Less than a month after seven World Central Kitchen volunteers, led by chef Jose Andrés, were killed in an IDF attack in Gaza, the organization distributed hundreds of tons of humanitarian food aid. has resumed operations in the same area.
World Central Kitchen, which provides food assistance to people affected by humanitarian crises, announced in a press release on April 28 that it will return to Gaza. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We are focused on restarting operations with the same energy and dignity and feeding as many people as possible,” the group said. “Food is a universal right, and our work in Gaza has been the most lifesaving mission in our organization's 14-year history.”
WCK suspended its operations after the April 1 attack, providing more than 60 percent of the food assistance available in the region. WCK said in a statement that the decision to temporarily suspend food provision in Gaza was one of the most difficult in Gaza's history. “Ultimately, we decided that we must continue to provide food and continue our mission of feeding people during the most difficult of times,” the group said.
However, even though WCK has resumed operations, it is still calling for an independent investigation into the attack. The IDF conducted its own investigation, calling the killing a “grave mistake” and insisting it had “changed.” [its] “Operational rules to prevent further attacks.” “While there are no concrete guarantees, we will continue to seek answers and advocate for change with the goal of better protecting WCK and all NGO workers who selflessly serve in the worst humanitarian situations. “WCK said in a statement. “Our demands for an impartial and international investigation remain unchanged.”
The return of WCK food aid to Gaza could not have come at a more important time. The region faces extreme food insecurity and malnutrition, and hunger could worsen by midsummer, according to Reuters. Strict border controls around Gaza have made it extremely difficult for trucks carrying food aid and other aid to enter the region since the conflict began on October 7, but the United Nations has It suggests that the situation has improved over the past few weeks.
WCK now has trucks loaded with more than 8 million meals ready to enter the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip, and says the operation there will be led by Palestinians. The organization also plans to increase production capacity by building another “high-productivity” field kitchen, allowing it to prepare meals on the ground in Gaza. It will join 68 other similar kitchens in the region and be named in honor of volunteer Damian Sobol, who was killed in the April 1 attack.
