An apparent Israeli airstrike killed seven people who were helping others through the organization known as World Central Kitchen. The organization known as World Central Kitchen suspended the delivery of important food aid to a place where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are in danger of not having enough to eat due to Israel’s recent military actions.The location One organization that was hit by the Israeli airstrike has stopped bringing necessary food aid to a particular region. This is due to the actions of Israel, who has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the edge of starvation through their recent military actions. GazaThe place where the Israeli military shot at on Monday has not been confirmed by an independent source. The Israeli military has expressed regret over the deaths, but it has not completely accepted responsibility.
Videos showed the bodies of several people, some of whom were wearing protective gear with the logo of the charity, at a hospital located in the central area of Gaza known as Deir al-Balah. The victims include three UK citizens, one person from Australia, a Polish citizen, a person who had citizenship in both the U.S. and Canada, and a Palestinian. This information comes from the records of a hospital.
The organization, which was created by well-known chef José Andrés, played a very important role in a recently established route for bringing essential aid to the north of Gaza. According to the UN, much of the population in this area is close to being extremely hungry, and they have been largely cut off from the rest of Gaza by the actions of the Israeli forces.
José Andrés, whose organization helps in many countries affected by warfare or natural disasters, including Israel after the attack on October 7 that led to the current conflict, said he was very saddened by the deaths of his colleagues.
“The Israeli government needs to put an end to this unselective killing. It needs to stop limiting humanitarian aid, stop killing innocent people and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The organization said that the team was traveling in a convoy of three cars, including two vehicles with extra protection, and its movements had been organized with the Israeli army.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the top military spokesman, said officials have been “reviewing the incident at the highest levels.” He says an independent investigation will be launched that “will help us reduce the risk of such an event from occurring again.”
Erin Gore, the CEO of the organization, said “this is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable.”
The main UN agency in Gaza, UNRWA, stated in its most recent report that 173 of its employees have been killed in the region since the conflict began, when militants led by Hamas invaded southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the abduction of about 250 hostages. Israel responded with one of the most deadly and destructive offensives in recent times.
In response to an increasing humanitarian crisis in the northern part of Gaza, several countries worked to open a sea route in the hopes of allowing more aid to enter the area, which has only been receiving small amounts of aid through the land routes controlled by Israel. The United States and other countries have also dropped aid from the air, but aid workers say these efforts are not nearly enough to meet the growing needs.
Israel has prevented UNRWA from making deliveries to the northern part of Gaza, and other aid organizations have said that sending truck convoys north has been too risky due to the military’s failure to ensure safe passage.
Three ships delivering aid from Cyprus arrived on Monday with around 400 tons of food and supplies organized by World Central Kitchen and the United Arab Emirates following a test run last month.
The United States, which has given important military and diplomatic support for Israel’s offensive, has praised the sea route and intends to construct its own floating dock, with construction expected to take several weeks.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson expressed sadness and concern about the strike. She urged Israel to quickly investigate the incident, and posted her statement on X.
Nael Eliyan, a displaced Palestinian, was in his tent about 100 meters (yards) away when he heard the explosion late Monday and rushed to the scene. He stated that the injuries were serious and the victims died quickly, describing them as heroes, martyrs, and brave individuals.
The bodies of the aid workers were taken to a hospital in the southern city of Rafah on the Egyptian border, as reported by an Associated Press journalist at the hospital.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Zomi Frankcom, 44, of Melbourne, was among those killed and said his government has requested an explanation from Israel.
Albanese informed reporters that the deceased individual was volunteering abroad to provide aid through a charity for people suffering great hardship in Gaza. He expressed that this is completely unacceptable.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated that his country was working to verify reports of the deaths of U.K. nationals in the strike, which he described as deeply distressing.
He emphasized the importance of protecting humanitarian workers and enabling them to carry out their work, also calling for an investigation in a message posted on X.
Poland’s Foreign Ministry conveyed its deepest sympathies to the family of a volunteer who had offered assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip without mentioning how he was killed. The Foreign Ministry stated that it is demanding an explanation from Israel.
The mayor of Przemysl, Wojciech Bakun, identified the victim on Facebook as Damian Soból and mentioned that he was from the city in southeastern Poland.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, around 32,916 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, with approximately two-thirds being women and children. Israel attributes the civilian casualties to Palestinian militants, citing their use of dense residential areas for combat, although the army seldom comments on individual strikes.
Two other apparent Israeli strikes late Monday killed at least 12 Palestinians, including five children, in Rafah, where Israel has pledged to expand its ground operation despite the presence of around 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom have sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.
One of the strikes hit a family home, resulting in the deaths of a father and his three children, aged 7, 13, and 19, according to hospital records. Another strike targeted a gathering near a mosque, claiming the lives of at least six people, including three children.
Aid groups have consistently urged for a humanitarian cease-fire, viewing it as the only way to reach people in need. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been working for months to negotiate such a pause and a hostage release, but the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas are at a standstill.
It is thought that Hamas is holding around 100 hostages and the bodies of 30 others after letting go most of the remaining people during a break in fighting in November, in return for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel being set free.
A reported Israeli airstrike caused the deaths of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, causing the charity to stop providing important food assistance to Gaza on Tuesday.
