Citizens from Australia, Britain and Poland were among seven staff members of celebrity chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza on Monday, the NGO said.
The workers, who included Palestinians and a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, traveled in two armored vehicles and another car bearing the WCK logo, WCK said in a statement.
WCK said that despite a coordinated operation with the Israel Defense Forces, the convoy was attacked as it left a Deir al-Balah warehouse after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid destined for Gaza by sea.
“This is an attack not only on WCK, but on humanitarian organizations that exist in the most dire situations where food is used as a weapon of war,” said Erin Gore, CEO of World Central Kitchen.
“This is inexcusable.”
The Israeli military said it is conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
“The IDF has made extensive efforts to safely deliver humanitarian aid and has been working closely with the WCK to work together to provide food and humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza,” the military said.
Andres, who started WCK in 2010 by sending chefs and food to Haiti after the earthquake, said earlier he was heartbroken and saddened by the family and friends of the deceased.
“The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing,” he said on social media.
“It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives will be lost. Peace starts with our common humanity. It needs to start now.”
The Islamist group Hamas said in a statement that the attack was aimed at intimidating staff of international humanitarian agencies and preventing them from carrying out their mission.
Australia confirms death
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the death of 44-year-old aid worker Larzami “Zomi” Frankkom and said the Australian government had contacted Israel to demand that those responsible be held accountable.
“This is a human tragedy that should not have happened, it is completely unacceptable and Australia will seek full and appropriate responsibility,” he told a news conference on Tuesday.
Albanese said innocent civilians and humanitarian workers needed to be protected and reiterated his call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and for more aid to help those suffering “tremendous poverty.”
Video obtained by Reuters showed paramedics moving bodies into the hospital and showing the passports of the three victims.
“We are heartbroken and deeply disturbed by the strike in Gaza where @WCKitchen aid workers were killed,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on social media.
“Humanitarian relief workers must be protected as they deliver much-needed aid, and we urge Israel to quickly investigate what happened.”
WCK said it is suspending operations in the region with immediate effect and will make a decision on future work soon.
WCK provides food relief and prepares meals to those in need. The company said last month it had served more than 42 million meals in Gaza in 175 days.
In March, WCK was involved in delivering the first aid shipment from Cyprus to Gaza via the maritime corridor. The second batch of WCK maritime relief supplies arrived in Gaza early this week, totaling 332 tons.
Since it began operating in 2010, the organization has delivered food to communities hit by natural disasters, refugees at the U.S. border, health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and people in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
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