Chef Jose Andres says Israel targeted his food aid workers ‘systematically, car by car’
WASHINGTON — Celebrity chef Jose Andres told Reuters in an emotional interview on Wednesday that an Israeli attack that killed seven of his food aid workers in Gaza had targeted them “systematically, car by car.”
Speaking via video, Mr. Andres said the World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity group he founded had clear communication with the Israeli military, which he said knew his aid workers’ movements.
“This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place,” Mr. Andres said.
“This was over a 1.5, 1.8 kilometers, with a very defined humanitarian convoy that had signs in the top, in the roof, a very colorful logo that we are obviously very proud of,” he said. “It’s very clear who we are and what we do.”
Mr. Andres said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was aware of the convoy’s whereabouts. He called for investigations of the incident by the US government and by the home country of every aid worker that was killed. “They were targeting us in a deconflicting zone, in an area controlled by IDF. They know that it was our team moving on that road ... with three cars,” he said.
The aid workers were killed when their convoy was hit shortly after they oversaw the unloading of 100 tons of food brought to Gaza by sea. Israel’s military expressed “severe sorrow” over the incident and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it unintentional.
Mr. Andres said there may have been more than three strikes against the aid convoy. He rejected Israeli and US assertions that the strike was not deliberate. “Initially, I would say categorically no,” Mr. Andres said when asked if he accepted that explanation.
“Even if we were not in coordination with the (Israel Defense Forces), no democratic country and no military can be targeting civilians and humanitarians,” he added.
Asked for comment on Mr. Andres’ remarks, an Israeli military spokesperson referred to prior comments by chief of staff Herzi Halevi in which he called the incident a grave mistake and said the attack “was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid workers.”
Mr. Andres said he was personally supposed to be there with his team but was not able to go back to Gaza at the time.
The US needs to do more to stop the war, he said. Mr. Andres spoke to President Joseph R. Biden on Tuesday. “The US must do more to tell Prime Minister Netanyahu this war needs to end now,” he said. He questioned Biden administration moves to supply aid in Gaza while also arming Israel.
“It’s very complicated to understand ... America is going to be sending its Navy and its military to do humanitarian work, but at the same time weapons provided by America ... are killing civilians,” he said.
The chef also wondered aloud how Mr. Netanyahu could wage a war to save Israeli hostages “when they may be dying under the rubble of the same weapons” Israel used against Palestinians. —