Israeli attacks from the air that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza were felt worldwide, as loved ones mourned the loss of those who were bringing food to trapped Palestinians with the organization World Central Kitchen.
Three British citizens, an Australian, a Polish national, a U.S.-Canadian dual citizen, and a Palestinian were among those killed. Some had traveled extensively, aiding in relief efforts following wars, earthquakes, and wildfires.
Here is some information about those who were killed.
JACOB FLICKINGER
Jacob Flickinger, a 33-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Canada, was reportedly leading the team.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly of Canada has called for a thorough investigation and expressed on X that attacks on humanitarian workers were “completely unacceptable.”
Speaking in Brussels prior to a NATO meeting on Wednesday, she reiterated the call for an investigation and mentioned reaching out to the Israeli foreign minister.
“Israel must adhere to international humanitarian law, and we will ensure that this happens,” she stated.
SAIFEDDIN ISSAM AYAD ABUTAHA
Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, had been employed as a driver and translator for World Central Kitchen since the start of the year, according to relatives.
Family members described him as a committed young man eager to assist fellow Palestinians.
He had also been a successful businessman involved in trade with Ukraine, Egypt, China, and other countries, his brother Abdul Razzaq Abutaha revealed. His connections on the Israeli side aided in coordinating and securing permission to assist the World Central Kitchen team in unloading the ship.
Saifeddin had hoped to marry. Abdul Razzaq Abu Taha explained, “My mother was searching for a wife for him. He was supposed to get married if the war didn’t happen.”
Saifeddin and his coworkers were looking forward to unloading the much-needed food aid in Gaza. The last time he spoke with his brother, they had finished the job and he was on his way home.
Upon hearing about the airstrikes, Abdul Razzaq Abutaha attempted to call to check on Saifeddin's well-being.
After numerous attempts, a stranger answered and informed him, “I found this phone around 200 meters from the car. All the people inside are dead.”
LALZAWMI 'ZOMI' FRANKCOM
Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 43, was remembered by friends and family as a courageous, selfless woman whose compassion for others took her around the world. For the past five years, she had worked for Washington-based World Central Kitchen, leading her to the U.S., Thailand, and her home country of Australia.
“We grieve for this outstanding Australian who has a history of aiding her fellow citizens, whether internationally or during the bushfires of that Black Summer,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “She was clearly concerned about her fellow humans.”
In a statement, relatives described Frankcom as an “exceptional human being” who was “killed while carrying out the work she loved, delivering food to the people of Gaza.”
She was born in Melbourne and got a bachelor’s degree from Swinburne University of Technology. She worked at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the biggest bank in the country, for eight years.
Frankcom’s posts on social media showed her visiting and assisting people in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Romania, and Haiti.
Dora Weekley, Frankcom's colleague at World Central Kitchen who met her during the response to Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019, described her as “larger than life.”
She remembered when Frankcom was asked to walk a Hollywood red carpet for a documentary about World Central Kitchen that was nominated for an Emmy.
Weekley told ABC, “I remember receiving a photo of her in a dress, saying, ‘Keep this forever,’” because usually she was in casual clothes in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan, and her hair and makeup were never done.
“She worked all the time, gave everything, and believed in assisting people who were less fortunate.”
DAMIAN SOBÓL
Damian Soból, 35, was a cheerful, friendly, and resourceful manager who advanced quickly in World Central Kitchen’s hierarchy.
Soból, who is from the southeastern Polish city of Przemyśl and studied hospitality there, had been on aid missions in Ukraine, Morocco, Turkey, and Gaza for the past six months.
Marta Wilczynska, from the Free Place Foundation, which collaborates with World Central Kitchen, said, “He was a really extraordinary guy. We were very proud of him.”
Wilczynska met Soból on the Polish side of the border with Ukraine, a few days after Russia’s February 2022 invasion. He spoke English well and was a translator, and as a skilled manager, he could organize work in any condition, she said.
“He was always smiling, always helpful, he loved this job. I felt like I had a brother in him,” Wilczynska said.
Mikolaj Rykowski, President of the Free Place Foundation, said Soból was “the man for every task — he could overcome every difficulty.”
Przemyśl Mayor Wojciech Bakun posted on Facebook about Soból’s death, mentioning that there are “no words to describe how people who knew this fantastic young man feel now.”
JOHN CHAPMAN, JAMES HENDERSON AND JAMES KIRBY
The three British victims were military veterans who had been in dangerous situations before. They died providing security for the World Central Kitchen aid mission.
Kirby, 47, came from the port city of Bristol in southwest England and served in Bosnia and Afghanistan with the British Army before working in private security. His LinkedIn profile revealed that he worked as a players’ escort at the 2021 Wimbledon tennis tournament.
Kirby’s cousin Amy Roxburgh-Barry referred to him as an “all-round gentleman” who was planning to surprise his mother and aunt with a cruise after returning from Gaza.
“It’s devastating that he fought in wars and returned unscathed, only to go out and do something helpful and face such a tragic end,” she told Sky News.
Chapman, 57, was a Royal Marines veteran, and his family expressed devastation at losing him.
“He died while trying to help people and became the victim of an inhumane act,” they said. “He was an amazing father, husband, son, and brother.”
Henderson, who was 33 and called Jim, used to be a Royal Marine from Cornwall in southwest England, according to news sources in that area. Sky News said that he was supposed to depart from Gaza on Monday, the same day he was killed.
