PM slams Netanyahu’s defence of airstrikes

Trudeau calls for ‘transparent, independent’ probe

Attacks on aid workers are not something that just happens in war, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday, slamming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s defence of a deadly airstrike in central Gaza on April 1.

Canadian Army veteran Jacob Flickinger, 33, was among those killed while delivering food aid for World Central Kitchen.

Netanyahu said Wednesday the blasts were a tragic accident that will be investigated — but also a consequence of armed conflict.

“This happens in war,” Netanyahu said.

At a news conference in Winnipeg Thursday, Trudeau said he had to “directly take issue” with those comments.

“No, it doesn’t just happen,” Trudeau said. “And it shouldn’t just happen when you have aid workers for an extraordinary organization like World Central Kitchen risking their lives every day in an incredibly dangerous place to deliver food to people who are experiencing a horrific humanitarian catastrophe.”

World Central Kitchen is demanding a full independent investigation into the attack that killed its workers.

They were in a clearly marked aid convoy after delivering 100 tonnes of food to a warehouse in central Gaza when they were hit.

Also killed in the attack were Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, 43, from Australia, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, and John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, all British citizens.

Trudeau said a “fully open, transparent, independent and rapid investigation” is absolutely required.

But he said a ceasefire and a massive influx of humanitarian support is also critical.

“The reality is we need much more humanitarian support to flow into Gaza, much more protection of civilians, of innocents and of aid workers,” he said.

“That’s why we need a humanitarian ceasefire. We need for Hamas to lay down its arms. We need for the hostages to be released, and we need a ceasefire to allow this humanitarian catastrophe to end as quickly as possible.”

International reaction to the deadly airstrikes has been swift at a time when Israel was already facing sharp criticism for the humanitarian toll of its war in Gaza. Israel’s blistering campaign has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, with more than 75,600 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostage.

The U.S. has been one of Israel’s biggest defenders and earlier this week approved the transfer of additional bombs to the Israeli military.

U.S. President Joe Biden has been increasingly frustrated with the limited aid Israel is allowing into the territory and the growing death toll of civilians.

World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés rejects Israel’s assertion that it was an accidental attack, saying the charity had clear communication with Israel about when and where the aid workers would be moving.

He said Israel’s right to defend itself does not extend to killing innocent people.

Jonathan Duguay, a close friend of Flickinger who was working in Cyprus for World Central Kitchen at the time of the attack, told The Canadian Press Flickinger wasn’t afraid because the aid deliveries were co-ordinated with Israel’s assistance. “We had an agreement with the IDF,” said Duguay. “There was a special route. They knew where we were.”