UK calls for investigation into Israeli airstrike that killed aid workers

Britain has called for an immediate investigation into Monday’s Israeli air strike on an aid convoy in Gaza that killed seven aid workers, including three British citizens.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rejected calls to suspend arms shipments to Israel amid growing global outrage over the attack.

On Wednesday, a convoy of ambulances carried the bodies of six of the seven victims out of Gaza and into Egypt through the Rafah crossing. The body of the seventh worker, a Palestinian driver, was handed over to his family for burial in Gaza.

Monday’s attack hit several vehicles used by the World Central Kitchen charity. Video after the incident clearly shows the charity’s logo on the roof of a car next to a large hole apparently caused by a missile.

The three British victims were identified as John Chapman, 57, James Kirby, 47, and James Henderson, 33.

Sunak said he spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.

Sunak told reporters: “I … was very clear to him that the situation was becoming increasingly intolerable and what we urgently needed to see was a thorough, transparent investigation into what happened and a sharp increase in the amount of aid coming into Gaza. .” sun newspaper.

“I think we have always adhered to a very careful export licensing regime. We will always follow a set of rules, regulations and procedures and I have always made that clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu from the beginning. Of course, we defend Israel has the right to defend itself and its people against attacks by Hamas, but they must do so in accordance with international humanitarian law. “

Opposition Labor shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the government’s legal advice on Israel’s conduct of the war against Hamas must be published.

“If international law is indeed violated, then it is absolutely right to suspend the supply of offensive weapons to Israel,” Lamy told reporters on Wednesday.

The three British victims provided security for World Central Kitchen through Solace Global. Matthew Harding, the company’s non-executive director, said it was difficult to know exactly what happened.

“We have looked very carefully at everything that happened leading up to and following the incident. We are very satisfied that all the steps were taken and executed correctly by his company,” Harding told BBC News.

Other victims of the airstrikes included the organization’s Palestinian driver, Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25; Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom, 43, World Central Kitchen’s head of relief in Gaza; Polish citizen Damian Sobol, 35 ; Jacob Flickinger, 33, is an American-Canadian citizen.

Their governments have also responded to calls for swift investigations.

Israel says it has no intention of targeting aid workers.

“This was an error caused by misidentification at night, during war, under very complex conditions. This should not have happened,” IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said in a televised statement on Tuesday.

Israeli government spokesperson Ilana Stein said on Wednesday that the government regretted the “horrific” incident.

“This is a very complex war situation. Every war is very difficult. It’s very chaotic, very dangerous, and we don’t want casualties on the Israeli side and on the Palestinian side,” Stein told reporters by phone. Aviv .

“Having said that, Israel is checking itself every day. We have been reviewing our operations in different ways, including on the ground, and what we can do to distribute aid.”

Human Rights Watch rejected her explanation.

“The deadly Israeli attack on World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza had the hallmarks of a precision airstrike, indicating the Israeli military’s intent to target vehicles. World Central Kitchen coordinated coordinates and operations with the Israeli government, and their vehicles were clearly marked. “,” said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestinian director at Human Rights Watch.

Shakir told VOA: “This is not an isolated incident. According to the United Nations, the Israeli government has killed at least 196 aid workers in Gaza.”

Israel insists it has done everything it can to avoid civilian casualties.

World Central Kitchen has suspended operations in Gaza. The organization says it has served more than 42 million meals since it started operating there six months ago.

In an article on Wednesday New York TimesThe charity’s founder, José Andrés, said the attack was ” [Israel’s] Policies that squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels. “

While aid agencies have widely accused Israel of obstructing the flow of aid to Gaza, Israel denies it is blocking aid and blames the delays on Hamas, which it accuses of using hospitals and aid facilities as military bases.

Hamas denies this and says Israel is using hunger as a weapon of war.