Attacks on Aid Workers in an Active War Zone: A Comparison Between Gaza and Ukraine

Summary: The war in Ukraine and Gaza highlighted challenges to the way aid is delivered, and responders can do their work. These challenges include targeting of aid workers; threats and arrest of aid workers; deliberate obstruction to providing care; and the threatened safety and security of aid workers and death. Aid workers need to change their response and recognize that this includes how aid is delivered to countries in an active war zone. This poster will provide a comparison between the wars in Ukraine since February 2022 and Gaza since October 2023, to aid workers. This will include comparing trends in aid workers killed, attacked, abducted, and injured, as well as challenges in evacuations. Additionally, lessons were learned as it pertained to new trends in conflict zones and the impact on aid workers. The need for additional safety and security measures leads to civilians not having access to care, which increases their morbidity and adds to the mortality rates. Significant findings evaluate the trends and changes aid workers need to implement when responding to other active war zones to ensure the safety of responders.