Home TRENDING ISRAELI BOMBING KILLS SEVEN FOOD RELIEF NGO WORKERS IN GAZA.

ISRAELI BOMBING KILLS SEVEN FOOD RELIEF NGO WORKERS IN GAZA.

ISRAELI BOMBING KILLS SEVEN FOOD RELIEF NGO WORKERS IN GAZA.

SHARE

Seven employees of celebrity chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen, including citizens of Australia, Britain, and Poland, were among the seven individuals who died in an Israeli bombing in central Gaza on Monday, according to the NGO.

A vehicle damaged in an Israeli airstrike in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, April 2, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS

Two armored cars with the WCK emblem and another vehicle carried the personnel, who included Palestinians and a dual citizen of the US and Canada, according to a statement from WCK.

For a long time, Israel has denied that it is impeding the delivery of desperately needed food aid to Gaza, claiming that the issue stems from the incapacity of foreign relief organizations to reach those in need.

The convoy was struck as it was leaving its Deir al-Balah storage after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food items that had been transported to Gaza by water, according to WCK, despite having coordinated operations with the Israeli Defence Force.

Erin Gore, CEO of World Central Kitchen, stated, “This is not just 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 Israeli military promised an investigation by “an independent, professional and expert body” and stated it was conducting a thorough examination at the highest levels to establish the facts of what it called a terrible incident.

“The IDF makes extensive efforts to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and has been working closely with WCK in their vital efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the military added.

The world community has been putting increasing pressure on Israel to end the acute hunger in Gaza, where months of fighting have destroyed most of the territory and driven out the majority of its residents.

The United Nations and other international organizations have accused Israel of failing to safeguard the security of food convoys and creating bureaucratic barriers to assistance distribution. This accusation has been emphasized by a disaster that occurred on February 29 that claimed the lives of almost 100 Palestinians who were waiting for relief to arrive.

The Palestinian resistance organization Hamas has stated that Israeli targeting of relief workers is the primary issue with aid distribution. It said in a statement released after the most recent event that the attack was intended to intimidate and dissuade staff members of foreign humanitarian organizations from carrying out their duties.

The World Court ruled last week that Israel must take all necessary and practical steps to guarantee the Palestinian population of the enclave has access to essential food supplies and to stop the hunger from expanding.

Israeli officials responded by accusing the UN and other international organizations of “failure” about the difficulties in providing food supplies to Gaza’s hungry population, claiming they lack the logistical capacity to carry out their duties.

Andres had earlier expressed his heartbreak and grief for the families and friends of those who had passed away. Andres founded WCK in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti following an earthquake.

He posted on social media, saying, “The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing.”

“It must cease limiting relief to the needy, cease murdering people and aid workers, and cease utilizing food as a weapon. No more losses of innocent life. Our shared humanity is the foundation of peace. It must begin right away.”

Australia verifies the death

Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 44, was an aid worker. The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, acknowledged her death and stated his government had contacted Israel to urge that those responsible be held accountable.

He said at a press conference on Tuesday, “This is a human tragedy that should never have occurred, that is completely unacceptable, and Australia will seek full and proper accountability.”

Albanese reaffirmed his appeal for a long-term truce in Gaza and increased aid to assist Palestinians facing “tremendous deprivation” and stated that innocent civilians and humanitarian workers needed to be protected.

In a statement, Poland—which also lost a citizen—objected to the “disregard for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers.”

Video that Reuters was able to obtain showed paramedics transporting bodies into a hospital and displaying the passports of three of the deceased, along with a sizable hole in the roof of a four-wheel drive WCK vehicle and its inside that had been charred and destroyed.

“We are deeply troubled and heartbroken by the strike that killed @WCKitchen aid workers in Gaza,” Adrienne Watson, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, posted on social media.

“Humanitarian aid workers must be protected as they deliver aid that is desperately needed, and we urge Israel to swiftly investigate what happened.”

WCK announced that it was stopping operations in the area right now and that it would soon decide how to proceed with its work.

WCK provides food assistance and cooks meals for those in need. It said that over 42 million meals were served in Gaza over 175 days last month.

In March, WCK participated in the first assistance shipment from Cyprus via a maritime corridor to Gaza. Early this week, a second 332-ton marine relief supply from the WCK arrived in Gaza.

The organization began operations in 2010 and has since provided food to communities affected by natural catastrophes, refugees at the US border, medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and individuals displaced by conflict in Gaza and Ukraine.

SHARE