Netanyahu says aid workers’ killing tragic, ‘happens in wartime’
Seven people working for the World Central Kitchen aid group in Gaza were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday. Three of them were British nationals, one Australian, one from Poland, one Palestinian and one dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lamented the killing of the NGO workers calling the incident “tragic and unintended”. However, he also said this “happens in wartime”.
“The humanitarian aid team was travelling in a deconflicted zone in two armoured cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft skin vehicle,” the statement by the charity said.
Countries across the world have been reacting very strongly against the strike. While Spain and Poland have sought an “explanation” from Israel, the UK called on Israel to urgently investigate the matter.
Reacting to the WCK workers’ deaths, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that ‘it happens during wartime’ while also assuring that his government will do everything to ensure it does not happen again.
Meanwhile, the killing of the seven aid workers Tuesday has prompted the World Central Kitchen charity to suspend delivery of vital food aid to Gaza.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called on Israel to urgently investigate and provide an explanation after aid workers were killed, including British nationals. Sunak said he was “shocked and saddened”.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reacted to the tragedy demanding that the Israeli government ‘clarify’ as soon as possible the circumstances of the ‘brutal attack’.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expected ‘full accountability’ for the deaths of aid workers.
Poland’s foreign minister asked the Israeli ambassador in Warsaw for “urgent explanations” after a Polish volunteer was killed while providing aid in Gaza.
Despite co-ordinating movements with the Israeli Defence Force, the convoy was hit as it was leaving its Deir al-Balah warehouse, after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea, WCK said.
Chief Executive of World Central Kitchen Erin Gore called it not only an attack against WCK, but an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war.
WCK owner celebrity Jose Andres, who started the aid in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti after an earthquake, earlier said he was ‘heartbroken’ and grieving for the families and friends of those who died.
The Israeli military said it was doing a thorough review at the highest level to understand the circumstances of what it called a ‘tragic incident’ and pledged an investigation by “an independent, professional and expert body”
