A recent airstrike in the central Gaza Strip, attributed to Israel, resulted in the deaths of seven humanitarian workers affiliated with World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing meals in disaster zones.
This incident occurred while the aid workers were in vehicles marked with the WCK logo in a zone considered to be free of conflict in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
The workers, hailing from various countries including the UK, Poland, and Australia, were engaged in WCK’s mission to supply food to Palestinians amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas that began on October 7.
WCK, known for its global efforts to assist those in disaster-affected areas by providing food, has been active in Gaza, supporting thousands during the current hostilities.
The organization recently gained attention for delivering hundreds of tons of food to Gaza via the first aid ship to the region.
José Andrés, the founder of WCK, confirmed the deaths were a result of an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrike, which is currently under a comprehensive review by the IDF.
The Gaza media office controlled by Hamas also attributed the strike to Israel. According to a Palestinian medical source who spoke to the BBC, the workers were donned bullet-proof vests adorned with the WCK logo at the time of the incident.
Martin Griffiths, the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, has called for an end to attempts to expel the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from the Gaza Strip.
He emphasized that humanitarian assistance in Gaza relies heavily on UNRWA, suggesting that efforts to distribute aid without the agency are doomed to failure.
