UN Reports Record Deaths of Aid Workers in 2023

The United Nations has reported a record 280 aid worker fatalities globally in 2023, marking a staggering increase from 118 deaths in 2022, with the majority occurring during the early months of the Israel-Gaza conflict. The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted that more than half of these deaths were due to airstrikes in Gaza. As of August 7, 2024, 172 aid workers have already been killed, indicating that this year may surpass last year's grim statistics. The ongoing violence in Sudan and South Sudan has also significantly contributed to the fatalities, alongside conflicts in Ukraine and Ethiopia. Joyce Msuya, the acting emergency relief coordinator, condemned the normalization of violence against humanitarian workers and called for urgent global action to protect them. Humanitarian organizations plan to urge UN member states to enhance protections and accountability for aid personnel.