UN decries 350 humanitarian worker deaths in 2025, warns of rising drone threats

The United Nations announced that 350 humanitarian workers lost their lives in 2025, a modest decline from the 377 recorded the previous year. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs cited data from Humanitarian Outcomes, noting that Gaza suffered 186 deaths, remaining the most lethal environment for aid personnel for the third year running, and Sudan experienced 71 fatalities. Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, described the cumulative loss of over 1,000 workers in three years as "utterly unacceptable" and called on states to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure accountability for violations.

He warned that merely condemning the attacks will not safeguard future staff, emphasizing the need for concrete consequences. The statement also drew attention to the expanding use of armed drones, which have caused a high proportion of civilian deaths in Sudan and have been employed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Fletcher described weaponized drones as a modern manifestation of the longstanding danger of indiscriminate violence against civilians.