Live updates: Follow us for updates israel-gaza
World Central Kitchen has announced it will cease operations in the Gaza Strip “immediately” after an Israeli airstrike on Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip killed seven of its employees.
The team said in a statement that he was killed while traveling through a deconflict zone in an armored vehicle with the WCK logo.
The group said it was attacked as it left a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, despite coordinating its actions with Israeli forces.
“This is not just an attack on WCK, but an attack on humanitarian organizations in the most dire situations where food is used as a weapon of war. This is unacceptable,” said CEO Erin Gore. said.
“We are immediately suspending operations in this area. A decision regarding future operations will be made soon,” World Central Kitchen said in a statement.
The seven victims were from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Palestine, and were dual citizens of the United States and Canada.
Footage posted on social media on Monday night showed a bloody passport attached to the victim's body, who was wearing a WCK-branded vest.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that Australian national Lalzaumi Francom was among the dead.
“This is completely unacceptable. Australia expects full accountability for the deaths of aid workers,” Mr Albanese said, before offering his “deepest condolences” to the families.
Videos shared on WCK's social media showed strike victims working in Deir Al Bala's kitchen last week, preparing thousands of meals for local residents.
It said it was expanding its space to serve more families in central Gaza.
Israel announced that it had opened an investigation into the attack “at the highest level” and military radio, citing an unnamed military official, said it was “the worst incident Israel has experienced in war”. .
WCK is one of two charities organizing humanitarian aid to Gaza through the maritime corridor as hunger spreads across the enclave.
In collaboration with Open Arms, ambulance boat Via Cyprus last month.
The NGO said the team was delivering 100 tonnes of food aid, which was carried through the corridor, just before the convoy was attacked.
The suspension of operations comes shortly after the United Nations warned that famine was “imminent” in war-torn Gaza, where more than 32,800 people have been killed since October.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 30 people, mostly children, have died of starvation in recent weeks.
Cyprus' Foreign Ministry said international humanitarian law was “absolute” and called for a “prompt and definitive” investigation into the airstrike.
“Humanitarian aid workers must be respected and protected at all times,” he said.
Updated: April 2, 2024, 6:32 a.m.
