Netanyahu: Israel `deeply regrets' strike that killed 7
Israeli strikes on an aid convoy in the Gaza Strip that killed seven workers for the charity group World Central Kitchen set off international outrage and prompted an unusual apology from the wartime Israeli government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has rejected almost unequivocally international criticism over his nation's prosecution of the war against Hamas, said Tuesday night that Israel “deeply regrets the tragic incident.”
“Our hearts go out to their families and to their home countries,” Netanyahu said of the dead aid workers.
The World Central Kitchen workers were traveling in clearly marked cars when they came under fire. The workers included citizens of the United States, Poland and Australia and three from Britain.
The Israeli military has concluded it was responsible for the strike on the convoy, according to an army official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an internal investigation. Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military chief of staff, was expected to review findings of an initial inquiry into the incident Tuesday evening, the official said.
World Central Kitchen, which has become an important player in delivering supplies to a territory in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, said Tuesday it was suspending its operations in the region. A second aid agency, American Near East Refugee Aid, said it, too, was suspending its operations in Gaza.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. government had spoken to Israeli authorities about the strike and urged a swift and impartial investigation. He offered praise for the aid workers.
“These people are heroes,” Blinken said. “They run into the fire, not away from it. They show the best of what humanity really has to offer when the going gets tough. They have to be protected.”
John Kirby, a White House spokesperson, said that the United State was “outraged” and that the attack was “emblematic of a larger problem.”
The war in Gaza has proved exceptionally dangerous for aid workers. At least 196 have been killed there since the fighting began Oct. 7, according to the United Nations, citing a figure from March 20.
World Central Kitchen said in a statement that its team had been hit after unloading food at a warehouse in central Gaza and leaving in two armored cars and another vehicle. The group said the convoy was hit despite having coordinated its movements with the Israeli military.
Graphic video footage that circulated after the strike showed several bodies, some in protective gear with World Central Kitchen patches.