New York: Europe and the Arabs

"The shocking new record of 383 aid workers killed in 2024 should serve as a wake-up call to protect all civilians in conflicts and crises, and to end impunity," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) appealed on World Humanitarian Day.
In his message on the occasion of the World Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that attacks on humanitarian workers are an attack on humanity, stressing that they are the last lifeline for more than 300 million people caught up in conflicts or disasters.
Guterres warned that the source of funding for this lifeline is drying up, and that attacks on those providing humanitarian assistance are increasing. The United Nations commemorates World Humanitarian Day on August 19 of each year, commemorating the killing of 22 aid workers—including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq—in the 2003 attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad.
In his message, the UN Secretary-General recalled that last year, some 390 humanitarian workers were killed worldwide—a record high—from Gaza to Myanmar, Sudan, and elsewhere.
He pointed out that red lines are being crossed with impunity, emphasizing that the rules and tools exist, and that what is lacking is political will and moral courage.
The UN Secretary-General called for honoring the martyrs of humanitarian duty by taking action to protect every humanitarian worker and invest in their safety, to stop the lies that cost lives, to promote accountability and bring perpetrators to justice, and to end the flow of arms to parties that violate international law. Guterres urged action #ForHumanity.
Violence against aid workers must end.
In addition to the shocking new record number of aid workers killed in 2024, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 308 humanitarian workers were injured, 125 were abducted, and 45 others were arrested in the same year.
“One attack on a humanitarian colleague is an attack on all of us and on the people we serve,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
He added: “Attacks of this magnitude, without accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and indifference. As the humanitarian community, we once again call on those with power and influence to act for humanity, protect civilians and aid workers, and hold perpetrators accountable.”
The UN official said that violence against aid workers is not inevitable and “must end.” A Worrying Trend That Has Not Abated
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs explained that the 31% increase in aid worker deaths compared to 2023 is due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where 181 humanitarian workers were killed, and in Sudan, where 60 people lost their lives.
It added that violence against aid workers increased in 21 countries in 2024 compared to the previous year, with government actors being the most responsible.
It warned that the first eight months of 2025 showed no sign of abating this worrying trend, with 265 aid workers killed as of August 14.
The Office emphasized that attacks on aid workers, their property, and their operations violate international humanitarian law and undermine the lifelines that sustain millions of people trapped in war and disaster zones.
It noted that the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2730 in May 2024, which reaffirmed the obligation of parties to conflict and Member States to protect humanitarian workers and called for independent investigations into violations. However, OCHA added that the lack of accountability remains widespread.
About World Humanitarian Day
On August 19, 2003, the attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
Five years later, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring August 19 World Humanitarian Day.
Each year, World Humanitarian Day focuses on a theme where partners across the humanitarian system join forces to defend the survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by crises, and to safeguard the safety and security of aid workers.