The American non-governmental organization (NGO) World Central Kitchen (WCK) announced that seven of its aid workers were killed on Monday 1er April, by a strike that it immediately attributed to the Israeli army.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israeli forces had carried out the bombing: “Unfortunately yesterday [lundi], a tragic incident occurred as our forces unintentionally struck innocent people in the Gaza Strip. This happens in a war, we will check until the end, we are in contact with the governments and will do everything to ensure that this never happens again”he said from the hospital, where he underwent an operation for a hernia on Sunday evening.
The NGO WCK, based in the United States, clarified in a press release that the victims were “originating from Australia, Poland, United Kingdom (…) And of Palestine » and that one of them had American and Canadian nationalities. WCK immediately announced that it was suspending its activities in the region.
Some cars used bore the WCK logo
The Australian Prime Minister confirmed on Tuesday morning that one of his compatriots, Zomi Frankcom, was among those killed. Anthony Albanese praised the work “extraordinarily valuable” what was M doing?me Frankcom in the Gaza Strip and assured that his country “would seek to establish responsibilities”. According to the health ministry in the Hamas-administered Gaza Strip, a Palestinian driver and translator were among those killed.
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed his “sincere words of sympathy” to the family of a Polish volunteer who had offered help to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, without specifying how he was killed. “I personally asked the Israeli ambassador, Yacov Livne, for an urgent explanation. He assured me that Poland would soon receive the results of an investigation into this tragedy.”said the minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, onadding that Warsaw planned to conduct its own investigation.
In the United Kingdom, the Foreign Office said it was aware of reports of the death of a British national in Gaza and was investigating “urgently to obtain further information”.
The humanitarians had just delivered “more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid transported to Gaza by sea” in the north of the Palestinian enclave and left the Deir Al-Balah warehouse, WCK explained in its press release. “The team was traveling in a non-combat zone in two armored cars bearing the WCK logo and an unarmored vehicle”detailed the NGO.
The Israeli army announced “investigate the tragic incident at the highest level to understand the circumstances” and assured to have “worked closely with WCK” for its distribution of aid to the people of Gaza. “We will open an investigation to examine this serious incident more closely. This will help us limit the risk of such an event happening again.”promised the spokesperson for the Israeli army, Daniel Hagari, in a video published on X. He added that he spoke with the founder of WCK, José Andrés, to send him his “deepest condolences” and expressed his “sincere sadness” to “allied countries [d’Israël] who have done and continue to do so much to help those in need”.
White House says it’s ‘heartbroken’
“The Israeli government must put an end to this way of killing indiscriminately”, urged José Andrès. Israel, he continued, “must end the restriction on food aid, end the killing of civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon”.
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The strike blamed on Israel was also widely condemned around the world. The White House said it had ” broken heart “. “We are deeply troubled by the strike”, said on National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson. “Humanitarian workers must be protected because they provide aid that [les Palestiniens] are in desperate need, and we urge Israel to promptly investigate what happened.”she added.
China said “shocked” while recalling that the ” international law “ must be respected. Beijing “opposes any action that harms civilians, destroys civilian infrastructure or violates international law”declared the spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Wang Wenbin.
“I pay tribute to WCK staff members killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza”reacted the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. “I condemn this attack and urge an investigation”did he declare on his account.
The American NGO WCK is notably involved in sending aid by boat from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip and in the construction of a temporary pier in Gaza. A first boat unloaded its cargo there in mid-March under the supervision of the Israeli army.