The United Nations has reported that at least 337 humanitarian workers have lost their lives in Gaza since October 2023, marking one of the deadliest years for aid personnel in conflict zones.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) provided the grim statistics in its latest report.
Among the deceased, 330 were Palestinians, while seven were foreign nationals. The casualties include 251 UN staff, with 247 affiliated with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Additionally, 33 members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and at least 53 workers from various national and international NGOs have been killed during the ongoing hostilities.
The scale of these losses has drawn global concern. During a UN Security Council session, Russian Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya highlighted the unprecedented toll on humanitarian personnel, describing it as a "grim record."
He emphasized that most casualties were UN staff, particularly from UNRWA, underscoring the dire risks faced by aid workers in conflict zones.
The crisis escalated sharply on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an incursion into Israeli territory, killing civilians and taking over 240 hostages.
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