Seven support employees with World Central Kitchen have been killed within the Gaza Strip when their convoy got here below fireplace on Monday night time, in line with the help group and Gazan well being officers.
The catastrophe aid group, based by the Spanish chef José Andrés, mentioned the convoy was hit in an Israeli strike. In an announcement following the assault, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel referred to a “tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting harmless individuals.” He mentioned Israel was in contact with overseas governments over the episode.
Right here’s what we all know.
The convoy of three automobiles had simply left a meals warehouse.
The World Central Kitchen employees members have been leaving a warehouse in Deir al Balah, a metropolis within the central Gaza Strip, when their convoy — two armored automobiles and a 3rd automobile — got here below fireplace late Monday, the group mentioned in an announcement.
The Israeli navy had been knowledgeable of the help employees’ actions, the charity mentioned. Support employees had simply unloaded greater than 100 tons of meals dropped at Gaza by sea on the warehouse, in line with the group.
Movies and images verified by The New York Occasions counsel the convoy was hit a number of occasions. The imagery exhibits three destroyed white automobiles, with the northernmost and southernmost automobiles practically a mile and a half aside.
The World Central Kitchen brand might be seen on objects contained in the charred interiors of the northernmost and southernmost automobiles. The automotive within the center was left with a gaping gap in its roof, which was clearly marked with the group’s brand. All three automobiles, although far other than one another, have been on or close to the Al-Rashid coastal street.
It remained unclear on Tuesday morning what kind of munition struck the automobiles and whether or not these explosives have been launched from the bottom, a warplane or a drone.
Six overseas residents and a Palestinian have been killed.
World Central Kitchen mentioned a kind of killed was a twin citizen of the USA and Canada, whereas the others have been from Australia, Britain, Gaza and Poland. It didn’t give their names.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia recognized one of many victims as Zomi Frankcom, an Australian citizen and a senior supervisor at World Central Kitchen. “The tributes flowing for Lalzawmi ‘Zomi’ Frankcom inform the story of a life devoted to the service of others, together with her fellow Australians throughout pure disasters,” Penny Wong, the nation’s overseas minister, mentioned on social media.
Damian Sobol, an support employee from the southeastern Polish metropolis of Przemysl, died within the assault, in line with town’s mayor, Wojciech Bakun. “There are not any phrases to explain what individuals who knew this improbable man really feel at this second,” he mentioned in a put up on social media.
David Cameron, the British overseas secretary, mentioned on social media that three of the help employees who have been killed have been British residents however didn’t embody their names. He added that he had spoken to his Israeli counterpart to boost considerations.
Palestinian medics retrieved the our bodies of the seven victims and took them to a hospital in Deir al Balah, in line with the Palestine Crimson Crescent Society. The our bodies of the foreigners have been to be taken out of Gaza into Egypt, the group mentioned.
Saif Abu Taha, a 26-year-old Gazan working as a driver and translator for World Central Kitchen, additionally died within the assault. Mr. Abu Taha was an enterprising younger man who labored in his father’s enterprise and spoke good English, his brother Shadi mentioned.
Mr. Abu Taha and different World Central Kitchen employees have been thrilled to have the chance to unload the desperately wanted meals support. “They have been so excited, like they have been going to a marriage,” his brother mentioned. It was the final time he noticed him.
Mr. Cameron mentioned on social media that “it’s important that humanitarian employees are protected and capable of perform their work.” He referred to as on Israel “to instantly examine and supply a full, clear rationalization of what occurred.”
Not less than 196 support employees have been killed in Gaza and the West Financial institution between October 2023 and late March, in line with Jamie McGoldrick, a senior U.N. aid official. “This isn’t an remoted incident,” he mentioned, later including: “There isn’t any secure place left in Gaza.”
The prime minister appeared to take accountability for the ‘unintentional’ assault.
In a video assertion on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel referred to a “tragic case of our forces unintentionally harming harmless individuals within the Gaza Strip.” Mr. Netanyahu didn’t identify World Central Kitchen in his remarks.
However an Israeli official conversant in the matter, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the strike was nonetheless below investigation, clarified that the prime minister was referring to the strike.
“It occurs in battle, we’re totally analyzing this, we’re involved with the governments, and we are going to do all the pieces in order that this factor doesn’t occur once more,” Mr. Netanyahu mentioned.
An Israeli navy official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate an inner investigation, mentioned the navy had concluded it was chargeable for the strike on the convoy. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli navy chief of employees, is anticipated to assessment findings of an preliminary inquiry into the incident on Tuesday night, the official mentioned.
A spokesman for Israel’s navy, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, mentioned the investigation had been referred to the Reality Discovering and Evaluation Mechanism, a navy physique tasked with investigating accusations and searching into the circumstances behind battlefield episodes. “We shall be opening a probe to look at this severe incident additional,” he mentioned. “This may assist us scale back the danger of such an occasion from occurring once more.”
The Israeli navy mentioned the mechanism was an “unbiased, skilled and knowledgeable physique.” Human rights teams have typically been crucial of the Israeli navy’s potential to transparently examine itself, charging that inquiries are sometimes lengthy and barely result in indictments.
The World Central Kitchen support ship is headed again to Cyprus.
On the time of the strike, employees had unloaded 100 tons of support from the Jennifer, a World Central Kitchen vessel that had left the Cypriot port of Larnaca final weekend and arrived in Gaza on Monday. One other 240 tons have been to be unloaded on Tuesday, in line with Theodoros Gotsis, a spokesman for the Cypriot overseas ministry.
Mr. Gotsis mentioned that the Jennifer as an alternative left Gaza to sail again to Larnaca on Tuesday. He added that a number of extra tons of support have been ready at warehouses in Larnaca, however that it was not clear when and whether or not a mission to ship them would happen.
Patrick Kingsley, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Gabby Sobelman, Matina Stevis-Gridneff, Lauren Leatherby and Nader Ibrahim contributed reporting to this text.
