What's happened
2024 was the deadliest year for humanitarian workers, with 385 killed globally. In 2025, at least 265 have already died amid escalating conflicts in Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan. The UN and aid organizations are calling for increased protection and accountability for attacks on aid personnel.
What's behind the headline?
The recent spike in violence against humanitarian workers underscores a troubling trend: the erosion of neutrality and safety in conflict zones. The Australian-led UN declaration aims to address this by promoting investigations and accountability, but implementation remains challenging. The targeting of aid workers, especially those symbolizing neutrality like Red Cross and Red Crescent members, reveals a shift in how conflicts are fought—where aid personnel are increasingly seen as legitimate targets. This trend will likely intensify unless international mechanisms are strengthened. The global community's failure to protect aid workers not only endangers lives but also hampers humanitarian efforts, risking further deterioration of already fragile situations. The rising death toll in Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan signals a need for urgent, coordinated action to uphold international law and safeguard those providing life-saving assistance.
What the papers say
The Guardian reports that 2024 was the deadliest year for aid workers, with 385 killed across 20 countries, and 2025 is on track to be equally deadly with at least 265 deaths so far. The Australian government has launched a new declaration at the UN to improve protection and accountability for attacks on aid personnel, supported by countries like Switzerland, Jordan, and Indonesia. Meanwhile, The Guardian also highlights the ongoing violence in Gaza, where aid workers have been targeted, and in Myanmar, where a school bombing by the military resulted in at least 18 deaths, with the regime planning elections amid widespread repression. Al Jazeera details the worsening situation in Sudan, where civilian deaths have surged, with over 3,300 killed in the first half of 2025, and reports of attacks on civilians and religious sites by paramilitaries. The UN's OHCHR emphasizes the increasing ethnic violence and use of drones, warning that without urgent action, the conflict will deepen, and more lives will be lost. These contrasting reports underscore the global scale of violence and the urgent need for international intervention to protect civilians and aid workers alike.
How we got here
The increase in violence against aid workers reflects broader global conflicts, including the Israel-Gaza war, Myanmar's military coup, and Sudan's ongoing civil war. These crises have led to a surge in civilian casualties and targeted attacks on humanitarian personnel, highlighting the deteriorating safety environment for aid workers worldwide.
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