UN Report: Gaza is the Most Dangerous Location for Humanitarian Workers Globally

UN Report: Gaza is the Most Dangerous Location for Humanitarian Workers Globally

A new report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that the Gaza Strip was the deadliest location for humanitarian workers last year, accounting for more than half of the total fatalities among relief staff worldwide. According to the report, 186 humanitarian workers were killed in the Gaza Strip out of 350 killed globally, indicating that the strip accounted for more than 53 percent of all recorded deaths among humanitarian workers.

These figures emerge amid increasing risks faced by relief teams and medical staff during the war in Gaza. UN and human rights reports have documented repeated attacks targeting healthcare and humanitarian workers, as well as health care facilities. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one thousand attacks on health care facilities in Gaza were recorded, causing widespread damage to the health system and weakening the ability of the remaining hospitals to meet the growing needs of the population.

Palestinian and international records also indicate the killing of more than 1,172 health care workers, including 115 doctors and 290 nurses, in addition to documenting cases of arrest and violations against several healthcare workers.

Experts and international organizations have warned about the humanitarian repercussions of the continued targeting of medical and relief personnel, emphasizing that international humanitarian law provides special protection for health and humanitarian teams and their facilities during armed conflicts.

The report comes at a time when international calls are escalating to ensure the protection of humanitarian workers and secure the delivery of aid to civilians amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the declining capabilities of the health system in the Gaza Strip.