World Central Kitchen workers killed by Israeli strike in Gaza
An Australian woman was among seven aid workers killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza yesterday.
Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom was in a car with other World Central Kitchen volunteers and their Palestinian driver when it was struck by a missile in Deir al-Balah. The group were delivering aid that had arrived earlier on a ship from Cyprus.
Videos of a news conference held at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital yesterday appears to show the bodies of the individuals and the passports of foreign nationals from Britain, Poland and Australia with the dead. A US-Canada dual citizen was also killed.
Several of the deceased appear to be wearing protective clothing marked with World Central Kitchen’s logo.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was “urgently” investigating the reports.
The Israel Defence Forces said it is conducting a “thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident”.
World Central Kitchen revealed the last movements of its team before the air strike, saying they were “travelling in a deconflicted zone in two armoured cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft skin vehicle’’.
“Despite coordinating movements with the IDF, the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route.”
In a statement on social media, World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés, a celebrity chef, called those who died his “sisters and brothers” and “angels”.
“I served alongside [them] in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia,” Andrés wrote. “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.”
A statement from Frankcom’s family said they were “reeling from the shock” of her death.
“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,” they said.
“She was a kind, selfless and outstanding human being that has travelled the world helping others in their time of need.
“She will leave behind a legacy of compassion, bravery and love for all those in her orbit.”
The reported strike could mark the first time that foreign national aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war on October 7, though a record number of Palestinians employed by the United Nations have been killed in the conflict.
World Central Kitchen has been prominently involved in Gaza relief efforts since October 7, most notably leading the construction of a jetty that allowed a ship chartered by the Spanish search-and-rescue group Open Arms to send about 200 tons of food and water to the enclave.
Last month, World Central Kitchen said it had served more than 35 million meals since the war began and opened more than 60 community kitchens across Gaza.
Andrés had personally lobbied the Israeli government to allow more food into Gaza, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Israel is facing increasing pressure from the US and other Western allies over the humanitarian toll of the war, as well as looming issues of international humanitarian law. Washington Post, AAP, Telegraph