At least 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally last year, marking another tragic year for violence against aid workers, according to the United Nations. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported a slight decrease in the death toll from 2024, the deadliest year on record with 387 aid workers killed worldwide.
In addition to the fatalities, 322 aid workers were wounded in attacks in 2025, while 235 were abducted, as per the Aid Worker Security Database. UN Secretary General António Guterres stated in a video message on World Humanitarian Day that serving others has become increasingly perilous.
The Gaza Strip retained its status as the most dangerous context for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 casualties last year amid Israel’s conflict in the Palestinian enclave, as reported by OCHA. Furthermore, 71 aid workers lost their lives in Sudan in 2025 due to an ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since 2023.
UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, emphasized the unacceptable toll of over 1,000 aid worker fatalities in just three years. He stressed the crucial need for states to uphold international humanitarian law and employ all available means to safeguard civilians and aid workers, with real consequences for those who violate the rules.
OCHA disclosed that 82 aid workers have already been killed this year, alongside 97 injuries and 39 abductions. Alarm was raised by the UN regarding the use of “inexpensive and versatile armed drones” in conflict areas. Drones have been deployed to target markets and healthcare facilities in Sudan, resulting in 80% of civilian casualties in the first four months of 2026. Additionally, drone strikes claimed the lives of at least 80 civilians in Ukraine in April of this year.
Fletcher highlighted the concerning trend of weaponized drones becoming a significant threat to civilian lives, representing a new form of deliberate or reckless destruction.