(JTA) – Israel's military chief of staff has fired two officers found responsible for mistakes that led to the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, deepening the crisis in U.S.-Israel relations.
The release of details of the Israeli Defense Forces that led to Friday's layoffs and airstrikes earlier this week comes as the Israeli government scrambles to meet U.S. demands to increase the flow of humanitarian aid as the Gaza Strip faces a worsening humanitarian crisis. I was disappointed. The Biden administration announced Thursday that it would reassess its support for Israel in its war against Hamas unless Israel makes changes.
According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces, authorities identified two gunmen who entered the aid facility in a truck. They incorrectly assumed that three vehicles leaving the premises were occupied by armed men and failed to identify signs indicating the trucks belonged to WCK. WCK is an organization founded by celebrity chef Jose Andrés that has been delivering relief supplies to Israel and Gaza during the current war.
“Those authorizing the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives, not WCK personnel,” the release states. “The strike on the support vehicle was a serious mistake resulting from a serious failure due to mistaken identification, poor decision-making, and an attack that violated standard operating procedures.”
Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Helj Halevi dismissed two senior officers overseeing the operation and reprimanded three, including the commander of Southern Command.
On Thursday, Biden said in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel is taking “specific, concrete and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and aid worker safety.” “The United States needs to take measures,'' he said. Policy regarding Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these measures. ”
Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a departure from common sense, did not publicly announce the reading of his own appeal. The only statement from Netanyahu's office after the phone call was his brief remarks at the beginning of a security cabinet meeting in which he addressed the assassination of a top Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps official in Damascus. mentioned the threat posed by Iran to Israel. . The White House said Biden and Netanyahu discussed the threat.
Nevertheless, late on Thursday, information leaked that the Security Cabinet had approved the opening of the Erez crossing into northern Gaza, where the threat of famine is particularly acute. In addition, the Cabinet approved the opening of the nearby Israeli port of Ashdod for the transportation of relief supplies, a key request of the United States, and to speed up the shipment of relief supplies from Jordan.
A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council welcomed the move, but said the U.S. assessment had not yet reached a conclusion.
Adrian Watson said in a statement Thursday night that “U.S. policy on Gaza continues to reflect our appreciation of Israel's immediate action on these and other measures, including measures to protect the safety of innocent civilians and aid workers.” It will be determined by what happens.”
