UN Reports Record Violence Against Aid Workers in 2025

The United Nations reported that attacks on humanitarian workers reached a record high in 2025, with 907 aid workers killed, injured, or kidnapped. While fatalities decreased slightly to 350 from a record 387 the previous year, the Gaza Strip remained the deadliest location for the third consecutive year with 186 deaths. Sudan followed as the second-deadliest country with 71 fatalities.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, stated that serving others has become more dangerous than ever. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher identified the proliferation of cheap, adaptable armed drones as a primary driver of this risk, noting that these weapons are delivering explosives into populated areas and targeting health facilities. In Sudan, armed drones accounted for 80% of civilian deaths during the first four months of 2026. Other high-risk areas include Ukraine, where drones hit four humanitarian convoys in a single week in May 2026, and Colombia, where drone attacks quadrupled between 2024 and 2025.

Violence has persisted into 2026, with 82 aid workers killed, 97 injured, and 39 kidnapped globally so far this year. In South Sudan, at least 36 workers have been killed since January, surpassing the total for all of 2025. UN officials and organizations like the European Commission and Oxfam have called for stronger enforcement of international humanitarian law and accountability for perpetrators, while warning that funding cuts further jeopardize lifesaving operations.