José Andrés is “heartbroken and saddened” after a World Central Kitchen team member was reportedly killed in an IDF attack early Tuesday morning.
“Today @WCKitchen lost some of our sisters and brothers to IDF airstrikes in Gaza,” said Andres, who founded the nonprofit non-governmental organization in 2010. I wrote to X, formerly known as Twitter. “We are heartbroken and saddened by their families and friends and our entire WCK family.”
“These are people…angels…with whom I served in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, the Bahamas, and Indonesia,” the chef continued. “They are not faceless… They are not nameless. The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. End restrictions on humanitarian aid and stop the killing of civilians and aid workers. We need to stop and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives can be lost. Peace begins with our shared humanity. We need to start now. ”
Jehad Al-Shurafi/Anadolu, via Getty
World Central Kitchen said it was “aware of reports” that members of its team were killed “while operating in support of humanitarian food delivery operations in Gaza.”
“This is a tragedy,” the organization continued. Statement regarding X. “Humanitarian aid workers and civilians should never be targeted. Ever.”
NBC News reporters reported seeing the bodies of people wearing clothes with the World Central Kitchen logo being taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah. Two were wearing flak jackets with logos on them, and the third was wearing a WCK T-shirt, the newspaper reported. NBC News reporters reported seeing three of those killed holding passports identifying them as British, Australian and Polish nationals.
A spokesperson for the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said at least four foreign aid workers and one Palestinian were killed in Israeli airstrikes, NBC News reported.
Jehad Al-Shurafi/Anadolu, via Getty
“A thorough investigation is being conducted at the highest level to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident,” the Israeli military is quoted as saying. new york times And ABC News.
The IDF “has undertaken extensive efforts to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian supplies and is working closely with the WCK in critical efforts to provide food and humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza,” the military statement said. continued.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said his country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was investigating reports that Australians were among the dead.
“I am very concerned about the loss of life that is occurring in Gaza,” Albanese was quoted as saying. times. “While my government has supported a sustainable ceasefire and called for the release of hostages, too many innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives have been lost in the Gaza-Hamas conflict.”
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