Tragic Loss World Central Kitchen Workers Killed in Gaza Airstrike
Citizens from Australia, Britain and Poland were among seven people working for celebrity chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza on Monday, the NGO said. The workers, who also included Palestinians and a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, were travelling in two armoured cars emblazoned with the WCK logo and another vehicle, WCK said in a statement. Israel has long denied it is hindering the distribution of urgently needed food aid in Gaza, saying the problem is caused by the inability of international aid groups to get it to those in need.
International Outrage Foreign Aid Workers Targeted in Israeli Attack
Despite co-ordinating movements with the Israeli Defence Force, the convoy was hit as it was leaving its Deir al-Balah warehouse, after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea, WCK 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,” said Erin Gore, chief executive of World Central Kitchen.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Consequences of Gaza Airstrike Revealed
The United Nations and other international groups have accused Israel of hindering aid distribution with bureaucratic obstacles and failing to ensure the security of food convoys, underlined by a disaster on Feb. 29, in which around 100 people were killed as they waited for an aid delivery. Hamas, the Islamist group that controlled Gaza, has said the main problem with aid distribution was Israeli targeting of aid workers. Following the latest incident, it issued a statement saying the attack aimed to terrorise workers of international humanitarian agencies, deterring them from their missions. Last week, the World Court ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies to the enclave’s Palestinian population and halt spreading famine. In response, Israeli officials accused the United Nations and other international bodies of “failure” over the problems in getting aid to hungry people in Gaza, saying they lack the logistical capacity to perform their jobs. Andres, who started WCK in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti after an earthquake, earlier said he was heartbroken and grieving for the families and friends of those who died.
Calls for Accountability Global Response to the Deaths in Gaza
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom and said his government had contacted Israel to demand those responsible be held accountable. “This is a human tragedy that should never have occurred, that is completely unacceptable and Australia will seek full and proper accountability,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday. Albanese said innocent civilians and those doing humanitarian work needed to be protected and reiterated his call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza along with more aid to help those suffering from “tremendous deprivation.” Video obtained by Reuters showed paramedics moving bodies into a hospital and displaying the passports of three of those killed.
Impact on Relief Efforts World Central Kitchen Pauses Operations in the Region
The World Central Kitchen said that it was pausing aid efforts in the Gaza Strip after seven of its workers were killed in what it said was an Israeli air strike. The U.S.-based nonprofit said its team was traveling in two armored cars bearing its logo and had coordinated its movements with the Israeli military.
The IDF said it was conducting a thorough review of the circumstances around the strike, which killed a number of foreign nationals including a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada. World Central Kitchen is one of few groups delivering much-needed food to the Palestinian enclave, where aid agencies have warned half of the population is on the brink of famine.
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