Last year, a minimum of 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives globally, 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 compared to 2024, the deadliest year on record with 387 aid workers killed worldwide. Additionally, in 2025, 322 aid workers sustained injuries in attacks, and 235 were abducted, as per the Aid Worker Security Database.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the increasing danger faced by aid workers, stating, “Serving others has become more perilous than ever.” The Gaza Strip maintained its status as the most dangerous area for aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 fatalities recorded last year during Israel’s conflict in the Palestinian enclave, according to OCHA.
In Sudan, where a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has been ongoing since 2023, 71 aid workers were killed in 2025. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, expressed grave concern over the escalating violence, highlighting that over 1,000 aid workers have lost their lives in the past three years, deeming it unacceptable.
OCHA reported that in the current year, 82 aid workers have been killed, 97 injured, and 39 kidnapped so far. The UN also raised alarms regarding the use of armed drones in conflict zones, citing instances in Sudan and Ukraine where drones targeted markets and health facilities, resulting in significant civilian casualties. Fletcher condemned the use of weaponized drones, labeling them as a new form of endangering civilian lives deliberately or recklessly.