UN death toll in Gaza in 2024 reaches unprecedented levels, Says UN Chief

UN Secretary-General Guterres warned that 2024 has seen an unprecedented number of UN staff deaths in Gaza, highlighting extreme risks.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced that a significant portion of UN personnel who died in 2024 were killed in the Gaza Strip — a figure he described as unprecedented and deeply concerning.

Speaking at the UN’s annual memorial ceremony in New York to honor fallen staff members, Guterres emphasized the dramatic rise in casualties among UN workers deployed on international missions.

According to the Secretary-General, out of 168 UN personnel who lost their lives worldwide in 2024, a staggering 126 were killed in Gaza. This represents the highest number of UN staff fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict zone within one year.

The figures highlight the extreme humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, as well as the escalating dangers faced by international aid workers operating in the region amid ongoing hostilities.

The UN continues to provide critical relief services in conflict zones, but the intensification of fighting in Gaza throughout 2024 has made ensuring the safety of its personnel increasingly difficult. The high number of casualties has raised serious concerns about the protection of humanitarian workers.

This situation has sparked calls from international human rights groups and UN member states for stronger enforcement of international humanitarian law to protect aid workers and civilians in active conflict zones.

As the crisis in Gaza deepens, the United Nations faces mounting pressure to reevaluate its operational security frameworks and advocate for greater accountability regarding attacks on humanitarian staff.

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