The UN humanitarian agency said this year has seen the highest number of aid workers killed since records began.
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According to the Aid Worker Safety Database, 281 aid workers have been killed so far this year. The highest number of deaths recorded since 1997 was 280 in 2023.
Israel has killed 333 aid workers in its devastating war in Gaza since October 7, 2023. The total number of deaths in the occupied Palestinian territories this year has reached 178.
The World Health Organization also said that at least 226 health workers have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since October 7, 2023.
“These people are doing the work God gave them and they are being killed in response!” said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Humanitarian Office (OCHA), at a press briefing in Geneva.
Aid workers are supposed to be protected under international humanitarian law. The UN's aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said in a statement that the violence was "unconscionable and a devastating threat to aid efforts." He said that states and parties to the conflict must protect humanitarians, uphold international law, and hold those responsible accountable.
