Israel slammed for World Central Kitchen deaths
Military drone operators struck three vehicles carrying workers for the much-loved food aid charity
What happened
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that Israel was behind Monday's airstrikes that killed seven aid workers with celebrity chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen. The mostly Western WCK employees and volunteers were driving in clearly marked SUVs along an approved humanitarian corridor after delivering food aid in central Gaza.
Who said what
The "targeted attack" is "unforgivable," WCK CEO Erin Gore said. Netanyahu said Israel "deeply regrets the tragic incident." Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi blamed a "mistake that followed a misidentification — at night during a war in very complex conditions." President Joe Biden said he was "outraged" by the deaths and demanded "accountability." Tragically, "this is not a stand-alone incident," he added. "Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians."
The commentary
The Gaza war "has proved exceptionally dangerous for aid workers," with least 196 killed there since Oct. 7, The New York Times said, citing United Nations figures. "It's hard not to note the contrast between Netanyahu's abject apology" here "and his apparent lack of concern for Palestinian aid worker casualties in Gaza," said Martin Indyk, the former U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
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What next?
WCK and other humanitarian aid organizations are suspending operations in Gaza, "saying it was too dangerous to offer help," The Associated Press said. "Ships still laden with some 240 tons of aid" from WCK turned back to Cyprus.
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