World Central Kitchen, an international aid organization, has called for an impartial and global inquiry into the tragic killing of seven of its personnel in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. In a statement released on Thursday, the organization emphasized the necessity of an independent investigation to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident, promote transparency, hold those accountable responsible, and prevent similar attacks on humanitarian workers in the future.
World Central Kitche
The seven aid workers lost their lives on Monday night when their convoy, comprising two armored vehicles, was targeted shortly after departing from the Deir al-Balah warehouse in central Gaza. These individuals had been engaged in unloading over 100 tons of humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza via maritime channels, as detailed in the statement issued by World Central Kitchen, a charitable entity committed to providing food assistance.
The organization, established by renowned chef Jose Andres, condemned the airstrike that claimed the lives of its personnel as a “military assault involving multiple strikes, specifically targeting three WCK vehicles.” It emphasized that all three vehicles were clearly marked as belonging to WCK and were transporting civilians in accordance with Israeli authorities, who were duly informed of their itinerary, route, and humanitarian mission.
World Central Kitchen has reached out to the governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, and Poland, urging them to support its call for an independent, third-party investigation into the attacks. This investigation aims to determine whether the strikes were deliberate or if they constituted a breach of international law.
Responding to allegations that the Israeli strike was intentional, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed such claims as “absurd,” asserting that the Israeli government prioritizes the protection of civilian lives above all else. Ophir Falk, the adviser, reiterated this stance in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.
