Tom Morrison MP Leads Westminster Hall Debate on Safety of Humanitarian Workers in Conflict Zones
Tom Morrison, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle, has led a Westminster Hall debate calling for urgent action to protect humanitarian workers operating in some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones.
Opening the debate, Tom highlighted the unprecedented scale of current global conflict, with more active wars taking place now than at any time since World War II. He drew attention to the staggering human cost: over 343 million people facing hunger and starvation, and one in six children globally now living in conflict zones or displaced — the highest number in recorded history.
Despite these conditions, around half a million humanitarian workers continue to serve in these dangerous areas, often risking their lives to deliver aid, shelter, and support. “Rather than running away from danger, they are running towards it,” Tom said. “We should celebrate them — but instead, we are letting them down.”
Tom cited the fact that 2024 was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, with at least 325 killed. While the majority of deaths occurred in Gaza, workers have also been targeted in Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia. He described how aid workers are routinely exposed to violence, shelling, shootings, kidnapping, and sexual assault, despite international humanitarian law guaranteeing them protection.
In preparing for the debate, Tom spoke to numerous humanitarian organisations and aid workers, many of whom asked to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisals or funding cuts. “They need a voice,” Tom said. “And today I hope that the House can provide one.”
Tom spoke movingly about recent attacks on aid workers, including:
- The killing of 15 Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics in Rafah in March 2025. Despite Israeli military claims of mistaken identity, video evidence showed the vehicles had visible emergency lights and the workers attempted to flee before being shot.
- The 2024 World Central Kitchen convoy attack, which killed seven aid workers, including three British nationals, after a pre-coordinated route was mistakenly targeted.
He raised serious concerns about the Humanitarian Notification System (HNS), designed to protect aid workers by informing parties in conflict zones of their location. One agency told him the system in Gaza is so unreliable that “we are using the HNS as an accountability measure, not a protective one.”
Tom also shared firsthand accounts from aid workers in Palestine and Sudan, describing chaos, fear, and a total lack of protection on the ground. In Sudan — now home to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis — over 387 aid workers have been killed in the last five years, with rising evidence of deliberate targeting by militias.
“The people who contacted me all told the same story,” Tom said. “That they are often alone, unsupported, and forgotten.”
Calling on the UK Government to show leadership, Tom argued that while international legal protections already exist, what’s lacking is the political will to enforce them. Citing remarks by the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, he urged ministers to match words with action.
Tom issued a five-point call to the Government:
- Push for greater accountability for attacks on aid workers and treat such acts as breaches of international law.
- Work with the UN to improve the Humanitarian Notification System so it protects workers in real-time.
- Train partner organisations in international humanitarian law, security, and mental health support for aid workers.
- Adopt a presumption of denial for arms exports to governments listed in the Foreign Office’s Human Rights Report.
- Reverse the Government’s decision to cut the international aid budget, which he described as “damaging to our country’s standing in the world.”
He concluded:
“We have experienced the most dangerous year ever for humanitarian workers, and there is no sign that this situation will improve. It is vital that the Government acts now.”
You can watch the full video of Tom's speech below.