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UN: 350 humanitarian workers killed in 2025, Gaza and Sudan deadliest hotspots
🇲🇦 Morocco /Disasters & Emergencies

UN: 350 humanitarian workers killed in 2025, Gaza and Sudan deadliest hotspots

From Hespress · () Arabic

Translated from Arabic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • The UN reported that 350 humanitarian workers were killed in 2025, with Gaza and Sudan being the most dangerous locations.
  • A total of 907 aid workers were killed, injured, or kidnapped in 2025, marking a tragic record, though slightly fewer deaths than in 2024.
  • The UN official urged nations to uphold international humanitarian law and hold perpetrators accountable, citing the proliferation of armed drones as a growing concern.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported a grim milestone: 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives in 2025. Gaza and Sudan emerged as the deadliest locations, with 186 and 71 fatalities respectively. The OCHA's data, drawn from the "Humanitarian Outcomes" research center, revealed that 907 aid workers faced violence, including death, injury, or kidnapping, in 2025. This figure represents a tragic record, though it was a slight decrease from the 377 deaths recorded in 2024.

More than a thousand humanitarian workers have been killed in just three years, and this is an absolutely unacceptable figure.

— Tom FletcherUN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, commenting on the scale of violence against aid workers.

As of early 2026, the violence continues, with 82 humanitarian workers killed, 97 injured, and 39 kidnapped globally. "More than a thousand humanitarian workers have been killed in just three years, and this is an absolutely unacceptable figure," stated UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher. He emphasized that condemnation alone is insufficient, calling on states to adhere to international humanitarian law and utilize all available means to protect civilians and aid workers. Fletcher also stressed the need for accountability for those who violate these rules.

But mere condemnation will not provide them with protection. States must uphold international humanitarian law and use all means available to protect civilians and our colleagues. Those who violate the rules must also bear the consequences of their actions.

— Tom FletcherUrging international action and accountability for the protection of humanitarian workers.

A significant concern highlighted by OCHA is the proliferation of "cheap and modifiable armed drones," which increasingly empower various actors to employ lethal force. In Sudan, these drones were responsible for "80% of civilian deaths in the first four months of 2026," specifically targeting markets and health facilities. Fletcher described armed drones as the "new face of an old danger: the deliberate or reckless endangerment of civilian lives." He concluded by noting that while technology evolves, the laws of war remain constant.

The proliferation of cheap and modifiable armed drones is very worrying, giving an increasing number of actors the ability to use lethal force.

— OCHAHighlighting the growing threat posed by armed drones in conflict zones.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hespress in Arabic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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