Israeli airstrike killed seven aid workers in Gaza On Tuesday, friends and relatives mourned the deaths of those delivering food to besieged Palestinians with a charity that resonated around the world. world central kitchen.
Those killed included three British nationals, an Australian, a Pole, a dual American and Canadian citizen, and a Palestinian. Some traveled around the world, participating in relief efforts in the aftermath of wars, earthquakes, and wildfires.
We will introduce information on the identified people.
Saif Issam Abu Taha
Saif Issam Abu Taha, 27, had been working as a driver and translator at World Central Kitchen since the beginning of this year, relatives said.
His brothers described him as a dedicated young man who was passionate about what was next. help fellow Palestinians.
He was also a successful businessman who traded with countries including Ukraine, Egypt and China, according to his brother Abdul Razak Abu Taha. His brother said his work made him well known on the Israeli side, which helped coordinate and approve the World Central Kitchen team to help unload the ship. , he added.
Saif wanted to get married. “My mother was looking for his wife,” Abdul Razak Abu Taha said. “He would have gotten married if he had. war It didn't happen. ”
Saif and other employees were excited. About unloading of food aid, absolutely necessary In Gaza. When Saif and his brother last spoke, Saif said he was on his way home after finishing his work.
Abdul Razak Abu Taha said he tried to call Saif to check on his safety after hearing about the airstrike.
After many attempts, a stranger came out and said, “We found this phone about 200 meters from the car. Everyone inside was killed.”
Lalzaumi “Zomi” Francome
Friends and family remembered Lalzaumi “Zomi” Francome, 43, as a brave and selfless woman whose concern for others drew her to the world. For the past five years, she has worked at the Washington-based World Central Kitchen, which has taken her to the United States, Thailand, and her native Australia.
“We mourn this wonderful Australian with a record of helping his fellow countrymen, whether internationally or through the support he gave during wartime. Forest fire what happened inside that black summer“She was clearly someone who cared about her fellow countrymen,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Relatives said in a statement that Francome was an “excellent human being” who was “killed while on the job delivering food to the people of Gaza he loved.”
She was born in Melbourne and completed her undergraduate degree at Swinburne University of Technology. For her eight years she worked at Australia's largest bank, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Francome's social media highlighted visits to help people in need in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Romania and Haiti.
World Central Kitchen colleague Dora Weekly, who met with Francom in the Bahamas in 2019 as he responded to Hurricane Dorian, described him as “larger than life.”
She recalled the time Francome was invited to walk the red carpet in Hollywood for an Emmy-nominated documentary about World Central Kitchen.
“I remember taking a picture of her in the dress and saying, 'Hold this forever,'” Weekley told ABC. “I mean, she usually wears sweats and runners and she’s in Pakistan or Afghanistan and she doesn’t have her hair done or her makeup done anywhere.
“She worked many hours, gave her all, and believed in helping those less fortunate.”
Damien Sobol
Damien Sobol, 36, is known as a cheerful, friendly and resourceful manager who quickly rose through the ranks at World Central Kitchen.
Sobol, who is from Przemysl, a city in southeastern Poland where she studied hospitality, has spent the past six months providing relief work in Ukraine, Morocco, Turkey and Gaza.
“He was truly an extraordinary person,” said Marta Wilczynska of the Free Place Foundation, which works with World Central Kitchen. “We were so proud of him.”
Wilczynska met Sobol a few days later on the Polish side of the border with Ukraine. Invasion of Russia in February 2022. He spoke good English, could translate, and was an effective manager, able to organize work in any situation, she said.
“Always smiling, always kind, he loved this job. I felt like he had a brother,” Wilczynska said.
Mikolaj Rykowski, president of the Free Place Foundation, said Sobol was “a man capable of any task and was able to overcome all difficulties.”
“There are no words to describe how those who knew this wonderful young man are feeling right now,” Przemysl Mayor Wojciech Bakun said in a Facebook post about Sobol's death.
