Death of aid workers in Gaza: What happened there?
According to a statement by the IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, the IDF has taken responsibility for the tragic incident in which seven workers of the aid organization World Central Kitchen were killed while providing food to those in need in Gaza. This incident has been described by security officials as the most difficult one at the international level. Prime Minister Netanyahu also expressed his regret and stated that the incident will be thoroughly investigated to ensure such tragedies do not occur again.
“This happens in war, we investigate it, we are in touch with the governments of other countries and we will do everything so that this does not happen again in the future.”
The IDF has begun investigating the incident and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has spoken with top officials responsible for the humanitarian issue in Gaza. The passports of the organization’s employees were found at the scene and the IDF is looking into whether there was a mistake in identification or an error in the control processes. The organization has suspended its activities in the area and has called for an end to the indiscriminate killing and use of food as a weapon.
What happened there?
The attacks on the World Central Kitchen machines were carried out by three missiles from UAVs. The decision to strike was made at the operational headquarters of the military unit responsible for the protection of the seaside highway – someone in this headquarters ordered the destruction of a humanitarian convoy due to the fact that an armed man was spotted on a food truck escorted to Deir el-Balah by World Central Kitchen volunteers, who was suspected of being a militant HAMAS.
The truck and the armed individual stayed inside the warehouse while a group of three World Central Kitchen vehicles embarked on a pre-arranged return journey, approved by the IDF. According to Yaniv Kubovits, the volunteers were able to escape after the first car was hit by taking shelter in the second car, but it too was hit. The final and fatal blow occurred when the wounded from the second car were being transferred to the third. This resulted in the death of all seven individuals, despite wearing bulletproof vests.
“We send our condolences to the countries and families of the World Central Kitchen aid organization workers who were killed in Gaza.
IDF and decision-makers are doing and will do everything to prevent harm to civilians.
The incident will be investigated by qualified authorities to ensure that necessary conclusions are drawn to guarantee the safety and security of aid workers going forward.”
