Silence is Complicity

Stand Up, Speak Out, Protect the Humanitarian Space

Joint Statement by UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Syria, Yemen and Lebanon

One year ago, we called on those in power to end attacks against humanitarian workers and aid operations. Release all those arbitrarily detained. Safeguard the humanitarian space in the Middle East. That call remains unanswered.

Across the region, civilians, including humanitarian workers, have already endured an unbearable toll of decades of conflict and protracted crises. They are being killed, injured, and attacked in shocking numbers. Violations of international humanitarian law are at an unprecedented level, and impunity has become the norm.

The world is failing humanitarian workers and the people they serve. Since August 2024, at least 446 aid workers were killed, wounded, kidnapped or detained in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. This brings the total number since August 2023 to at least 841 affected workers, including 584 killed, 215 wounded, 38 detained, and 4 kidnapped.

The assault on humanitarian space now includes moves to dismantle multilateral norms, undermine UN‑mandated bodies, and defund institutions tasked with protection and justice.

Even speaking out has become a liability, risking humanitarian access and triggering political retaliation.

Justice has failed for serious violations, whether committed by the same actors or by others emboldened by their impunity. The climate of permissiveness is politically indefensible and morally intolerable. There can be no exceptions to the rules of war. All parties must comply with international humanitarian law and be held accountable.

When we protect humanitarian workers, we are not only protecting the people they serve in the Middle East. We are protecting civilians everywhere, the international system, and the principles that underpin our collective dignity and humanity.

Humanitarians are not giving up, neither should the world.

This World Humanitarian Day, we renew our call—louder, sharper, uncompromising: Respect international humanitarian and human rights laws. Protect those who protect humanity. End impunity or be complicit. The world is watching. #ActForHumanity. Now.

Signatories

Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and Officer-In-Charge Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process

Mr. Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria

Mr. Julien Harneis, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen

Mr. Imran Riza, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon