UN says 2024 deadliest year as war on Gaza kills 168 staffers

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Jun 2025 19:26
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UNRWA staff have been killed in bombardments that struck clearly marked UN shelters, schools, and aid distribution centers.

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Palestinians check the bodies of their relatives killed in an Israeli bombardment of UNRWA school at Nusseirat refugee camp, in front of the morgue of al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, early Thursday, June 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

The United Nations has confirmed that 2024 was its deadliest year on record for personnel, with 168 staff members killed in conflict zones,a toll driven overwhelmingly by "Israel's" assault on Gaza.

Speaking during a memorial ceremony on Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres mourned the loss and condemned the violence that claimed the lives of humanitarian workers.

"This past year has been especially devastating in Gaza. Today's ceremony recognizes 126 of our colleagues killed there,125 of them serving with UNRWA," Guterres said.
The remarks come as the organization grapples with the unprecedented human cost of its operations in war-affected areas.

"The sacrifice of all 168 of our fallen colleagues everywhere, humanitarians, peacekeepers, peacemakers,is a tragedy," he stated. "The United Nations will not 'grow numb' to the staff's suffering and will not accept it."

UNRWA Under Fire

According to recent field reports and investigations, UNRWA staff have been killed in bombardments that struck clearly marked UN shelters, schools, and aid distribution centers. Rights groups and UN officials have accused the Israeli military of violating international humanitarian law by repeatedly targeting facilities known to house civilians and humanitarian workers. The UN has stated that many of these attacks occurred even after it had shared the coordinates of its facilities with Israeli forces. In numerous cases, entire families of UNRWA staff members were killed.

Over 310 UN staff were killed by the Israelis in Gaza since the war began, far exceeding the 126 formally honored in the ceremony, as continued bombardment and collapse of civil records have made full documentation difficult.

Abuse in Detention

Beyond the targeting of aid infrastructure, UNRWA also reported that over 50 of its staff members, including teachers, doctors, and social workers, have been detained and abused by Israeli forces since October 2023. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini revealed that detained personnel were subjected to beatings, humiliation, threats, and even used as human shields.

"I wished for death to end this nightmare I was living through," one staff member reportedly said.

Testimonies detail forced confessions under duress, sleep deprivation, threats to family members, and physical abuse, all of which have drawn sharp international condemnation.

Operational Clampdown

In January, "Israel" formally severed ties with UNRWA and banned its operations in Israeli-controlled areas, including East occupied al-Quds. Staff were ordered to vacate UNRWA offices, and Palestinian employees were advised to stay away. Despite these obstacles, the agency continues its work in Gaza and the West Bank, supported by international donors.

UNRWA remains critical to the humanitarian lifeline in Gaza, responsible for delivering the majority of aid, including food, medical care, and education services to a besieged population.

Challenged by New US-Backed Model

The situation has been further complicated by a controversial US-backed initiative called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which aims to centralize aid distribution through heavily secured hubs in southern Gaza. These hubs would be overseen by Israeli forces and staffed by foreign private contractors, many of them ex-military personnel.

The plan has been denounced by humanitarian organizations, who warn that it could facilitate forced displacement and militarize aid access. Critics argue that the model sidesteps established humanitarian frameworks and undermines the neutrality of aid.

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini rejected the proposal, stating that the agency already has a functioning system and warning that the new plan distracts from the atrocities still being committed on the ground.

Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

Conditions in Gaza remain catastrophic. Since the complete blockade began on March 2, dozens of children have died due to malnutrition, and humanitarian agencies warn the toll will rise. If access remains restricted, tens of thousands of children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the coming months.

The United Nations continues to call for immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access and reiterates its demand that international law be respected.

"We will never accept the killing of our colleagues as an inevitable cost of war," Guterres said. "Their lives mattered. Their work mattered. And their memory demands justice."