World Humanitarian Day Highlights Record Killings of Humanitarian and Medical Workers in 2024

Approaching World Humanitarian Day on August 19, 2025, the UN Security Council says that 2024 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, with 377 aid workers killed across 20 countries. The violence also struck indiscriminately at health personnel and services in 2024, including 3,623 attacks on healthcare, killing 927 health workers. Experts denounce a systematic assault on humanitarian and medical workers. 

"2024 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, primarily as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza. Since October 2023, over 500 humanitarian workers in Gaza have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to the UN as of August 2025, including several of our HI colleagues," said Zaid Amali, HI's Advocacy Officer for Palestine. "Over 1,500 health workers have been killed in almost two years. No one has been spared, as attacks took place against the Palestine Red Crescent Society, UN Workers, and NGOs... No one is safe in Gaza, not civilians, nor journalists, nor children, nor humanitarian workers." 

We urgently call for the protection of humanitarian and health workers, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and the accountability for any attacks against them. What we are currently witnessing is a dangerous erosion of respect for humanitarian law.