Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Al Jazeera Staff
Aid workers faced a record number of attacks in 2025, according to the UN, with 907 workers killed, injured or kidnapped. The death toll was partly driven by the increased use of armed drones, which have become cheaper and more adaptable in conflicts. Gaza was the most deadly place for aid workers, with 186 humanitarians killed there last year. The UN Secretary-General described the level of violence as "appalling" and called on states to respect the rules of war and hold perpetrators accountable.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A record 907 aid workers were killed, injured, or kidnapped in 2025, according to the United Nations humanitarian office. This number includes 350 fatalities, which is slightly lower than the previous year's record of 387 deaths. The use of armed drones has contributed to the increased violence, with UN aid chief Tom Fletcher citing their proliferation as a major factor. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the level of violence as "appalling" and called for perpetrators to be held accountable. The European Commission stated that every aid worker killed is not only a personal tragedy but also a failure by the international community to uphold its commitments. The high number of attacks on aid workers has led to increased concerns about the safety of humanitarian workers in conflict zones.
Written for “Aid Worker Attacks Rise” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 1374 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-21
A record number of aid workers faced violent attacks last year, partly driven by the increased use of armed drones, the United Nations humanitarian office has said.
asserted
office → face → drones
According to an Aid Worker Security Database, a platform that compiles major incidents affecting humanitarian workers, 907 aid workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025 alone.
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Of those, 350 were killed, down slightly from a record 387 in 2024.
uncertain
350 → accord → 2024
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the level of violence “appalling” and urged states to respect the rules of war and hold perpetrators accountable.
asserted
perpetrators → call → war
“Serving others has become more dangerous than ever,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
asserted
he → serve → Wednesday
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the proliferation of cheap and adaptable armed drones in conflicts has increased the risks.
asserted
proliferation → say → risks
In March, drone attacks hit Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least three people including a French aid worker, while aid convoys in Sudan and Ukraine have been repeatedly hit.
asserted
convoys → hit → Sudan
Gaza was by far the most deadly place for aid workers in 2025, with 186 humanitarians killed there last year, the database showed, followed by Sudan.
asserted
database → kill → Sudan
In a post on X, Ramiz Alakbarov, the humanitarian coordinator of the UN Palestinian refugee agency, said “humanitarian workers are not a target and humanitarian assistance must be fully facilitated.”
asserted
assistance → say → agency
UNRWA’s former chief Philippe Lazzarini said earlier this year he was seeking a high-level panel to investigate staff deaths.
asserted
he → say → deaths
Attacks on humanitarian workers are happening as funding for their work is increasingly being cut.
asserted
funding → happen → work
In a statement, the European Commission said it would continue its donor obligations, adding “every aid worker killed is not only a personal tragedy; it is also a failure by the international community to uphold its most basic commitments.”
asserted
it → say → commitments
Bushra Khalidi, global humanitarian policy lead at Oxfam, called for greater protections for aid workers, saying: “We’re witnessing an assault on humanitarian action itself.”
asserted
We → call → action
