Global Central Kitchen resumes operations in Gaza after 7 employees die

World Central Kitchen will resume operations in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli airstrike killed seven of its employees earlier this month, the nonprofit organization announced Sunday.

The nonprofit organization, founded by celebrity chef Jose Andrés, had suspended its operations in Gaza following the April 1 strike. Erin Gore, CEO of World Central Kitchen (WCK), said in a message that the organization “will continue to obtain as much food as possible.” To Gaza, including northern Gaza as far as possible. ”

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We are restarting operations with the same energy and dignity, focused on feeding as many people as possible. To date, we have delivered 43 million meals. Food is a universal right, and our work in Gaza is the culmination of our 14-year history as an organization. It was the most life-saving mission of all,” Gore said in a statement.

The organization said in a statement that it has 276 trucks, equivalent to about 8 million meals, ready to go through the Rafah crossing. There are also plans to send a truck loaded with meals through Jordan, and a method of delivering food through the port of Ashdod is also being considered.

Gore also said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had “changed its operational rules” and noted that Israel had apologized for the attack that killed aid workers. WCK said earlier this month that the Israeli military had taken “important steps” in the wake of the attack, but that “systemic changes” were needed.

At the time of the attack, WCK also called for an independent investigation into the attack that killed the worker.

“While there are no concrete guarantees, we 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 conditions.” Our demand for an impartial and international investigation remains unchanged,'' Gore said in a statement on Sunday.

Mr. Gore did not give an exact date for when the organization would resume operations, but said, “We will be back soon.”