World Humanitarian Day 2026: the only target should be saving lives
Today, 19 August, marks the anniversary of the attack on the United Nations headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 humanitarian workers. Five years later, the United Nations General Assembly designated 19 August as World Humanitarian Day – a day dedicated to all workers killed or injured in the line of duty, and to the populations affected by conflicts.
Twenty-three years later, the global scenario has dramatically worsened.
Between rising international conflicts and internal crises, civilians are no longer merely caught in the crossfire: men, women, and children are being deliberately targeted with unprecedented violence.
The figures for 2025 paint an alarming picture. Over 37,000 civilians were killed in war zones last year. At the same time, helping those most in need has never been more dangerous: in 2025, at least 334 humanitarian workers lost their lives across 22 countries.
1,000+
humanitarian workers killed in the last 3 years
55+
workers killed since the start of 2026
1,370+
WHO-verified attacks on healthcare facilities
From the Gaza Strip to Sudan, Lebanon and Ukraine, International Humanitarian Law is trampled on daily. Hospitals, schools, places of worship, and homes are reduced to rubble with complete impunity, ignoring the warnings raised by international agencies. Despite this, INTERSOS continues to stand alongside those who urgently need protection and care.
Today, on World Humanitarian Day, we call forcefully for the defense of International Law, the enabling of humanitarian action, and the protection of civilian lives.
Because the only target should be saving lives.
