UN says 350 aid workers killed in 2025, most deaths in Gaza and Sudan

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 350 aid workers were killed in 2025, with 186 deaths recorded in Gaza and 71 in Sudan. According to the agency's Humanitarian Incidents database, the total number of aid workers killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025 reached 907. The office said 377 aid workers were killed in 2024. In the first months of 2026, it reported 82 aid worker deaths, 97 injuries and 39 kidnappings. Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said more than 1,000 aid workers had been killed over the past three years and called on states to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians. OCHA also flagged the growing danger posed by cheap, modifiable armed drones. The office said armed drones were responsible for about 80% of civilian deaths recorded in Sudan during the first four months of 2026, with attacks targeting marketplaces and health facilities.