Gaza: Two years into the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian crisis has reached unprecedented levels, with aid workers becoming frequent targets of violence. The destruction has severely impacted efforts to provide essential services to the beleaguered population.
According to Anadolu Agency, recent data from the United Nations reveals that Israeli forces have killed at least 562 humanitarian workers during this period, including 376 UN staff members. These individuals, who played crucial roles in delivering food, treating the wounded, and managing shelters, have become casualties of an unrelenting conflict.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been particularly affected, with over 360 of its staff members killed in strikes on homes and shelters. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has also suffered significant losses, with 54 staff and volunteers killed.
Israeli attacks have not spared international charities. A notable incident occurred on April 1, 2024, when Israeli drones targeted a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy, resulting in the deaths of seven aid workers. This attack led WCK to temporarily suspend its operations, exacerbating food shortages in Gaza.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Save the Children have also faced losses, with MSF reporting 14 staff deaths since October 2023. Save the Children confirmed the deaths of two colleagues in separate incidents, further underscoring the perilous environment for aid organizations.
Smaller community-based organizations have not been immune to the violence. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) condemned the killing of three partners in October 2024. Airstrikes on other local organizations have claimed additional lives, illustrating the widespread impact of the conflict.
The humanitarian toll has drawn international condemnation, with UN officials and human rights groups decrying the deliberate targeting of convoys and hospitals as violations of international law. Over the past two years, more than 66,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been killed, with nearly 170,000 wounded.
A UN commission of inquiry recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, with the siege and blockade contributing to famine and the destruction of the health system. UN experts have accused Israel of "medicide," a term used to describe the deliberate targeting of healthcare workers and facilities to obliterate medical care in the enclave.