Bodies of 6 foreign aid workers slain in Israeli strikes taken out of Gaza

The bodies of six foreign aid workers killed in a series of Israeli strikes were transported out of the Gaza Strip and into Egypt on Wednesday ahead of their repatriation, Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV reported.

The deadly strikes have renewed criticism of Israel’s conduct in the nearly six-monthlong war with Hamas, and highlighted the perilous conditions aid workers face in trying to deliver food to the besieged enclave, where experts say nearly a third of the population is on the brink of starvation.

The three British citizens, a Polish citizen, an Australian and a Canadian American dual citizen worked for World Central Kitchen, an international charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés. Their Palestinian driver was also killed, and his remains were handed over to his family for burial in Gaza.

The other bodies were driven into Egypt through the Rafah crossing. The seven were distributing food that had been brought into Gaza through a maritime corridor late on Monday when Israeli airstrikes targeted their three vehicles, killing everyone inside.

Israel said it carried out the strikes by mistake and that it has launched an independent investigation into how it happened.

Some of Israel’s closest allies, including the US, condemned the deaths, which led the World Central Kitchen and other charities to

The deadly strikes have renewed criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war with Hamas, and highlighted the perilous conditions aid workers face in trying to deliver food to the besieged enclave.

suspend food deliveries, citing the dire security situation.

Cyprus, which has played a key role in setting up the maritime corridor, said the ships that had arrived on Monday were returning to the Mediterranean island nation with some 240 tonnes of undelivered aid. But it also said the sea deliveries would continue.

Israel faces growing isolation as international criticism of its Gaza assault has mounted. On the same day as the deadly airstrikes, Israel stirred more fears by apparently striking Iran’s consulate in Damascus, killing two Iranian generals. The government also moved to shut down Al Jazeera television.

The hit on the charity’s convoy highlighted what critics have called Israel’s indiscriminate bombing and lack of regard for civilian casualties in Gaza.

In an op-ed published by Israel’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper on Wednesday, Andrés wrote that “the Israeli government needs to open land routes to food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today.”

Andrés, whose organization has provided aid in war and disaster zones all over the world, including to Israelis after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war, said the strikes “were not just some unfortunate mistake in the fog of war.”

“It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the (Israeli military). It was also the direct result of (the Israeli) government’s policy to squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels,” Andrés wrote. Israel has severely restricted access to northern Gaza, where experts say famine is imminent.