Attacks on aid workers in conflict zones have been on the rise since the late 1990s. More than 180 local aid workers have been killed since the start of the Israeli conflict in October 2023, according to the United Nations.

In an interview with The Conversation, Elizabeth Stites discusses why has it become more dangerous for aid workers to operate in conflict zones.

She notes that there have been rising numbers of attacks on humanitarian spaces — spaces used primarily by civilians that, according to international law, should not be targeted during a war.

The interview also explores the challenges of maintaining neutrality among aid workers and organizations, and the resulting politicization of aid.

Reflecting upon the recent attacks that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, Stites considers disparities in attention and response based on nationality.

Read the article in The Conversation.