Overview
- On World Humanitarian Day, OCHA reported that 907 humanitarian workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025, with 350 fatalities and 322 injured.
- Gaza was the deadliest location for the third straight year with 186 aid workers killed in 2025 and Sudan was second with 71 killed.
- Violence has continued into 2026, with OCHA recording at least 82 aid workers killed, 97 injured and 39 kidnapped so far this year.
- The UN says the spread of cheap, adaptable weaponised drones has sharply increased risks to civilians and aid teams, with drones blamed for 80% of civilian deaths in Sudan in the first four months of 2026.
- Humanitarian leaders are calling for stronger protection, full investigations, accountability for perpetrators and steady funding as access restrictions, detentions and a surge in kidnappings undermine relief operations.