Over 300 humanitarian workers killed in 2025 – (Photo: symbolic image from dts)
via dts news agency
more than 300 aid workers were killed last year while providing assistance to those in need, a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those dedicated to humanitarian efforts.
A Disturbing Trend of Violence Against Humanitarians
The escalating violence against humanitarian personnel worldwide is raising serious concerns about the safety of aid workers and the respect for international law.
The President of the German Red Cross (DRK), Hermann Gröhe, expressed deep concern over the increasing number of humanitarian workers killed in conflicts globally. gröhe revealed that over 300 helpers lost their lives in 2025 while working to assist others, including a significant number affiliated with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. He shared these figures with newspapers from the Funke media group on Sunday editions.
Gröhe described the situation as “unbearable,†emphasizing that the sheer number of deaths isn’t merely a collection of individual tragedies. It represents a essential disregard for basic humanitarian principles. He underscored that these individuals, who willingly risk their lives to alleviate suffering in challenging and risky environments, embody the very essence of humanity.
Humanitarian law protections-International humanitarian law aims to protect aid workers in conflict zones, but enforcement is often weak, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
“It is indeed very critically important that the rules in armed conflict, international humanitarian law, are finally given more validity again and that the law is comprehensively enforced,†Gröhe stated, calling for stronger adherence to and implementation of these vital protections.
Why are aid workers targeted?-Aid workers are sometimes deliberately targeted by parties to conflict who view them as a threat or seek to disrupt humanitarian assistance.
