UNITED NATIONS: On Monday, the United Nations denounced the “unacceptable” surge in violence against humanitarian workers, which saw a record 280 fatalities worldwide in 2023. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the disturbing trend in a statement on World Humanitarian Day, expressing concern that ongoing conflicts, particularly the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, are contributing to escalating violence.
Joyce Msuya, the acting director of OCHA, condemned the normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability for such attacks. “The normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability are unacceptable, unconscionable, and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere,” she said.
According to OCHA, 2023 was the deadliest year on record for the global humanitarian community, with a 137 percent increase in fatalities compared to 2022, when 118 aid workers were killed. Of the 280 deaths reported last year, 163 occurred in Gaza during the initial three months of the Israel-Hamas conflict, primarily due to airstrikes.
Other major conflicts contributing to high aid worker fatalities include South Sudan, with 34 deaths, and Sudan, with 25 deaths amid ongoing civil war. Israel and Syria reported seven deaths each, while Ethiopia and Ukraine saw six deaths each. Somalia, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo also experienced significant casualties among aid workers.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to impunity, demanding that those responsible for attacks on humanitarian workers face justice. Despite the high number of fatalities in 2023, OCHA warned that 2024 could see even higher numbers, with 176 aid workers already killed as of August 9.
On World Humanitarian Day, humanitarian leaders and UN agencies issued a joint letter urging an end to the “era of impunity,” criticizing the frequent unpunished violations of war rules that harm civilians and aid personnel. This annual observance commemorates the 2003 attack on the UN’s Baghdad headquarters, which killed 22 people, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN special representative to Iraq.
