World Central Kitchen to resume Gaza aid operations, vows to feed millions
WORLD Central Kitchen (WCK), an international aid organization that lost seven personnel during the relentless Israeli bombings on Gaza on April 1 and suspended its operations, announced that it would resume its aid activities in the Gaza Strip starting on Monday.
Erin Gore, the executive director of WCK, emphasized: “We are restarting our operations with a renewed commitment to feeding as many people as possible. So far, we have distributed over 43 million meals and are eager to distribute millions more. Food is a universal right, and our work in Palestine has been the most life-saving mission in our 14-year organizational history. We will continue to deliver as much food as possible to Gaza, including its northern region, by land, air or sea.”
Gore expressed that they were forced to decide in the aftermath of the attack.
“We had to decide whether to completely cease aid by ending our operation, which constituted 62% of all international NGO assistance in one of the worst hunger crises in history or to continue distributing aid despite the intimidation and killing of aid workers and civilians,” she said. Ultimately, she emphasized their decision, “In the end, we decided to continue distributing aid by maintaining our mission to provide food to people in need, even in the most difficult circumstances.”
A Palestinian team affiliated with WCK will be responsible for distributing food aid in Gaza, including the northern area. WCK has reported that there are 276 aid trucks ready to enter the region through the Rafah Border Crossing, with additional trucks expected from Jordan. Additionally, WCK has announced plans to open its third kitchen in the coastal area of Mawasi in Gaza, which will be named “Damian’s Kitchen” in memory of Damian Sobol, a Polish aid worker killed in the Israeli attack on April 1.