Record Number of Aid Workers Killed in Conflicts Worldwide

A record 280 aid workers were killed in global conflicts in 2023, more than double the previous year. The first three months of the Israel-Gaza war contributed significantly to this figure. The UN warns that 2024 may be even deadlier, with 172 deaths by August 7.

A record number of aid workers were killed in conflicts around the world last year, and this year may be on course to be even deadlier, the United Nations announced on Monday.

The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 280 aid workers lost their lives in 33 countries in 2023 — a staggering increase from the previous year's 118. Most of last year's fatalities occurred in the first three months of the Israel-Gaza war, largely due to airstrikes.

The office warned that 2024 "may be on track for an even deadlier outcome," with 172 aid workers reported dead as of August 7. The OCHA highlighted that more than 280 aid workers, primarily from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), have been killed in Gaza alone. Additionally, extreme violence in Sudan and South Sudan has significantly contributed to the death toll.

Joyce Msuya, the UN's acting emergency relief coordinator, condemned the growing normalization of violence against aid workers, calling it "unacceptable, unconscionable and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere." She urged global leaders to act decisively to end such violations and hold perpetrators accountable.

(With inputs from agencies.)