Protecting humanitarian aid workers: an urgent call
Authors: Y Tony Yang
Journal: The Lancet (2024)

The escalating violence against humanitarian aid workers has reached a critical point, highlighted by the recent tragedy where seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.1Rasgon A Boxerman A What we know about the Israeli strike that killed 7 aid workers in Gaza. The New York Times, April 2, 2024https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/02/world/middleeast/world-central-kitchen-workers-strike-gaza.htmlDate accessed: April 18, 2024Google Scholar This event is part of a disturbing global trend that saw a record 260 aid workers killed in 2023, marking a 120% increase from the previous year, with 60 more fatalities recorded in the first quarter of 2024 alone.2Aid Worker Security Databasehttps://www.aidworkersecurity.org/incidents/searchDate accessed: April 18, 2024Google Scholar These numbers underscore the perilous conditions faced by those providing essential services in conflict zones such as Gaza, Ukraine, Syria, and Sudan. Technological advances in military equipment, such as drones and sophisticated munitions, have intensified the dangers in urban battlefields.3Weissmann M Urban warfare: challenges of military operations on tomorrow's battlefield.in: Weissmann M Nilsson N Advanced land warfare: tactics and operations. Oxford Academic, Oxford2023: 125-152Crossref Scopus (0) Google Scholar Moreover, the erosion of respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by both state and non-state actors fosters a culture of impunity, aggravating the risks for aid workers.4McCarthy AH Erosion of the rule of law as a basis for command responsibility under international humanitarian law.Chi J Int'l L. 2017; 18: 553Google Scholar The breakdown of the deconfliction process, intended to shield humanitarians by sharing their movements with military forces, is alarmingly common, leading to deadly consequences.5Grace R Surmounting contemporary challenges to humanitarian-military relations.https://watson.brown.edu/chrhs/files/chrhs/imce/research/Surmounting%20Contemporary%20Challenges%20to%20Humanitarian-Military%20Relations_Grace.pdfDate: August, 2020Date accessed: April 18, 2024Google Scholar The repercussions of these attacks extend far beyond the loss of individual lives.6UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsHumanitarian impact of recent attacks: critical services across Ukraine.https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/ukraine/humanitarian-impact-recent-attacks-critical-services-across-ukraine-flash-update-3Date: March 26, 2024Date accessed: April 18, 2024Google Scholar Assaults on humanitarian workers severely hinder the delivery of crucial aid to populations teetering on the brink of disaster. Each incident not only risks lives but also stalls the vital flow of assistance to those caught in the throes of conflict. Addressing this crisis requires a robust and multifaceted international response.7Bieńczyk-Missala A Grzebyk P Safety and protection of humanitarian workers.in: Gibbons Pat Heintze Hans-Joachim The humanitarian challenge: 20 years European Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA). Springer International Publishing, Cham2015: 221-252Crossref Scopus (1) Google Scholar First, nations and combatants must recommit to IHL and ensure accountability for violations. This imperative involves transparent investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for harming aid workers. Superficial expressions of regret must give way to tangible actions that reinforce the unacceptability of targeting humanitarian personnel. Second, the deconfliction mechanism must evolve from merely notifying military units to actively ensuring the safety of humanitarian operations. This transformation entails better military command and control systems, real-time communication channels between aid groups and military forces, and the imposition of consequences on militaries that fail to protect aid workers, such as war crimes charges or the halting of arms sales. Third, the international community must increase funding for humanitarian security measures, including training, protective gear, and technologies such as drone countermeasures. Additionally, supporting the psychological wellbeing of aid workers is crucial, given the increasing trauma they face. Fourth, there needs to be continuous high-level diplomatic engagement to prioritise the safety of aid workers globally. Recent efforts, such as US interventions that facilitated the opening of Gaza border crossings, show the potential impact of sustained political advocacy. The failure to safeguard humanitarian aid workers constitutes a broader attack on established laws and norms. Strengthening these protections is imperative to prevent a future where both providing and receiving aid are life-threatening activities. The global community must act decisively to ensure that such violations do not become normalised, upholding our collective humanity and the survival of those relying on humanitarian aid. I declare no competing interests. Editorial note: The Lancet Group takes a neutral position with respect to territorial claims in published text and institutional affiliations.