Azernews.Az

By Ulviya Poladova

During 2025, at least 326 humanitarians were killed in the line of duty in 21 countries, bringing the total death toll over three years to over 1,010, AzerNEWS reports.

More than 560 died in Gaza and the West Bank, 130 in Sudan, 60 in South Sudan, 25 in Ukraine and 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the UN’s top aid coordinator, Tom Fletcher.

As the UN press service notes, Resolution 2730, adopted in 2024 with 14 votes in favour and Russia abstaining, unequivocally calls for the respect and protection of humanitarians in accordance with international law.

Despite this clear mandate, the UN's top official for safety and security, Gilles Michaud, highlighted a disturbing reality.

"Perpetrators are rarely held accountable - they are rarely named and shamed, let alone prosecuted," he stated, underscoring a critical lack of accountability that emboldens those who target aid workers.

Fletcher posed critical questions to the Member States, probing the reasons behind this persistent violence. He questioned whether international humanitarian law, once a cornerstone of civilized conduct in conflict, had become inconvenient. He also raised the alarming possibility that perpetrators face no repercussions for their actions, or that humanitarians themselves are perceived as legitimate targets.

In addition it is worth noting that in 2024 at least 383 aid workers were killed during the conflicts.

Credit: Bashar Talep / AFP