‘Unforgivable’: Horror as Israeli air strike kills food charity workers
THREE British nationals were among seven aid workers killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, the World Central Kitchen (WCK) has said. Seven workers from the UK, Australia, Poland, dual citizens of the US and Canada and Palestine were killed while travelling through a deconflicted zone, the WCK said in a statement.
It was first reported yesterday morning that at least one British national had been killed with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirming it was “aware” of the report.
Later yesterday however, the BBC reported that the WCK said three British civilians were among the seven aid workers killed.
Speaking to reporters, Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked and saddened” by the news and that the Government is “urgently working to confirm all the details”.
He added that the UK Government has asked Israel to “investigate what happened urgently”.
“They’re doing fantastic work bringing alleviation to the suffering that many are experiencing in Gaza. They should be praised and commended for what they’re doing.
“They need to be allowed to do that work unhindered and it’s incumbent on Israel to make sure they can do that.
“We’re asking Israel to investigate what happened urgently because clearly there are questions that need to be answered.”
The aid workers travelled in two armoured cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft-skin vehicle.
Despite co-ordinating WCK’s moves with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), the charity said the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir alBalah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid taken to Gaza on the maritime route.
WCK chief executive Erin Gore said in a statement: “This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war.
“This is unforgivable. I am heartbroken and appalled that we – World Central Kitchen and the world – lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF.
“The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished.”
WCK’s founder, celebrity chef Jose Andres, said in a post on Twitter/X: “Today @WCKitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF air strike in Gaza.
“I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family. These are people… angels… I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not faceless… they are not nameless.
“The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives lost.
“Peace starts with our shared humanity. It needs to start now.”
The IDF says it is “carrying out an in-depth examination at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident”.
WCK immediately suspended operations in the region.
Footage on social media showed the bodies of the dead, with several of them dressed in protective gear bearing the charity’s logo, along with their passports.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu later admitted that an “unintentional” Israeli strike killed “innocent people” in Gaza.
Speaking in Hebrew in a video message, he said: “Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours there was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip.
“It happens in war, we check it to the end, we are in contact with the governments, and we will do everything so that this thing does not happen again.”
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said his government has requested an explanation from Israel of how the incident occurred.
Albanese said Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon was asked to call Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and explain how 44-year-old Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, from Melbourne, came to be killed.
He told reporters: “This is someone who was volunteering overseas to provide aid through this charity for people who are suffering tremendous deprivation in Gaza. And this is just completely unacceptable.”
According to a statement issued to The Guardian by Frankcom’s family, she died “doing the work she loves”, adding: “We are deeply mourning the news that our brave and beloved Zomi has been killed doing the work she loves, delivering food to the people of Gaza.”
While not all of the WCK workers have yet been identified, it emerged yesterday that as well as Frankcom, 27-year-old Palestinian Saif Issam Abu Taha and Damian Sobol, a 36-year-old from Poland were among those who were killed.
Downing Street also declined to say whether the UK Government believed Israel was operating within international humanitarian law, saying it would not comment on legal advice.
Asked whether the Government had received legal advice that Israel had broken international law, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “We would never comment on government legal advice, but we’ve said before that we keep that advice under constant review and ministers act in accordance with that advice when considering, in this case, for example, when it comes to export licences.”
Asked whether the UK Government thought Israel was acting in accordance with international law, the spokeswoman said: “As I said before, we keep advice under review and ministers act in accordance with that advice.”
Meanwhile, First Minister Humza Yousaf called for immediate action from the UK Government. Sharing a statement from WCK and an image of one of the charity’s vehicles hit by weaponry, he said: “The Israeli