Aid workers faced record number of attacks in 2025, UN says

What the report says

The UN humanitarian office said aid workers faced a record level of violence in 2025, with the Aid Worker Security Database recording 907 people killed, injured or kidnapped across the year. Of those, 350 were killed, a figure that was slightly lower than the 387 deaths recorded in 2024, according to the database cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

The report said Gaza was the deadliest place for humanitarian staff for a third straight year, with 186 aid workers killed there in 2025. Sudan ranked next among the most dangerous settings. The article also said attacks on aid convoys and relief operations have been linked in part to the growing use of inexpensive armed drones in conflicts, raising risks for workers in places including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the violence as appalling and called on states to respect the laws of war and hold those responsible to account. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said drones were making conflict environments more dangerous for humanitarian personnel. UNRWA officials, the European Commission and Oxfam all used the report to argue for stronger protection of aid workers and continued support for humanitarian operations.

More broadly, the findings come as international funding for aid work is under pressure. That combination, the article suggests, is worsening the operating environment for organizations trying to deliver assistance in active conflict zones.