The death toll of humanitarian workers in 2024 has become the “deadliest on record," with 281 killed globally, the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office, OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan), reported.

According to OCHA, the "grim milestone" has surpassed previous records.

OCHA has emphasized the necessity of protecting aid workers and added that threats against humanitarian personnel have been reported in regions such as Afghanistan, Gaza, Ukraine, South Sudan, and Yemen.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson of OCHA, said: “Threats to aid workers extend beyond Gaza”, he noted, explaining that there are “high levels of violence, kidnappings, injuries, harassment, and arbitrary detention reported in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen, among other countries.”

“Noting that with 2024 not yet over, the death toll has already surpassed last year’s record of 280 deaths,” he said.

The violence against aid workers also reflects a broader pattern of civilian harm in conflict zones.

According to this report, “The war in Gaza has driven the surge in casualties, with at least 333 humanitarian personnel killed since October 7, 2023. Most were staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).”

According to the latest entry in the Aid Worker Security Database, 10 national staff were killed in Gaza this month alone.