US approves more bombs for Israel on day of Gaza food charity attack: report

On the same day, the United States approved the transfer of more bombs to Israel Israeli air strikes on World Central Kitchen, The Washington Post reported Thursday that a food charity in Gaza killed seven aid workers.

Three U.S. officials told The Washington Post that the Biden administration approved the transfer of more than a thousand bombs to Israel. Seven aid workers were killed in Israeli attacks, including a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen.

The White House said President Joe Biden was “outraged and heartbroken” by the attacks in Gaza. A U.S. official said Biden is likely to raise the need for better protection of humanitarian workers and increased food shipments to Gaza.

“They provided food to hungry civilians during the war,” Biden said. “They were brave and selfless.”

More than 1,000 MK82 500-pound bombs, 1,000 small-diameter bombs, and MK80 bomb fuses were approved for transfer to Israel. U.S. officials told the newspaper that authorization for the weapons was obtained years before the recent Israel-Hamas war.

The transfer of the weapons occurred sometime before an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza food charity run by celebrity chef José Andres.

It is unclear what type of munitions will be approved for transfer to Israel, but former U.S. weapons expert Josh Paul said the small-diameter bombs the U.S. is sending to Israel are “certainly comparable.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to questions on Tuesday about the State Department’s role in arms transfers, saying Iran and Hezbollah posed a “regional threat” to Israel. He said the purpose of the weapons was to “avoid further conflict”.

Notably, he also condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza NGOs and called aid workers who died “heroes.”

“We should not be in a situation where people who are just trying to help their fellow humans are themselves in serious danger,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed regret over the killing NGO staff described the incident as “tragic and unintentional”. However, he also said this “happened during wartime”.

The three people killed in the attack were British nationals, an Australian, a Pole, a Palestinian and a dual US-Canadian citizen.

Rescuers traveled in two armored vehicles bearing the WCK logo and another car. WCK said that despite coordinating the operation with the Israel Defense Forces, the convoy was attacked as it left the Deir al-Balah warehouse after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid destined for Gaza by sea.