Record 383 Aid Workers Killed in 2024, UN Warns of Rising Attacks

Record 383 Aid Workers Killed in 2024, UN Warns of Rising Attacks
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A record 383 humanitarian workers were killed in conflict zones worldwide in 2024, nearly half of them in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war, the UN humanitarian office said Tuesday, as reported by the Aid Worker Security Database. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called the surge in killings a “wake-up call,” urging governments and armed groups to protect civilians and those assisting them. He warned that widespread attacks without accountability expose international inaction.

The database, which has tracked violence against aid workers since 1997, recorded an increase from 293 killings in 2023 to 383 in 2024, including more than 180 in Gaza. Most victims were local staff members serving their own communities, often targeted while on duty or in their homes, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In addition to fatalities, 599 major incidents against aid workers were reported last year, up from 420 in 2023. These included 308 wounded, 125 kidnapped, and 45 detained. OCHA said violence has already claimed 265 aid workers’ lives in the first seven months of 2025. Sudan ranked second after Gaza and the West Bank with 60 killings, while Lebanon, Ethiopia, Syria, and Ukraine also reported significant increases.