Record Deaths of Over 280 Aid Workers in 2024

The United Nations announced on Friday, November 22, that 281 aid workers have been killed globally in 2024, marking the deadliest year for humanitarians on record, Arab News reported yesterday.

This figure surpasses the 280 fatalities reported for all of 2023, highlighting a significant rise in violence against humanitarian personnel.

Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, emphasized the alarming nature of this violence, stating that humanitarian efforts are increasingly met with “bullets and bombs.” The ongoing conflict in Gaza has significantly contributed to these numbers, with 333 aid workers reported killed since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023.

Fletcher called for states and parties involved in conflicts to protect humanitarian workers and uphold international law, stressing the need for accountability for those responsible for these attacks. The report also noted that local staff from NGOs and UN agencies are disproportionately affected, as they face threats of kidnapping, harassment, and violence in conflict zones like Afghanistan, Sudan, and Ukraine.