UN condemns record violence against aid workers: 280 killed in 2023, over half in Gaza

The United Nations on Monday (19 Aug) condemned the escalating violence against humanitarian workers, highlighting that a record 280 aid workers were killed worldwide in 2023.

This marked the deadliest year on record for the global humanitarian community, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The OCHA’s report, released in observance of World Humanitarian Day, revealed that 2023 saw a staggering 137 percent increase in the number of aid workers killed compared to the previous year, when 118 deaths were recorded.

The report also warns that 2024 could surpass this tragic record, with 172 aid workers already killed by 7 August, according to provisional data from the Aid Worker Security Database.

Over half of the 2023 deaths—163 in total—occurred during the first three months of hostilities in Gaza from October to December 2023, primarily affecting staff from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Source: Aid Workers Security Database

The violence in Sudan and South Sudan has also been a major contributor to the rising death toll among humanitarian workers over the past two years.

The report highlights that the majority of the casualties are among national staff working in these conflict zones.

In Yemen, many humanitarian workers continue to face the threat of detention, further compounding the dangers they face in their efforts to provide aid.

Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, condemned the normalization of violence against aid workers, stating that it is “unacceptable, unconscionable, and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere.”

She called on global leaders to take immediate action to end violations against civilians and hold perpetrators accountable.

On World Humanitarian Day, aid workers and their supporters organized events worldwide to stand in solidarity and draw attention to the severe impact of armed conflicts on humanitarian staff.

Additionally, leaders of humanitarian organizations have issued a joint letter to the Member States of the UN General Assembly, urging the international community to protect aid workers, end attacks on civilians, and ensure accountability for these crimes.