More humanitarian workers were killed in 2023 than in any previous year, according to a report released by the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on World Humanitarian Day. The report reveals a staggering 280 aid worker deaths, a figure the OCHA has called "outrageously high," making 2023 the deadliest year on record for the global humanitarian community.

Interim OCHA chief Joyce Msuya condemned the widespread violence against aid workers, highlighting the alarming trend of impunity that has normalized such attacks. "The normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability are unacceptable, unconscionable, and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere," Msuya stated in the report.

The 280 fatalities were recorded across 33 countries, marking a 137% increase from 2022, when 118 humanitarian workers were killed.

Gaza, South Sudan, and Sudan Among the Deadliest Regions

The report identifies Gaza, South Sudan, and Sudan as the most dangerous regions for humanitarian workers. Over half of the deaths (163) occurred in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, with most casualties resulting from Israeli airstrikes on the enclave. An additional seven aid workers were killed in Israel throughout the year.

South Sudan, plagued by civil conflict, and Sudan, embroiled in a war between rival generals since April 2023, were also highlighted as extremely perilous for aid workers, with 34 and 25 fatalities, respectively.

Ukraine, still grappling with the ongoing Russian invasion, recorded six aid worker deaths, the same number as in Ethiopia’s conflict-ridden Amhara region. Syria reported seven fatalities, while Somalia, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo saw five, four, and four deaths, respectively.

Warning of a Potentially Deadlier 2024

The report raises concerns that 2024 may surpass 2023 in terms of aid worker fatalities. As of August 9, 2024, 176 humanitarian workers have already been killed worldwide, according to the Aid Worker Security Database, which has been monitoring such incidents since 1997.

A particularly harrowing incident occurred in April when seven World Central Kitchen employees were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting two marked armored cars leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip.

"We will continue to stay and deliver in humanitarian crises around the world, but the situation requires us to take a united stand to call for the protection of our staff, volunteers, and the civilians we serve," the report concluded, emphasizing the urgency for greater protection measures to safeguard those working on the frontlines of global humanitarian efforts.