of those who lost their lives were local employees working to support their own communities, frequently dying either while on duty or within their residences, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The database documented 599 significant assaults against humanitarian personnel during the previous year, marking a substantial increase compared to 420 cases reported in 2023. These events resulted in 308 injuries, 125 abductions, and 45 detentions. So far this year, 2025 has seen 245 notable attacks registered, leading to 265 fatalities.
A particularly severe event occurred on March 23 in Rafah, southern Gaza, where Israeli forces allegedly targeted medical personnel and rescuers operating in clearly identified vehicles, resulting in 15 deaths and subsequently burying the corpses in a collective grave using heavy machinery.
Palestinian health officials report that the number of deaths in Gaza has exceeded 62,000
Sudan ranked as the second most dangerous nation for aid personnel following Gaza and the West Bank, where 60 humanitarian staff were murdered in 2024—more than twice the number recorded in the prior year. Additional areas of concern featured Lebanon (20 fatalities, an increase from zero in 2023), Ethiopia and Syria (each reporting 14 deaths), and Ukraine (13 casualties, up from six in the preceding year).
An assault on a humanitarian worker is an attack on everyone,” Fletcher emphasized. “Hostility toward relief personnel is not unavoidable—it needs to stop.
Source: Agency