Dhaka, Aug. 19 -- A record 383 aid workers were killed worldwide in 2024, nearly half of them in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war, the U.N. said Tuesday, marking World Humanitarian Day with a grim warning about rising risks for those delivering lifesaving help.

U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the surge in killings must serve as a "wake-up call" to protect civilians and those working to assist them.

"Attacks on this scale, with zero accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy," Fletcher said. "We call on leaders to protect civilians and aid workers, and to hold perpetrators accountable."

According to the Aid Worker Security Database, fatalities rose from 293 in 2023 to 383 in 2024 - including...