In an Israeli strike in Gaza yesterday, seven humanitarian workers from the food aid organization “World Central Kitchen” (World Central Kitchen) were killed, the American non-governmental organization reported today, as quoted by France Press and the Associated Press.
“USK confirms with regret that seven members of our team were killed in Gaza in a strike by the IDF – the Israeli Armed Forces,” the statement said.
The dead included citizens of Australia, Poland, Britain, one person with dual American and Canadian citizenship, and at least one Palestinian, the organization founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres said, without providing final numbers.
According to the USK, the workers were providing the necessary food that had arrived by sea yesterday when they were targeted by an Israeli strike.
Despite coordination efforts with the IDF, the USK convoy was hit after it left a warehouse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza with more than 100 tons of food that had been delivered by sea, the international humanitarian organization said in a statement, quoted from Reuters.
“This is not just an attack on USC. This is an attack on the humanitarian organizations that show up in the worst situations where food is used as a weapon of war,” said Erin Gore, CEO of USC. “It’s unforgivable,” she added.
The Israeli army expressed “sincere sorrow” over the deaths of the seven aid workers, the Associated Press and Reuters reported.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the death of the seven would be investigated by the “Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism”, describing it as an “independent, professional and expert body”.
This “will help us reduce the risk of a similar event occurring again,” he assured.
Hagari added that he had spoken to World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres and expressed his deepest condolences.
“We also express our sincere sorrow to our allied countries who have done and continue to do so much to help those in need,” the statement added.
“The IDF is making great efforts to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and is working closely with the UCC in their vital efforts to provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Andre started USK in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti after the earthquake. Today he said he was devastated and that he was suffering for the families and friends of those killed.
“The Israeli government must stop these indiscriminate killings,” he wrote on social media. “(It) must stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop slaughtering civilians and end its practice of using food as a weapon. There must be no more loss of innocent life. Peace begins with our shared humanity. It must begin now Andre also said.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas released a statement saying the attack was aimed at terrorizing international aid workers into abandoning their missions.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of 44-year-old aid worker Lalzaumi “Zomi” Frankcom and added that his government had contacted Israel and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice.
“This is a humanitarian tragedy that should never have happened. It is absolutely unacceptable and Australia will seek full and exact accountability,” Albanese told reporters today. He stressed that innocent civilians and aid workers must be protected and reiterated his call for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and for more aid to be provided to people who are suffering “immense deprivation”.
“We are devastated and deeply troubled by the strike,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson told X. “Aid workers must be protected as they provide help that is desperately needed,” she stressed. “We demand that Israel immediately investigate what happened.”
USK announced that it was temporarily suspending its operations in the region and indicated that it would soon decide how to operate in the future.
For 14 years, the organization has delivered food to communities affected by natural disasters, to refugees along the US border, to healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic, and to people affected by the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Last year, the USK announced that in 175 days it had handed over 42 million portions of food to the people of Gaza. Earlier this week, a second shipment of USC aid, weighing a total of 332 tonnes, arrived in the Palestinian enclave.
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