Israel has accepted responsibility for an overnight airstrike in Gaza that accidentally killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers.
“Unfortunately, yesterday there was a tragic incident in which our forces accidentally struck innocent people in the Gaza Strip. This happens in war, we are thoroughly investigating it, we are in contact with the relevant parties and we will do everything to ensure that this sort of thing doesn’t happen again,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.
CNN reports that two branded armored cars were hit on Monday as they were leaving a warehouse in Deir Balah in central Gaza, where the World Central Kitchen team had been unloading humanitarian aid delivered from Cyprus. The workers killed in the airstrike reportedly include citizens of Australia, Poland, and Britain, as well as a dual US-Canada citizen.
WCK Founder Erin Gore blasted Israel following confirmation of the seven deaths.
“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Gore.
“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.”
